Successful designers often start with a single muse whose lifestyle and strong image serve as a guide for others to emulate.

Saori Santos conjured a carefree beach girl and named her Gillia after a flower she discovered in Bali, as well as the golden-shelled Gillia altilis, or buffalo pebblesnail.

It’s not hard for Santos to know what the Gillias of the world want to wear. For the most part, all she has to do is think of what she wants — clothes that are romantic and as fluid and flowing as ocean waves, with elastic shirring that pulls in extra fabric to deliver a slimming line, adjustable straps allowing for a customized fit, and a splash of color to lift spirits.

While that might come naturally to anyone who grew up in Hawaii, Santos grew up in urban Tokyo, where somber colors, conservative jackets and separates were the norm. Before moving here three years ago, one of her jobs involved designing tailored suiting and winter wear; she had her own labels, Sua and Shkaala, to pursue different design concepts.

Having started with T-shirts and denim, and with nothing left to prove, the self-taught designer decided to strike out on her own three years ago and has no regrets about trading street looks for sundresses and other cas­ual wear. She said she feels she’s finally in the right place.

"I love conservative clothing that I still wear sometimes, but I also love flowing dresses. I love the beach and the lifestyle in Hawaii, L.A., Miami and Australia," she said.

Santos first visited Oahu about a decade ago while employed as a saleswoman by a Japa­nese-based company that had opened Moussy boutique in Waikiki. There she met kindred spirit Mayo Kawa­mura, a designer and buyer who sparked Santos’ desire to design and now helps her sell and market her brand.

Santos returned to Japan, where she tried her hand at T-shirt and denim designs.

"Some sell really good; some were hard for me because I don’t wear T-shirts so much," she said.

Eventually her company sent her to California, "where I really learn to make clothes and work with a design team. I fell in love with West Coast, L.A. style. Not so many Japa­nese women wear West Coast clothing that’s colorful and sexy. They don’t want their skin showing."

She introduced her beachy style to the now-closed Le Grand Marquet boutique in Ala Moana three years ago, where it was no surprise that her cas­ual pieces sold better here than in the company’s Japa­nese stores.

"That’s when I thought maybe it’s better if I start something here," she said.

Three years ago she made the leap and moved to Hawaii with her local husband. She started Gillia in spring 2010, and her line is now carried in 20 local shops, three on the mainland and 10 in Japan. Her holiday collection is due to hit boutiques such as Aloha Aina in the Royal Hawaiian Center, Collins & 8th, Fighting Eel and Miki­nola in two weeks.

Her designs, priced from about $100 to $150, are created to take a certain island woman through a day, with 70 percent of garments ideal for warm, tropical weather and 30 percent suited for evenings out. The styles include scallop-hemmed minidresses embellished with glass beads.

Coming in May will be her inaugural children’s clothing line, tentatively dubbed Little Gillia.

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For more information, visit www.gilliaclothing.com.