As popular Hawaii designer Kini Zamora was on Season 13 of Lifetime’s "Project Runway" last year, couch critics couldn’t help but question some of his choices.
Ah, but how prescient he turned out to be as we examine some of the trends starting to circulate as 2015 begins.
Denim was Zamora’s signature at audition time last summer, and he turned the fabric into a date-night ensemble. Judge Nina Garcia said she didn’t think of denim as an evening fabric, but for spring 2015, look for luxe treatments, whether embellished, shaped into ladylike silhouettes, or at ease in its original comfort roots.
Zamora’s final collection was an ode to sporty chic and black-and-white, and we couldn’t miss that Alexander Wang’s year-end collection for H&M combined sporty chic and black-and-white, merging women’s needs for sophistication with comfort and on-the-go lifestyles.
Those joining Zamora for the "Project Runway" ride couldn’t help but notice the plethora of fringe on the runway — and fringe is making its way onto the streets. It’s a cheat that goes a long way toward dressing up simple clothing silhouettes, and it’s popping up on boots and accessories as well. — Nadine Kam
DINNER SHOW COMES TO WAIKIKI
2015 could see Hawaiian music on the upswing in Waikiki. Maunalua — "Uncle Bobby" Moderow, Kahi Kaonohi and Richard Gideon — is set to open a Hawaiian dinner show at the Hawaii Prince Hotel in April. Hawaiian music is alive and well as cocktail lounge and bar entertainment in Waikiki but full-scale Hawaiian dinner shows have been few and far between. Moderow said this week the Hawaii Prince show will include hula dancer Kawena Mechler and will be nostalgic enough for visitors but contemporary enough for locals who enjoy Maunalua’s music in other venues.
Darla Won, director of marketing for the Hawaii Prince, said Maunalua and the hotel will be "a great partnership." She added that a recent "teaser show" by the group got rave reviews from the hotel’s employees. If the visitor industry agrees, and Maunalua’s local fan base buys in to the new dinner show as well, other hotels will likely consider similar offerings. If that happens, contemporary Hawaiian dinner shows by big-name performers could become the next "new" thing in Waikiki entertainment. — John Berger
BEER INDUSTRY BREWS IN HAWAII
The Hawaii brewing industry will continue to grow in 2015, with new players entering the fray to compete with established brands. On Oahu, brewpubs Honolulu Beerworks and Hoku Brewing Co. recently opened just blocks away from each other, while Waikiki Brewing Co. and Lanikai Brewing Co. both plan to start operations soon. Another startup, Kailua Brewing Co., just finished a successful Kickstarter campaign.
On the Garden Island, try brews from Kauai Island Brewery and Kauai Beer Co.; Maui Brewing Co.’s new Kihei brewing facility and distribution partnership with Stone Brewing Co. as Maui Stone Craft Beverages mean there will be plenty of quality beer to go around on that island, too. And not to be left out, Kona Brewing Co. will celebrate its 21st birthday in 2015 with a special lineup of small-batch beers available only at its Kona and Hawaii Kai brewpubs. — Jason Genegabus
