Hylton Lea of ReVive

If you are planning to attend the ReVive skin care workshops or consultations today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday), please be aware that Nordstrom has announced that Dr. Gregory Bays Brown is feeling under the weather and will be unable to be here. However the delightful Hylton Lea, Dr. Bays Brown’s right hand man, will be taking his place. Workshops will be held today, Friday, at 3 and 5 p.m. and tomorrow, Saturday, at noon and 2 p.m.

There are still a few spots left for the workshops and consultations. Call 953-6100 and ask for the Advanced Skin Care Counter.

- Paula Rath

Etsis at Elephant Walk in Ala Moana Center.

When I first wrote about Devra Wathen of Kahala, creator of Etsis hats , the fledgling company was just getting started. What a whirlwind the past few months have been for Etsis!

Devra and her able executive assistant, Jennifer Lindsey, have been traveling and showing the innovative hats and fashion panels at trade shows  in Las Vegas and, just this week, they opened a 1,300-square-foot showroom in the Ward Plaza Building, along with Dorfman, the company that partners with Etsis to make the fashion forward hats. (To give you an idea of the quality, Dorfman also makes Stetson and Tommy Bahama hats.)

The hats are now sold in 43 stores across the mainland, as well as Canada and, soon, Australia. Not bad for a little business that grew out of an extra bedroom in Devra’s home.

Here’s a reminder of what Etsis is about:  The fashion panels, which snap into hats of many styles, offer added protection for the chin, neck and sides of the face – areas not protected by ordinary hats. It’s an amazing addition to our anti-ageing arsenal. The SunEscape panels, which Wathen is patenting, offer far more protection than an ordinary hat, which can leave the neck, chin, nose and cheeks unprotected.

Etsis hats also travel really well. I stuff the brim with my swimsuit and athletic socks and just pack it right in my suitcase. It arrives in great shape and I always need a hat when I travel. Like many local people, I tend to get more sun exposure when traveling than I get at home, where I am more vigilant about sun protection.

The Etsis bucket hat with white panels.

Among the first Oahu retailers to  realize the potential in Etsis hats were Elephant Walk and Island Slipper. I recently interviewed Lisa Izuta, buyer for Elephant Walk, about Etsis.

L to R: Elephant Walk store manager Agnes Castells-Caires, me, Devra Wathen, buyer Lisa Izuta.

“Trying to care for our skin in Hawaii is like going backwards on the escalator,” Izuta exclaimed. “We try and try to take care of our skin but then we go out in the sun again” and our efforts are all undone. “I latched onto the concept of Etsis because our customers are concerned about ageing and we all want to maintain our skin. Etsis is just such a great match for our customers.”

In addition, the fact that Etsis is locally designed was a deciding factor for Izuta. “Our customers are always looking for things that are made in Hawaii. We also carry Island Slippers and Jams World clothing and our customers love that.” She added, “(Devra’s) concept and timing are perfect for addressing the needs of women who want to protect their skin. That was my first thought” when she saw Etsis hats.

At Island Slipper in Ward Warehouse, manager James Sosa is also enthusiastic about Etsis as an offering for their stores’ customers. “Etsis provides excellent UV sun protection for all styles of Etsis,” he said. “The benefits of all styles seem well received by returning customers, who are anxious to purchase more in different colors. Island Slipper’s customers for Etssi are women from all areas, from local to the international visitor, anyone who wants skin protection with a hint of fashion.”

In addition to Elephant Walk and Island Slipper, Etsis hats and panels are sold at Kahala Resort Hotel and Spa, Mid Pacific Country Club pro shop, Seasport Divers in Koloa, Kauai and  the Wailea Golf Club on Maui.

- Paula Rath

Etsis styles include fashion forward broad brims, sporty and adventurous styles, every one designed to protect.

Huge news for Honolulu denim designer  Allison Izu Song: Her popular flare jeans are featured on page 69 of February’s Oprah magazine!

Her flare jeans, one style in an innovative line of denim designed just for petite women, are part of the magazine’s cover story, “Jeans that Make You Look 10 lbs Thinner and other Denim Miracles,” a story that’s sure to get massive readership as we all try to slim down and search for the perfect skinny jean.

“We are beyond ecstatic with the placement of our brand in such a coveted magazine!” Allison wrote in a release. “I still can’t believe it sometimes. I wake up and remind myself that my clothing company is in Oprah magazine. It brings a huge smile to my face every time.”

Allison's Chinatown jeans, the style featured in O magazine.

Allison has already received numerous orders for the featured jeans, as well as other styles, on her web site. With a 30 percent off coupon code in the magazine, it’s a real incentive to order. In addition to the feature page, her jeans are included in the Oprah Magazine Shop Guide. As a bonus to readers of paularath.com, Allison is offering 30 percent off every style on her web site Code: NEW2012 at ShopAllisonIzu.com

After some manufacturing nightmares  in 2008, which I’ve chronicled in various stories over the years, Allison chose to bring her manufacturing home to Hawaii. This is such a welcome trend to the entire fashion industry in Hawaii. With Tori Richard’s manufacturing returning to Hawaii and Andy South also manufacturing locally, it bodes well for our economy and our industry.

Let’s hope that with the success of Allison Izu in Oprah magazine, the editors make a visit to Hawaii to see what other local designers are doing here.

= Paula Rath

A bride taste tests cakes at one of the Wedding Cafe's 2011 workshops.

Hawaii brides needs help when planning their wedding. No question about it. Most of them are working at least one job and are inundated with details: guest lists, venues, caterers, cakes, flowers, and of course what to wear.

Enter the Wedding Cafe Workshops. The nine-week bridal workshop series will kick off Wednesday, January 25, at 6:30 p.m. the the Ward Warehouse Conference Room above the Wedding Cafe. They are free, except for the Cake, Cocktails and Catering Trends workshops.

This week’s workshop will focus on Locations and Venues, featuring 13 wedding venues on Oahu. The Wedding Cafe reports in a release  that “Over 150 brides come together to meet our vendors, get their burning questions answered and learn about planning their wedding. We cover every major category of wedding planning and preparation, from cakes and invitations, to photography and decor.”

Brides are welcome to bring their groom, maid of honor, mother and bridesmaids to the workshops. Vendors often give away prizes and offer discounts to the brides and grooms in attendance.

RSVP: www.theweddingcafe.net/signup

Here’s a link to last season’s Locations and Venues workshop:

http://vimeo.com/27356796

- Paula Rath

Willow and Jean-Christophe cut their cake at The Willows.

Gerald and I had the great pleasure of attending the wedding and reception of Willow Chang and Jean-Christophe Alleon last Sunday. The wedding was held under a lovely tree in Foster Botanical Gardens. The reception was in a private room upstairs at The Willows .

This just in: Someone (I’m thinking a botanist) sent me this information about the tree: “The wedding was held under the timeless monolithic towering Earpod Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) planted more than a century ago. As this was the backdrop for their wedding, it signifies their enduring timeless love that withstands all that life confronts them with. ”

Many of my readers know Willow, as she was the inspiration for my Fashion Forum, which was in full swing for twelve years. Willow has a fabulous fashion sense, totally individual and unique. Her personal style is so eclectic that you can never guess what she will be wearing – but you know it will be original and flattering to her tiny, tiny figure. (Her waist looks like it’s about 20 inches!)

Willow is a dancer, dance instructor and vocalist (we love her jazz vocals) as well as the producer of Puja, a world music and dance festival held annually. She also designs her own costumes for belly dancing, tango, or whatever style of dance she happens to be performing. She has developed an international following and travels widely to teach dance in places as varied as France, Switzerland, San Francisco, Greece and Egypt.

Retired judge Marie Milks officiated, while Representative Corinne Ching served as maid of honor. Both are long-time friends of Willow's.

Imagine my surprise when Willow chose a traditional wedding gown for her nuptials! As she described it to me, her gown was “Calista, off the rack, with a few beads and crystals added by moi.” She also chose a traditional tulle veil. Willow always puts thought into what she will wear and here’s what she said about her choices:  ”I can wear anything anywhere any time, I can be wild and weird when I want to, but for my wedding day, my one and only wedding day, I wanted to be a bride – and nothing but a bride!” And a beautiful, transcendent bride she was, especially when looking into Jean-Christophe’s eyes. (Yes, I get corny about weddings.)

I especially loved the back of the gown, which was laced up, corsetry-style. It was so flattering to Willow’s trim figure and wisp of a waist.

The love story of Willow and Jean-Christophe is a romantic worldwide whirlwind. They met last summer in Tunisia. Jean-Christophe is from the south of France and went to Tunisia to be best man in his best friend’s wedding. Willow traveled to Tunisia to be in the wedding of one of her best friends, and, as fate would have it, they were at the same wedding. They carried on a “five-hour-a-day-Skype relationship” for several months, then decided they simply did not want to be separated by thousands of miles. Jean-Christophe has been in Honolulu for the past three months and loves it, and clearly loves Willow deeply. So, they decided, why not get married now? They will have another larger, more inclusive wedding in the fall, when Jean-Christophe’s family is able to attend.

Willow poses under a tree in Foster Botanical Gardens.

It was such a relaxed, joyful Island-style wedding and everyone had  fun. Jean-Christophe is a kind, thoughtful, gracious, gentle man, as witnessed by several gestures that truly spoke to the sort of man he is. Of course he also happens to be incredibly handsome. Don’t they make a gorgeous couple, in spite of my photos, which were kinda taken on the fly?

Jean-Christophe has already learned the shaka sign.

Vows were carefully crafted by both bride and groom and said in both English and French, with retired judge Marie Milks officiating.

There couldn’t be a Willow wedding without dance, now could there? She surprised Jean-Christophe with a hula and belly dance. He was in awe and nearly in tears. At times they were both so happy that it brought them to tears, which touched everyone at the wedding.

Willow dances a hula for the enchanted groom.

And, of course, the belly dancing belt came on over the wedding gown!

After many years of searching and finding “almost” the right man, Willow Chang has met – and married – her ideal match. Wishing Willow and Jean-Christophe all our best!

- Paula Rath

The flowers were fabulous - a mix as eclectic as the bride, with peonies, orchids and roses all in harmony.

Pylones always has cute packaging.

Speaking of fragrance….

I discovered this adorable little Pylones purse-size perfume atomizer and dropper at Red Pineapple in Ward Center. Pylones is an innovative French company that makes everyday items fun and playful. Their design aesthetic is fabulous and always original.

Simply separate the little bottle from the atomizer portion, let the little bird slurp up perfume from your favorite bottle, squeeze the beak into the atomizer's bottle and screw the top back on. Voila! You have a little fragrance in your handbag, available for you to replenish any time.

If you’re going to be working or heading out and about all day and want to replenish your perfume at lunchtime or before a date, an atomizer is the answer. This one adds whimsy and fun to the process.

At $20, it makes a great gift for Valentine’s Day, birthday, Mother’s Day, you name it.

- Paula Rath

Photo by Nicky Holland@Flikr - Creative Commons

Scent is a powerful, sometimes even hypnotic, sense. It can conjure sweet memories of a lovely romance – or offer a pungent reminder of a relationship gone sour. It can transport you to a place you loved and were happy – or to a place that made you miserable. The olfactory senses have a memory of their own.

I will always think of my grandmother, Huddy, when I smell L’Air du Temps; she gave me the fragrance on my sixteenth birthday. Shalimar will forever transport me to San Marino, circa 1959, where my best friend’s mother, a statuesque blonde Swede, always wore the exotic scent. L’Eau D’Hadrien will always remind my husband of our early years of dating when I wore it every day.

“Fragrance finishes what you are all about,” explained Mary Line Patry of Guerlain Thursday during an interview at Neiman Marcus Ala Moana. “It’s part of you, of what you want to be. You perfume the perfume, it doesn’t perfume you. And it leaves a trace of you behind.” She added with a twinkle in her blue eyes: “When you put the fragrance on, you make the notes dance differently.” That’s why fragrance never smells the same on two people.

CHOOSING A FRAGRANCE

In case you know someone who will be shopping for scent as a Valentine’s Day gift, here are a few tips on how to choose a fragrance for someone else. Honolulu-based perfumer Kate Growney creator of Saffron James fragrances (sold at Red Pineapple, Nordstrom, Owens & Co. and other stores around town) advised: “When I choose a fragrance for someone I ask myself a lot of questions about who they are: What kind of food they like, what their favorite color is, who is their favorite fashion designer, what kind of music do they listen to, where they grew up, where they like to travel. The answers will tell you a lot about what scent they would like.” It would be very helpful to learn the answers to these questions and share them with the sales associate in the fragrance department.

Perfumes can be roughly divided into five categories. The first consideration is which of these categories would the person you are shopping for like best:

1. fresh, green
2. floral, fruity
3. oriental spicy
4. gourmand (vanilla, chocolate, fig etc.)

It’s always ideal to test a fragrance before buying it. Maybe a trip to the fragrance counter with a blindfold would make it fun? Or bringing home several samples and secretly spritzing them on the “victim”?

When sampling fragrance, allow ten minutes to enable a complete olfactory experience to unfurl. Test a maximum of three at a time or your poor nose will probably go into overload and you won’t experience the complexities of the scent.

Unless the fragrances are intended to be worn together, don’t wear more than one fragrance at a time. Some companies, such as Jo Malone (find it at Neiman Marcus), make scents to mix and match so you can create your own unique scent.  At Chai Studio in Kakaako, owner Amerjit Ghag can help you create a custom scent combining several fragrances. However if you’re simply buying a fragrance over the counter, don’t count on it blending successfully with any other scent.

DIFFERENT FORMS OF FRAGRANCE

For him:

Cologne: A concentrated form of fragrance, blending natural essential oils, aroma molecules and fixatives. Since fragrance rises, it should be sprayed from the feet up.

After shave: Created to be applied to the face. There are two forms: One features cooling astringent qualities to heal small nicks; the other incorporates moisturizing ingredients. It’s formulated to perform for a short time.

For Her:

Perfume (20% perfume oil, lasts about five to six hours): Strongest, most long-lasting fragrance form. Apply at all the pulse points: behind the ears, base of throat and inside bend of the elbows, behind the knees, at the ankles.

Eau de parfum (15% perfume oil, lasts about three to five hours): One of the newest forms of fragrances, it assures a long-lasting application. Pat (never rub) or spray on pulse points, from the feet up, just before dressing.

Eau de toilette (3 – 8% perfume oil, lasts about two hours): Less concentrated than eau de parfum; should be applied in the same way.

Cologne (3% perfume oil, lasts about an hour): The lightest form of fragrance. Meant to be splashed or sprayed on liberally; not long-lasting.

HOW TO WEAR FRAGRANCE

Perfume lasts longer on oily and moisturized skin and on skin that has been “primed” with a matching fragrant body wash, shower gel, oil or cream. Layering fragrance will ensure that the effect lasts longer.

Since spray bottles are sealed, they last longer that splash bottles. Fragrance should be kept in a cool, dry place and away from sunlight. Fragrances should last three years past the manufacturer’s date.

If you know someone who is shopping for scent (or you want to hint to someone that scent is what you would like for Valentine’s Day) please send them the link to this blog. And feel free to send me comments or questions. I have great sources on this subject!

- Paula Rath

A trunk of Guerlain fragrances at Neiman Marcus, some of which are no longer available.

Marie Line Patry of Guerlain has been called “The Fragrance Whisperer” because she has the uncanny ability to determine a suitable fragrance for a woman or man simply by studying them. It worked for me. After spending half an hour in an interview with me, she declared that Nuit d”Amour was the best choice. She was so right! I loved it and, perhaps more importantly, Gerald swooned.

The House of Guerlain has created 800 different fragrances since its first, Jicky, was developed. There are about 100 different Guerlain fragrances available today throughout the world.

Among their most famous scents are Shalimar, Imperiale ( created for Napoleon III in 1828 and worn by Empress Eugenie), L’Heure Bleu and Mitsuko (worn by both Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy).

One of the things I really like about Guerlain is that it has a hand and body lotion that you can infuse with your own fragrance. You just put some lotion in your hand, spritz the fragrance on the lotion (don’t overdo!) and rub it all together. So often the lotions the fragrance companies create to layer with the perfumes are just so off. They bear no resemblance to the original fragrance. This innovation obliterates that problem.

Mary Line will be in Neiman Marcus Ala Moana tomorrow (Saturday, January 21)  from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. if you would like a fragrance consultation. I will be writing more about fragrance  tomorrow…but thought it best to get this out to you in case you want to have a consultation with Mary Line. I have to run out now to a reception at College Hill for Izukura-san.

- Paula Rath

Mary Line Patry consults with Kiana Gentry about fragrance.

Dolce in Ward Center has changed hands and moved to a larger space, enabling the new owner, Jayne Lee, to expand her offerings considerably. We love her style sense and the price spread of her merchandise. Here are three of the items that are On Our Radar right now.

Barrettes by Jane Tran

The coolest thing about these barrettes is that they bend in half, making it really easy to slide them into your hair and clip them on.  No pinching or breaking finger nails! The price is also appealing, at $12 for a packet of either eight bobby pins or three barrettes and three bobby pins. I love the prints they come in!

Initial pendant by Jennifer Zeuner

These initial pendants by Jennifer Zeuner of L.A. have been blowing out of Dolce.  In addition to the initial necklaces, which also come in monogram styles, there are four leaf clovers, tiny hearts and graphic designs. They are made of sterling silver, plated with gold vermeil. Some styles have tiny diamonds embedded in them. Hey, guys, they make a really great Valentine’s Day gift (hint, hint). Prices range from $121 to $285 (for the jumbo initial, which is not shown here).

The little heart has a tiny diamond. I love the angle of the heart. These look great layered.

For the luck of the Irish.

For the woman who lusts after a crocodile clutch but can’t afford the four-digit prices croc usually fetches, Juliette Jake of Florida  has created this fashion forward clutch in three shades: slate gray, deep purple and the cobalt blue seen below. At $645 it makes croc a bit more affordable.

Juliette Jake's real croc clutch.

When the clutch is opened it makes a neat triangle.

Dolce also carries several lines of clothing and T-shirts I haven’t seen anywhere else in the Islands. Jayne has a great eye! You’ll find Dolce at the Diamond Head end of Ward Center, across from Red Pineapple.

- Paula Rath

Andy South with Barbara Lanning

Yesterday I took Barbara Lanning, co-owner of the Santa Fe Weaving Gallery to meet Andy South. To get an idea of what the wearable art gallery is all about, check out their fabulous website: www.santafeweavinggallery.com) .

Barbara was hoping to find some Hawaii designers to feature in a future trunk show (probably summer of 2013) in Santa Fe. All it took was a quick glance at Andy’s spring/summer 2012 collection for her to recognize that he is, emphatically, a great fit for Santa Fe Weaving Gallery and their sophisticated, worldly clientele.

The big news from Andy is that his spring/summer collection has been picked up by Neiman Marcus and will launch in March, probably during Ala Moana Center’s Shop a Le’a. The collection is rife with color and excitement. It reminds me a little of the collection he took to Fashion Week during the finale of “Project Runway.” Some of those yummy citrus colors and dramatic, yet flattering, silhouettes. There are also quiet nudes and interesting whites. “Almost all of the fabrics are silks, even the burlap,” he said.

Most of the fabrics are hand-dyed so they are bold, but in a subtle way. Andy has been experimenting with Japanese dyeing techniques, including indigo, my favorite. He said he was inspired by the tsunami in Japan.

Andy is having all of his production done in Honolulu so his labels say “Made in Hawaii.” Here’s hoping they will be going all over the world very soon. Watch for the spring collection online in March.

He never fails to astound me!

- Paula Rath