F/W 2015: MANAOLA The Runway Shows

 

On November 18, 2015 Manaola Yap presented his second independent fashion show for over 250 guests at the Honolulu Design Center. MANAOLA: The Runway Shows presented ready to wear and couture collections incorporating the Honolulu Design Centerʻs Cupola Theatre, Amuse Wine Bar and Stage Restaurant in 3 tiers of service.

 VIP Fashion Dinner guests dined on an exclusive meal in collaboration with Stage Restaurant, offering a 4-course dinner and wine pairing inspired by MANAOLA’s new original prints. A special pre-show performance by Starr Kalahiki and Irie Love greeted guests in Amuse Wine Bar before the runway shows, with an on-site pop up shop following the presentation in the Ice Garden.

MANAOLA Hawai’i would like to mahalo our fantastic partners for lending their support and talent to us to create an unforgettable evening: Honolulu Design Center, Irwin Mencias, Paul Mitchell The School Honolulu, Arthur Wilson and staff, Allan Cool, Page Dance Academy, Irie Love, Aaron Yoshino, Adam Palumbo, Modern Luxury Hawai’i Magazine, Andrew Mau, Workshop28, the talented performers and models and all of the incredible kokua who generously offered their time to backstage as well as in the pop-up shop. 

S/S 2015 Runway Show: 85 Looks For Summer

Honolulu Design Center hosted the first independent fashion show for Manaola Hawaii to launch our Summer 2015 collection. Guests gathered on Friday, June 19 for cocktails at Amuse Wine Bar and were welcomed with a performance by Starr Kalahiki, Asialynn and Ed Yap. Videos and interview by Vision Horse Media introduced guests to the brand by detailing the design inspirations for each of the four prints highlighted in this collection, as well as moving footage captured at Kawaihae and Mauna Kea.

The fashion show started at 7:30pm, cleansed with salt by the designer before he opened the evening with an oli. A hula noho was performed by his sister, Asialynn, honoring their ‘ohana’s hula foundation. As the hula ended, the lights dimmed, before Asialynn returned to the spotlight with pĆ«â€˜ili in hand, and began the fashion show.

85 unique looks designed and styled by Manaola Yap were featured, including jewelry from Dean Ka‘ahanui, Pi‘i Ali‘i and HinaJwls Hawaii. From black and white neutrals to soft pastels, Manaola offered something fresh and modern yet distinctly Hawaiian, in a wide array of silhouettes and colors.

After the designer took his final bow to mahalo the crowd, the house lights went on and signaled the pop up shop to open. It was an unforgettable evening celebrating Hawaiian creativity, and we could not have been more warmly received by those who joined us.

Manaola Hawaii would like to mahalo our fantastic partners for lending their support and talent to us to create an unforgettable evening: Honolulu Design Center, Irwin Mencias, Paul Mitchell The School Honolulu, Arthur Wilson and staff, Allan Cool, Chariya Willis, Page Dance Academy, Puunui Wong, Calvin Canha, Aaron Yoshino, Adam Palumbo, the talented performers and models and all of the incredible kokua who generously offered their time to backstage as well as in the pop up shop. We could not have done it without all of you!

Frolic Hawaii: MANAOLA Fashions Go Deep

To truly understand the Hawaiian language, you must know what “kaona” is; the hidden and deeper meaning of a word or phrase. To fully appreciate Manaola fashions, understand that behind every creation, lies a story.

Hula practitioner and designer Carrington Manaola Yap, known as Manaola, debuted his latest collection at the Honolulu Design Center’s Cupola Theatre on Friday. From his handcrafted prints to his unexpected placement of cut-outs, and slim menswear silhouettes, there’s something different and special about Manaola designs.

Growing up in Kohala on Hawaii island, he immersed himself in his surroundings, culture and heritage. Manaola translates his spirituality and fascination of nature into prints that embody organic shapes and repetitious patterns from fish bones, shark teeth, eel skin and lightning.

Visit the original Frolic Hawaii article here to read the exclusive interview with Manaola and for a gallery of photos from the latest fashion show!