“REVIVE, RENEW, REBIRTH” was the theme of the Japanese Women’s Society Foundation’s fundraiser fashion show at the Prince Waikiki, Honolulu. On Sunday, April 28, women (and a handful of men) filled the boutique and silent auction areas outside the banquet hall doors. By 9 a.m. the pre-event shopping was alive with shoppers and bidders filling their shopping bags with locally made — mostly one-of-a-kind and upcycled — items. Some shopped for themselves, others took the opportunity to find Mother’s Day gifts. After the banquet hall doors opened, the main event commenced with a thunderous taiko-drum opening by Ryugen Taiko.
Dressed to the nines, the co-emcees – Jan Yanehiro in Issei Miyake styled by Kensei Takeda; and Staci Yoshihara in Pitacus Chop Art – welcomed guests. State of Hawaii’s Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke gave opening remarks which got some laughs after expressing how happy she was to be among fellow “short women.”
Carole Hayashino, Christine Kubota and Naomi Kanna comprised the dynamic trio who co-chaired the day’s event. Special guests included Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke; State Sen. Michele Kidani; State Rep. Scott Nishimoto; Former Gov. David Ige; Former First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige; and Wendy Abe, U.S.-Japan Council External Affairs Director.
Lt. Gov. Luke, the Former First Lady and Rep. Nishimoto walked the runway as guest fashion models with other familiar faces in the community such as KHON’s weather anchor Justin Cruz and members of the Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce 71st Cherry Blossom Festival Court: Queen Samantha Marumoto, First Princess Christyn Okuno, Princess Emily Johnson, and Princess Amber Yonamine.
The fashion show program included a message from the co-chairs sharing their vision for the fundraiser event: “For the JWSF 70th anniversary fashion show, we wanted to showcase small business owners in Honolulu with a unique sense of style and fashion that reflect the value of longevity and sustainability. We are pleased to introduce you to Island-Boy and Pitacus Chop Art. While planning the show, we had the good fortune to be introduced to Randy and Joey Harris, friends and fans of Issey Miyake.” Randy and Joey donated seven Issey Miyake pieces that were auctioned off with bold statement necklaces donated by Kensei Takeda – a hair and makeup artist and designer who used his artistry to style the donated pieces reflecting the day’s theme of “REVIVE, RENEW, REBIRTH.”
About the Featured Designers:
The fashion show was divided into two main attractions: In the first half, the Island-Boy and Pitacus presentation reflected the beauty of Hawaii’s local culture. The second half featured a live auction of Issey Miyake and Kensei Takeda pieces. It was a visual storytelling with models dressed in black holding the auction items on hangers and walking them through the audience so everyone could take a close look.
In a surprising reveal, the models came back out donning the dresses accessorized and styled, making them posh, art-deco inspired and very “high-society.” There were fabulous hats – a fur hat, cowboy hat, large curvy brimmed hat, a hat with flowers, and hats with tassels and buckles. Each ensemble was artfully coordinated with accessories including layers with texture, sparkle or fringe. There were lots of tassels, jewels and long gloves. The bidding for the iconic vintage Issey Miyake pleated dresses started at $150! Just to give you an idea how much of a deal this is, an Issey Miyake Pleats Please dress, today, run about $500-$800+. Also for auction were Kensei Takeda’s statement jewelry. Takeda made these one-of-a-kind pieces with treasures found on his world travels.
The successful fundraising event supported a great cause and guests left with their fashionable finds that are sure to revive and renew their closets.
The Japanese Women’s Society Foundation (jwsf.org) was founded in 1954 as an educational and service organization. Its mission is to promote culture and provide education and quality services to the community by responding to the changing needs of society.
