I made Chad run two blocks, complete 15 jumping jacks, had him run in place for about half a minute all in a short short period of time, and then dumped cold water on his face. This is the end result with photography by yours truly.

As a part of their annual 'Best of..' issue, Modern Luxury Hawaii featured a round of some of my favorite people making a difference in Hawaii's fashion and style scene. Julia Chu of La Muse has a gorgeous spread of her store and I am so happy for her, the fantastic men's shoe store Leather Soul gets a great piece as well, but what's particularly peculiar is that...

I am featured alongside those tremendous professionals as a STYLIST! I have a short and sweet write-up that I'm so surprised by. It's nice to know that I'm on some kind of radar, especially by the team at Modern Luxury Hawaii. Check out my feature after the jump...

I am completely and utterly obsessed with this girl. I can't. I don't have words. But I have to make words to finish this post...so I will say this; she is the sweetest girl you will ever meet in your life. ever. 

Anyway, I got to style this beauty for a testshoot with photography by Jeremy Snell, hair/makeup by Zairrah, and the assistance of Wes Hodge. I basically mixed and matched patterns with the base of the outfit  revolving around a jacket+pant/short combo. It really shows how casual or dressy you can play up this easy-to-wear ensemble.

Sakura at Niche Models and Talent

A super huge THANK YOU goes out to FISHCAKE for allowing us to take over their studio after hours. If you haven't been to Fishcake before you'll be pleased to know that they are a locally owned business that offers contemporary furnishings for the modern household; though not limited to as you can also find jewelry, bags, clothing, etc. 

Can't wait to get in some photoshoot time with this girl tomorrow. Be excited.

Thank you to: Hound&Quail's Mark&Travis for expertly furnishing the store. It was everything I wanted and more for our soft-launch for men. You guys are the best. To Andy South + B.E.A.D.S. HI  for taking the time to create and be a part of the pop-up as well. And also to Maida Montemayor for giving me such a great opportunity to help launch Collins&8th's new venture into offering quality menswear to Hawaii.

Also...you can find Surface to Air NOWexclusively at Collins&8th

Chad, 20, Student
Special Abilities: High-Kick!

I'll be 23 next week Tuesday so in preparation of my aging, I stumbled upon this little leather baby. Created by none other than Proenza Schouler the 'pochette' is in the style of the luxe PS1 satchel, but scaled down to a loveable hand-carry size. I've been wanting a small pouch type of item for awhile so I think it's a match made in Proenza heaven. 

Interesting fact for the day: In Japan, men would refer this is a "second bag". A "second bag" is a small to medium sized bag that carries the tinier items (keys, phone, book, cards, etc) you need throughout the day that wouldn't fill a larger tote. The more you know...!

To view more 'pochette's, visit the following:
proenzaschouler.com

I'm so excited to announce that the Paris-meets-New York cult-label, Surface to Air Men's, will be making its debut in Hawaii early-December ONLY at Collins&8th. What's equally exciting is...all S2A Men's F/W '12 pieces will be apart of a Pop-Up Shop curated by yours truly. Without giving too much away, I'll  provide you with high-quality basics that have an elevated twist: think super soft merino wool crew neck sweaters with a leather placket on the back AND immaculately tailored blazers for trans-seasonal wear. 

Collins&8th and I made a conscious effort to keep sizes limited reinforcing the idea that the owner and wearer of S2A should feel unique, special, and confident. This is truly for the artists, for the creators, and most importantly for the innovators who appreciate the quality of well-made clothing. I can't wait for you guys to have these luxurious pieces in your closet. They'll last forever and you'll be able to pair it back to anything you have in your wardrobe.

Learn more about Surface to Air after the jump! I've provided you with a quick introduction to one of my favorite labels ever.

AR is Aloha Rag's in-house designed label that first debuted only in their flagship stores in HI and NY, but now is widely distributed in several countries. I actually utilized AR's F/W '12 collection throughout the Honolulu Night Market show! As a special Thanksgiving treat, I advise you to take a look into one of my favorite projects I've ever worked on and perhaps treat yourself to a piece or two from the current collection here:
AR Women's || AR Men's ||

Don't forget to see the rest of the editorial AFTER the jump!

One of the main designers used throughout the Honolulu Night Market show was jewelry designer, Julia Chu.  If her name sounds familiar it's because she's the owner of upscale women's boutique, La Muse. And just to make it clear, Julia Chu for La Muse is my absolute favorite locally handmade jewelry line ever. Gone are the ideas poorly constructed/homemade jewelry that are forever rampant around the island; the high quality materials and superb design are blatant upon touching and wearing her pieces. It's great to see a brave voice pushing the idea of what modern jewelry design is on the island.

Another interesting fact about Julia Chu's designs is that they're often convertible! The necklace pictured above can work as a bib-type necklace or if you simply unhook the fastening claw, you're able to wear it as a long necklace instead. Essentially, Chu's pieces are meant to be worn at any time of day for any occasion all the while providing you with customizable ways to fit your personal style.

If you're interested in any of the pieces in this post or want to learn more about Julia Chu for La Muse, please visit/contact:
La Muse || 808.536.0818