World Art Bazaar as much about fashion as art
By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
The World Art Bazaar, opening Saturday at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, has always been a favorite haunt for collectors of art from around the world: antique baskets from China, artifacts from Papua New Guinea, soap scrolls from South Africa. Now, add fashion hunters of vintage clothing, funky accessories and one-of-a-kind wearable art to the bazaar's long list of patrons.
Sherry Wong models a silk kimono while Willow Chang, in pink, wears an Indian silk tunic from the World Art Bazaar.
To celebrate the bazaar's 20th anniversary, Academy Shop manager Kathee Hoover has brought in more textiles and clothing, turning this year's bazaar into a fashion boutique. There are dozens of silk kimono and haori (jackets) from the '40s, '50s and '60s. Many are suitable for men and women, and at affordable prices.
From Thailand come vintage silk ikat sarongs and hand-painted batik silk jackets in jewel tones of teal, lavender, coral and chartreuse. There are batik T-shirts from Indonesia in brilliant colors. Even embroidered Indian silk tunics such as those popularized in the '60s in hot pink and luscious lavender are up for sale.
Vintage silk ikat sarongs can also be found. Those with stains can always be trimmed and turned into jackets, capris and even handbags.
Hmong batik cottons from northern Thailand sewn into jackets and pleated skirts will also be on display. Tie-dye material by the Bai women in Yunan province, China, is fashioned into short jackets, pants suits, blouses and men's shirts with frogs and mandarin collars. Nigerian tie-dye material is also available.
The selection of accessories is equally eclectic. There are Balinese beads that are more than 300 years old, necklaces from the Marshall Islands crafted from shells and coconut fronds, Kenyan glass beads and fragments of Ming pottery fashioned into earrings and pendants.
World Art Bazaar
Tomorrow through Dec. 9: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays.
The Art Center at Linekona, Honolulu Academy of Arts.
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Parking in the lot diamondhead of the center.
Hoover spent the summer traveling to warehouses and international gift shows around the country to select bazaar items. She said the purpose of the bazaar is to help educate people about the cultures of the places the items came from.
