ISLAND STYLE
On a fashion course

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kimberley Duong, left, models Honolulu Community College student Erwin Castro's denim ensemble, "Mariposa." It is constructed with 50 seams. The butterfly motif is appliquéd on the belt. Castro stuffed the antennae with electrical wire. Marisa Schroeder, a freshman at Mililani High School, models Kanani Oliveira's "Tenehenehe." The beaded fringe gives a peekaboo effect to the midriff. Photos by Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser Fashion shows presented by students "Clothes Minded" Presented by fashion design students at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa Noon lunch, 1 p.m. fashion show, Sunday at the Sheraton Waikiki, Moloka'i Ballroom $25. Call 956-2244 for reservations. "Nuestro Ritmo" Presented by the fashion design students at Honolulu Community College 11:30 a.m. buffet lunch, 1 p.m. fashion show, April 28 at the Pacific Beach Hotel Tickets are sold out.

This month the few survivors of the fashion design programs at Honolulu Community College and the University of Hawai'i at Manoa will show the results of their labors during the fashion shows that also serve as their graduation exercises.

There is some real talent out there, and smart manufacturers would do well to contact the schools quickly to grab up some of these emerging designers. We selected one graduating senior from each school to illustrate the level of expertise.

Erwin Castro, Honolulu Community College: Castro, born in the Philippines and raised in San Francisco, is passionate about fashion. He studied at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles for one year, worked outside the field for several years, yet was always drawn back to fashion.

Since arriving in Honolulu in 1992, Castro has studied sewing and design with Mai-Scherelle, the Fashion Center and Viking Sewing Center. He worked as an assistant designer at Nouvelle and Pacific Uniform. He is just completing two years of intensive study at Honolulu Community College.

Inspired by the classic couture of Tom Ford for Gucci, Emanuel Ungaro and Oscar de la Renta, Castro's creations are complex. His silhouettes are slim, with dramatic embellishments.

Castro created a denim line for his graduation fashion show because "I love denim. It's easy. It behaves."

This is not your average denim. He sculpted the garments using a plethora of seams, tucks and pleats. In a nod to the Spanish theme of the HCC fashion show, "Nuestro Ritmo," which means "Our Rhythm," (see box for details) he added stand-up ruffled collars, hand-cut ultrasuede flowers with rhinestone centers, princess seams and darts galore. The result is an inspired, sophisticated line that rivals anything seen on recent runways in New York.

A glance through Castro's portfolio proves the denim line is not a fluke. His concepts and designs for evening gowns, career wear and even costumes burst with originality. His swimwear is equally surprising, inspired by leaves in a tropical garden: monstera, red ginger, ferns and banana leaves.

Castro has designed tailored clothes for men, but he quips, "women are more fun to design for." His long-term goal is to have his own collection and boutique.

Kanoe Miller, an HCC instructor who is coordinating the student show, said the seven segments of fashion will be punctuated with entertainment by salsa group Son de' Hawai'i and song stylings by student Tahiti Fernandez, who inherited her musical talent from father Augie Rey.

Kanani Oliveira, UH-Manoa: Oliveira, a senior from Wahiawa, has known all her life that she wanted to be a hula dancer. Although Oliveira was only 15 when her kumu hula, Leialoha Lee, retired, the kumu asked Oliveira to take over the studio, Wahiawa Hula Studio II.

Teaching dance comes naturally to Oliveira, but some of the other aspects of running a studio, such as providing costumes, were problematic at first. So after she graduated from Kamehameha and began her studies at UH, she decided to tackle a double major in music and fashion design.

On Sunday (see box for details of UH student show) Oliveira will show her first line of clothing, all costumes for her hula students.

Oliveira creates her designs based on the particular hula her dancers will perform in the costume. She watches the motions closely to determine how the garment needs to move. She makes a muslin sample of each design and practices the dance in it.

For the upcoming fashion show, Oliveira selected a single fabric, a poly/rayon border print with black background, on which to base the collection. The designs are not typical hula garments — no ruffles, leg-of-mutton sleeves or high necks. They are contemporary and body conscious, showing a lot of skin.

Diane Chung, who teaches classes in construction and pattern making for the UH fashion program, asked each senior to develop a marketing concept. Students were required to identify their potential customers and design a line based on a practical approach.

Chung said Oliveira is "a very practical girl, who applies her creativity to everything she does."

The UH fashion show will feature 60 garments by six senior designers and 22 garments created by 11 juniors. Each senior developed three collections to fit into the three segments of the show: "East Meets West," "Decade Period" and "Haute Couture."