ISLAND STYLE
M. MAC designer inspired from time spent in Islands

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

M. MAC designs are popular here: They're easy-fitting, wash well and are priced reasonably. M. MAC

Affigne has been wearing M. MAC for more than seven years and she has five pieces in her wardrobe. "I love their dresses, and when one gets old and stained, I replace it."

She also wears the versatile garments for hula practice or shopping and, she said, the style with sleeves becomes a work dress when worn with pantyhose and pumps. Affigne loves the ease of care: "I wash them and throw them in the dryer. It takes about five years for them to shrink to the point I don't want them to shrink any more."

Affigne is one of thousands of M. MAC aficionados in Hawai'i. The wearable line (and, unfortunately, its knockoffs) is a kama'aina wardrobe staple.

However, Affigne — like most customers of the line (carried locally in Macy's) — had no idea that the owner and designer is a local girl.

Dyanne Yamada McGrath grew up in Kuli'ou'ou and graduated from Kalani High School. At the University of Hawai'i, she majored in fashion design, later earning a master's in business administration.

McGrath said she always knew she wanted to go into fashion. She learned to sew from Aunty Mildred Shiraki, who worked for Kuni Dry Goods. "In those days, it was a given that Japanese girls learned to sew. For eight weeks every summer, I took sewing lessons at Kuni's," she said. This segued into a part-time job at the store while she attended UH.

Immediately after college, McGrath worked for Dael's Casuals, designing a junior line of mu'umu'u and dresses. She created all the sketches and patterns, and even completed the grading (translating the styles into all the necessary sizes). She credits Ella Kaneda and Jane Miyasato of Dael's with encouraging her to continue in the fashion industry.

At her next job, with Dave Rochlen's Surf Line, McGrath created colorful prints and patterns as well as men's wear.

She was working for Surf Line when she met Ed McGrath, who had been teaching in Wai'anae. They became partners in marriage and in a company called North Shore, producing men's aloha shirts in themed prints. The simple line drawings were created by Dyanne McGrath and hand-screened on kettle cloth in Hawai'i.

But eventually, problems with various aspects of production and fabric supply made the McGraths decide to move to Southern California, where Ed had grown up.

Their first line there consisted of Hanes Beefy-T shirts hand-screened in one color, either white on black or black on white. The theme? "Rock Fish," which is still the best-selling print in the M. MAC line. The shirts were picked up by Liberty House, and shorts sets were added soon after.

M. MAC event Personal appearance: Dyanne Yamada McGrath, above, president and designer of M. MAC Informal modeling: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday Fashion show at noon, with informal modeling to 3 p.m. Saturday Macy's, Island Attitudes department Free Information: 945-5894

She also creates all the art that appears on her clothes. Over the years, she has made more than 500 original prints, simply drawing them the old-fashioned way, with pen and ink. She credits summer classes at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and Design 101 at UH with encouraging her in drawing and graphic design.

Dyanne McGrath still finds most of her inspiration in the Islands. She comes home at least once a year for vacations and to visit her two brothers, who live in Honolulu. Current graphics on M. MAC designs include orchids, banana leaves, plumeria, heliconia, hibiscus and a print called "Sweet Leilani," featuring lei and palm trees.

For several years M. MAC consisted only of black-and-white garments. Eight years ago, it began printing on color knits. Now the company puts out four lines (cruise, spring, summer and holiday), totaling more than 36 patterns a year in a rainbow of colors. It ships about 20,000 garments a month to Macy's and to Nordstrom retail and catalogue (its largest account), nearly 1,000 small boutiques and catalogues such as Casual Living, Art & Artifact and Tog Shop. The company's largest markets are in Hawai'i and Florida.

Lavina Wong, fashion director at Macy's, attributes the success of M. MAC in Hawai'i to the variety of silhouettes offered (for a wide range of body types), the quality and durability of the fabrics, and the value. (Prices range from $32-$70.) Wong also said McGrath's sense of color is right on: "She knows the right blue, the right red, the right green to complement a woman's coloring."

What does the future hold for M. Mac? Dyanne McGrath is planning a denim line, as well as expansion of the knits.

Although she has four children, only one is interested in the family business, and Dyanne McGrath is encouraging her to stay with teaching for a while. Though many may think of fashion as glitz and glamour, "It's not a glamorous business," she said. "It's a lot of grunge stuff."