When the beloved French boutique, agnes b., closed its doors in Ala Moana Center in 2003, Rona Bennett and Lan Chung, both 31, were bereft. Their sudden and unexpected joblessness was a jolt, as they had no other job prospects.

The coworkers, who have been friends since the second grade at Jefferson Elementary School, also were roommates. They share a passion for clothes and had been toying, but only vaguely, with the idea of creating their own line.

Their vision combined the understated elegance of French street chic with the relaxed attitude of the local girl. However, neither partner had a solid background in fashion design, pattern-making, merchandising or promotion. Retail sales was all they knew.

Unencumbered with any inside knowledge of the cutthroat field of fashion design, Bennett and Chung sat on their living room floor and began cutting and sewing experimental garments. With a flight of whimsy, they began calling the clothes "Fighting Eel," an insider joke (and a well-kept secret) dating back to small-kid time.

They hit the streets of Honolulu in their creations and friends raved: "Can you make me one of those?" Well, maybe ... but first they had to figure out how to source fabric.

They learned that the minimum order was 800 yards, so they had to be pretty sure they liked what they were buying.

An early decision was to settle on one fabric, Modal/Spandex, and to make all their garments with it. "It feels like butter on your skin," Chung said. They could only find it in Los Angeles, and the cost of shipping the fabric to Honolulu for manufacturing, then shipping it back to the Mainland for marketing, was prohibitive, so they began looking for cutters, pattern makers, graders and seamstresses in the L.A. area.

Instinct told them early on that their customers would be on the Mainland as well as in Honolulu.

'GO FOR IT' ATTITUDE

Independent to the core, the partners did not apply for a business loan. "We don't know how to write a business plan," Chung explained.

They like it that way. "If we make mistakes, it's all on us. We don't have luck or smarts on our side — we just work hard. Our whole business mentality is, 'Just try it.' " Bennett said.

"We have a 'go for it' attitude," Chung added. "If it doesn't work out, oh well, it may work out later. It's a slower process, but it's all ours."

"We're moving at a slower pace because we have to learn everything," Bennett said. "We're not afraid to ask questions. We've found people who see potential in us and are willing to help us because they think we'll grow."

While both partners contribute to the creative design side of the business, they divide up the other aspects. Chung arranges resources, acts as a liaison with pattern makers, cutters and sewing contractors. Bennett handles business and distribution, as well as creating labels, logos and other print materials.

Fighting Eel's market research is not strictly scientific. They test their designs by wearing them into hip stores and restaurants in L.A. and seeing if they get noticed. And they usually do. They have attended a few of the smaller trade shows in Southern California but "it's so hard to sell yourself," Bennett said.

They recently hired sales representatives in New York and Los Angeles. "People respond to us as 'the Hawai'i line.' It has an Island feeling, but it's not traditional Hawaiian," Bennett added.

Versatility is a key ingredient. Most Fighting Eel garments can be worn in many ways, allowing for creative expression. Skirts can sub as dresses, dresses can scrunch up into tunics to wear over jeans.

The partners have no ambitions to live in New York, London or Paris.

"We have never lived anywhere else, and we don't want to. We want to stay here, and we'll do whatever it takes," said Bennett, who loves to surf and hang out at the beach.

Last spring, she married a Moloka'i boy who feels the same way. "We have a better lifestyle here than we could ever have on the Mainland."

However, they understand that the business of fashion is fast-paced. "You can't just stand on your laurels," Bennett said.

In just six months Fighting Eel has found its way into 50 stores on the Mainland, in states as far- flung as California, Texas, Nevada, Illinois, Virginia and Connecticut. On O'ahu, Fighting Eel is sold at Rafael in Ala Moana Center, Koko Kabana in Hawai'i Kai and Crazy Beautiful in Restaurant Row. About half their sales are on the Mainland and half in Honolulu.

THAT 'ISLAND FEEL'

The fall collection is on its way to stores and the partners are already working on spring 2006. They say the new collection is more mature and will include some prints, beading and an African vibe.

As the little home-based company grows, the business aspects are becoming a burden.

"It's getting to be a little too much. We need to implement a system and get some help," Bennett said. The two work seven days a week and still can't get the filing done.

"We're always thinking about the business, 24/7," Chung added. We're sitting at the beach and we're thinking about the business. We always have a million ideas."

While many partnerships go bust within the first year, this one seems to grow stronger.

"It's good that we have each other," Bennett said. "If she adds too much, then I'll take away. I may come up with a design, but she'll have an idea to make it more wearable."

Although the partners share the same design aesthetic, Bennett wears Fighting Eel with jeans and rubber slippers while Chung adds heels and girly accessories.

In September the laid-back local girls will head for Hollywood. A celebrity stylist discovered Fighting Eel at Rafael and invited the partners to a pre-Emmy style lounge, where stylists and stars shop for red-carpet clothes. "It's sad that it's so celebrity-driven, but it just is. We're scared to be out there," Bennett said.

With unabashed optimism and a penchant for hard work, Bennett and Chung will overcome their fears and whip up that lemon meringue pie.