It rained cats, dogs and small animals the day before. On the day after, an earthquake off the Big Island blacked out almost the entirety of O'ahu.

But on the mid-October 2006 Saturday that hosted local fashion designer Takeo's and Louis Pohl Gallery owner Sandra Pohl's first FACE of Nu'uanu fashion-focused street festival, both the weather and the co-founders' nerves were downright balmy.

Up-and-coming local fashion designers watched models strut their works down a red-carpet runway down the middle of Nu'uanu Avenue between Hotel and Pauahi streets. Food booths run by a handful of Downtown restaurants were up and running, as was an entertainment stage.

And more than 10,000 Honolulans arrived over FACE's seven hours to check it out — far more than the few thousand Takeo had initially hoped for.

"It was shocking!" said Takeo. Then, quickly picking up his inquisitor's momentary look of doubt, added, "We have pictures!"

No need for proof, Takeo.

FACE must have put on its best, uh, face last year. Because — Mother Nature's continued cooperation or not — the fashion, art, cuisine and entertainment fest is returning to Downtown's art district Saturday for a redux.

The event again will be anchored by a juried competition disguised as three spaced-throughout-the-day fashion shows — all featuring fashions from burgeoning local designers. Entrants — ranging from college design students and at-home amateur designers to 88-year-old returnee Alice Ihori and 9-year-old design whiz kid Tiger Tam — will compete in four categories: Hawaiian, evening, day and resort wear.

Once a college-level fashion design instructor who witnessed many of his graduating students moving to the Mainland because of a dearth of career opportunities in Hawai'i, Takeo said part of his aim with FACE's fashion competition is to give new designers here some name recognition and an opportunity they might not otherwise get as readily. That would be having their work modeled in a juried competition while simultaneously being seen by thousands of people on the street — literally and figuratively speaking.

"It's exciting to me because all of these people with a dream get to execute that dream," Takeo said. "The goal is promoting Hawai'i designers, first and foremost, and helping their careers expand."

Said designer Eric Chandler, Takeo's partner in local fashion house 2Couture and a FACE co-organizer this year, of 2006's event: "Careers were made that day. And that's very important."

This year's FACE arrives at the end of a full week of couture-related evening events Takeo, Pohl and Chandler designed. These included a FACE fundraiser at Rumours and several invitation-only and open-to-the-public fashion showcases at design studios scattered through Chinatown.

The all-afternoon Saturday FACE of Nu'uanu will again shut down portions of Nu'uanu Avenue and Pauahi Street for its red-carpet closeup, art and food booths and an entertainment area .

Noted New York fashion designer Michael Kaye, of Michael Kaye Couture, will be on hand to debut his new collection of Island-inspired fashions exclusively for FACE.

The Pegge Hopper Gallery will host the final day of a weeklong The Fashion Museum exhibit — featuring garments from 15 Hawai'i-based designers and companies spanning the definition of "Island wear" from the 1930s to the present.

Takeo has already asked Mother Nature to again comply with FACE of Nu'uanu — or else.

F IS FOR FASHION