Saturday, May 12, 2012

Looking Back on "Aloha"

"I am an old woman
Named after my mother
My old man is another
Child that's grown old"  ~ John Prine

I picked up the latest issue of O Magazine today and there they were on its pages, the children of the people of my youth.  All, beautiful, strong, women with a passion for the water, nature and all living on Kauai, my former home.  It brought me back.

I lived on the north shore of Kauai from 1972 to about the mid-1980s.  There was no "Princeville" when I first came to Hanalei as a young teenager.  In fact, it was a luxury just to have a house with electricity back then, let alone a house.  We were a progeny of the sun, the waves and the 60s and these women are the daughters of people that I remember.  I see Holt's daughter in there, as well as BK's... and Hambone's GRANDchildren?  OMG, where has time gone?

One of the women featured had lost an arm to a shark attack, yet still surfs daily.  One was of mixed heritage...glad to see that Hawaii is slowly, but surely, truly becoming the melting pot that it always strived to be.  I smiled to see that one, or two of the young ladies now have bikini labels...carry on.   Perhaps I'll look into offering their lines.  All were so earthy and beautiful. I'm so glad to see them honored in the magazine.

Check out Skip Wright's photo gallery, "Kauai in the 70s,"  http://www.skipwrightphotography.com/main.php?g2_itemId=1024  (No, I'm not in there, but many of our old friends are.)
~ C. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Sensational Solids...Somewhere Over the Bikini Rainbow

Prints have had their fun and as much as I love creating, designing and selling printed bikinis, the time has come for solid colors to take the scene.  There's the perennial black, (see my previous post below,) but there's also a miraid of new hues making it poolside this season.  The biggest color that we're seeing this summer is "Mint."  Boys + Arrows did one that borders on a bright; it's so cheerful. 
Helen the Hussy Bandeau Bikini by Boys + Arrows Swimwear

Red is also a big deal this year.  Honestly, we really didn't order enough of it...we could have sold a lot more.  Marysia Swim did a little red number. 
Acapulco Bikini by Marysia Swim

The neons have been eyecatching and extremely popular...B+A did several. 
Debbie Danger Bikini by Boys + Arrows Swimwear

 And, both Karla Colletto and ANK did a, "nude pink," that has been well received. 
Ruching Skirted Bikini by Karla Colletto

Aliseos Bikini byANK Swimwear

 Turquoise, aqua, azul, blue...all those water colors will never go out of style; nor will they ever look bad against any skin tone.  My favorite is this Lenny bikini. 

Chain With Rings Bikini by Lenny Swimwear


Then, there's white...it always looks crisp, clean and fabulous.  These days, white is much more popular than in the past, because of the newer, "no see through," linings that are available to the industry today.   Marysia did my fave.
Marbella Bikini by Marysia Swim

 I'd go on and on about bikini colors this morning, but this is the busy season, so I'll cut it short and sweet and leave you to ponder the rainbow.

~ C.