Sarong-O-Rama hits the runway during the ninth annual Hukilau
THE HUKILAU
Experience Polynesia in America’s Vacationland
www.thehukilau.com
June 10 – 13, 2010
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Event locations include
The Mai-Kai Restaurant, Bahia Cabana and Bahia Mar
Press contact: leejemail@gmail.com
Event website: www.thehukilau.com/2010/
General event information: info@thehukilau.com
Watch models, Tiki and Polynesian enthusiasts sashay down the runway wearing gorgeous modern and vintage Aloha apparel for guys and gals during the Hukilau’s third annual Sarong-O-Rama fashion show, Saturday June 12, 2010 at noon at the Bahia Mar restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.! See a kaleidoscope of colorful dresses, an explosion of flower power and Hawaiian shirts galore! Vintage dealer garments will also be available to purchase.
Bre-elle Ishtar (aka Tiki Bree) has been creating and shopping for vintage Polynesian dresses for over a decade. She wanted to provide the tiki community, vintage and retro shops with an opportunity to showcase their fabulous fashions and accessories during the Hukilau three years ago. With the assistance of fellow tiki aficionado Sandra Carr, both were able to produce, coordinate with models, designers and vintage stores and bring the first Sarong-O-Rama to life in 2007.
“We’ve created both an homage to the style of fashion shows of the past and a modern celebration of tiki and retro fashion,” says Tiki Bree. “It’s part camp, part classic, and the models are notorious for their kitschy poses. Everybody has fun at the Sarong-O-Rama!”
Many think of tiki gods and tropical frou-frou potions served in gleeful or frightful-looking mugs at a bamboo bar when referring to the Polynesian lifestyle but the clothing is as equally important. From vintage barkcloth Aloha shirts to Alfred Shaheen dresses, the options are endless.
The first Aloha shirt was designed in the 1930s by Chinese merchant Ellery Chun of King-Smith Clothiers and Dry Goods in Waikiki, Hawaii. He sewed brightly colored shirts out of old kimono fabric. The Honolulu Advertiser called his creation the Aloha shirt, which he later trademarked. Many designers followed and it has remained a mainstay today. Textile manufacturer Alfred Shaheen took the Polynesian craze to a new level during post-World War II. He studied the native designs of the Polynesian islands and created Pua Lani Pareau, Antique Tapa and Joss Sticks hand prints for shirts and dresses. Elvis Presley also wore a red-and-white Shaheen-designed Aloha shirt for his “Blue Hawaii” soundtrack album cover in 1961.
Styles have evolved during the past 80 years. Aloha shirts back-in-the-day were more form-fitting and shorter. Nowadays, Aloha shirts are longer and can be worn tucked in or out. Hawaiian dresses during the 1950s and early 1960s featured full skirts and short sleeves. The mid-1960s to 1970s dresses had a different look with floor-length skirts and longer sleeves that flowed. Modern Polynesian designers like Anne Namba mix fashions from decades past to present, including a sexy bustier to a 1950s-inspired halter dress with a full skirt.
Polynesian and Tiki fans are in for a real treat this year.
“The Hukilau’s O’Hana will be mesmerized and dazzled by the vintage and retro Polynesian couture showcased in a scenic ambiance overlooking the Atlantic Ocean,” says Sandra Carr. “Forget about fashion weeks in New York, Miami, Paris and Milan because the Sarong-O-Rama is where the runway action is at this year!”
The Sarong-O-Rama is one exotic extravaganza the kanes and wahines don’t want to miss! We’re casting models in the tiki community and seeking Polynesian couture designers who are attending this year’s Hukilau through May 8, 2010. Contact Bre-elle Ishtar (Tiki Bree) and Sandra Carr, sarongorama@thehukilau.com. Participation in the Hukilau provides vendors, sponsors and advertisers with an opportunity to shine during the Sarong-O-Rama! Contact Christi Crowe, christi@flagmarketing.com. For more information, visit www.thehukilau.com.
Photos by Adrian Sullivan
