DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Tina Kasuya leads Saturday night's fashion show in an antique embroidered Chinese robe.

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By Nadine Kam
nkam@starbulletin.com

About 1,000 people turned out on Saturday night to welcome the Year of the Ram at C.S. Wo, where guests eagerly sought a second shot at good fortune in 2003 -- the Western new year now a blur and not much different from 2002.

Guests lined up for calligraphic messages written on red paper by members of the Tai Hsuan Foundation with the help of journalism exchange students from China. The most popular message? "May all things go smoothly."

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Renee Leong models an amethyst and carnelian necklace from Amos Kotomori's new line of stone jewelry. The designer says each of his garlands is destined for a particular wearer. He considers them contemporary amulets to ward off negative energy or provide wearers with a sense of strength and security.

Members of the arts, fashion and business community were well represented, and former Govs. John Waihee and George Ariyoshi were in the house as well.

Highlighting the program was a display of serigraphs and watercolors by acclaimed local artist Hon Chew Hee, who died in 1993. His works, including the series based on the Chinese legend of "The White Serpent," were shown by his daughter, Caroline Hee.

And designer and stylist Amos Kotomori introduced his latest endeavor, a line of stone jewelry dubbed "Energy Within."

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Jody Won Macarski, left, wears a diamond broach with sapphire and seed pearls ($5,640), and Lisa Ontai wears a 1940s collector piece ($1,200).

NADINE KAM / NKAM@STARBULLETIN.COM At the end of the evening, the Wo grandchildren shower Betty Wo with handfuls of confetti.

Members of the children's group Musical Moments preceded Kotomori's show by singing "One Hundred Million Miracles" from "Flower Drum Song," followed by a chant by Robert Cazimero.

Then models in velvet gowns and flowing silk kimono robes made their way downstairs in Kotomori's garlands of pearls, amber, turquoise, tourmalines and crystals as confetti fell from the third floor.

Photographer Linda Ching and artist Rochelle Lum helped set the blizzard adrift with paper fans. On the second-floor landing, guests with foresight covered their glasses, while others uttered, "There goes the champagne," as the red and gold paper fell into their glasses.

Wo patriarch Robert Wo was thinking ahead, saying in good humor, "Oh! What a cleanup job."

Kotomori's designs will be on display at the store through Feb. 16. Hon Chew Hee's work will be shown through Feb. 28.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Frank Lin, left, and Gao Wei, journalists from China, write good-luck phrases for party-goers at Saturday's fashion show held at C.S. Wo in celebration of the Lunar New Year.

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