Louis Vuitton Pre-Christmas Party

A RELAXING NIGHT OUT: Carolyn Haik, left; her husband, Bank of Hawaii Vice President Edward Haik; Holly Bloom; and Ash Matar were among the guests at an intimate pre-Christmas shopping party Dec. 8 at Louis Vuitton Waikiki. Guests enjoyed champagne and hors d'oeuvres while previewing Louis Vuitton's 2006 Spring Cruise ready-to-wear collection. Shopping was optional but certainly much more fun than fighting the crowds elsewhere.

CHAMPAGNE TALK: Melissa MacGarrett, left, enjoyed a glass of bubbly while talking with Mary Carney outside the VIP room. The weeknight party was hosted by Mary Chang, Louis Vuitton Waikiki's VIP customer service representative, to provide her clients and their guests with a rare evening respite from the stress of the holiday season rat race.

SHOPPING IN STYLE: Justin Yoshino escorted Miss Hawaii 2005 Malika Dudley, left, and Miss Hawaii International 2004 Kellie Peterson, as they inspected the new items on display in the VIP room. Dudley is preparing for national competition. Yoshino has a new Partymasters event in development.

CATHY'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG: Island entertainer Cathy Foy, right, joined Tiana Nguyen in displaying limited-edition Louis Vuitton handbags. Nguyen and Nobuhide Torii are longtime patrons of Louis Vuitton and its various lines of garments and accessories.

THE COUPLE THAT SHOPS TOGETHER ...: Rai Saint Chu, left, and her husband, attorney Richard Turbin, talked with Kyoko and Robert Palma as the party was winding down around 8:30 p.m. Turbin is looking forward to taking some time off, but this is a busy season for Palma, a jeweler who specializes in custom designs.