Wood Craft Ben Wood

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Gucci celebrates 85th year with parties at isle stores

GUCCI CELEBRATED its 85th anniversary this weekend with parties at the Waikiki store Friday and the Ala Moana Center store Saturday. Models displayed the firm's fall and winter collections as guests sipped wine and specialty drinks and snacked on canapés. The big two-story Waikiki store was jammed with 460 people. Many women dressed to impress in dazzling fashions. Star-Bulletin reporter Katherine Nichols attracted much attention in a mini-dress with color replica of the Mona Lisa taking up the entire front. A black velvet coat added more glamour and high heels put the two-time wahine Tinman Triathlon winner over 6 feet tall. "Superman Returns" director Bryan Singer attended as did Gucci execs Susan Chokachi and Korin Katzen from the mainland ...

HAWAII'S Kristian Lei and some of her "Broadway Babies" will present "Broadway Mixed Plate 2006: Fresh off the Boat" Aug. 25 to 26 at the Hawaii Theatre, 7:30. Jordan Segundo and Mihana Souza will perform with the visitors. Call the theater, 528-0506, for tickets. The show will benefit people with disabilities, something Kristian knows about well as a member of her family is disabled ... Some $25,000 worth of handcrafted furniture by Martin & MacArthur is used in the sales office of the Trump Waikiki, thanks to interior designer Suzanne Nessel of SN Designs. Suzanne is principal interior designer for Trump Waikiki ...

Natalie Parker chairs Rehab benefit art show

SALLY and Donald Parker will definitely be among the crowd at tomorrow's "Young Artists Helping Young Artists" event at Compadres because their daughter, Natalie, 19, is chairing the Rehab Hospital show for the second year. Heavy pupus and entertainment by Brother Noland, Manoa DNA and Jeff Peterson, all fine acts, are included in the $30 ticket ... Kealoha Kalama and Manny Lagod both have recently released CDs. Kealoha says "Encircling Love" is made up of the best songs from her three albums. Manny, a former Alii when the group backed Don Ho, wrote four of the songs on "Something!" ... And congratulations to Don, who turned 76 Sunday. What a great career he has had ...