JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Honolulu Community College's senior designers, clockwise from upper left, are: Kim Lindale, Ron Alop, Moani Valenti, Lyvonne Reynon, Christine Viernes, Alina Lee and Sarah McWilliams.
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Life lessons exemplified in readying fashion show
Designs by seven seniors highlight a Waikiki event
The students in the Honolulu Community College fashion program are set to share their fashion dreams in the school's annual showcase, titled "Behind the Seams" this year.
On view at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel May 4 will be more than 100 original designs from 20 students, including seven seniors. The show starts at 1 p.m., preceded by lunch at 11:30 a.m.
This year's themes:
» "Shaka Threads," celebrating Hawaii's sand and sea culture with a collection of swimsuits and aloha wear.
» "Raw Edges," showcasing contemporary streetwear.
» "Sew Trashy," a nod to the green movement.
» "Clean Finish," evening looks.
» "Serge Forward," collections created by graduating seniors.
Although students entering the program are intent on boosting their design skills and technical expertise, the task of staging a fashion show reinforces some of life's most important lessons. All of a sudden the rules everyone is supposed to have learned in kindergarten -- good stuff like playing together nicely (teamwork) and patience -- can be applied with tangible results.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Anthony Thornburg sports a striped hoodie designed by first-year student Arturo Zambarrano.
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Second-year students, who helped last year's graduating class stage their show, couldn't help but absorb the lessons well.
"If someone tells you to do something, just do it," said senior Christine Viernes, one of seven designers graduating this year. The others are Ron Alop, Alina Lee, Kim Lindale, Sarah McWilliams, Lyvonne Reynon and Moani Valenti.
"It's a stressful time, and I'm sure it's always gonna be the same, no matter how prepared you think you are.
"It's a lot of work, and you have to have the right people on your team."
Flexibility is important, as Reynon found. She entered the program with a desire to create children's clothing, but because class projects involved working with women's patterns and draping on female forms, she changed her focus.
"Working with children's clothes is a totally different discipline," she said. "I made a dress for my daughter, but I'd rather do women's clothing. There's more design involved."
There hasn't been much focus on menswear beyond basic aloha shirts, but mirroring the growing market for menswear, a couple of the male designers came up with looks that could go straight onto retail racks.
And for the predominantly female audience at fashion shows, seeing the occasional man on the runway is a rare treat, so this time around, be prepared to hoot 'n' holler.