Japan supermodel welcomed with warm, fuzzy fox coat

JAPANESE supermodel and TV host Rinka was all over Ala Moana Center last week for the shopping mecca's World Festival. Escada, Emporio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Dior and Dooney & Bourke were among the shops at which she

appeared. At Emporio Armani, sales supervisor Greg Nakamatsu said she fell in love with a hooded black fox chubby coat that the store wound up giving to her. Greg said Carson Kressley, of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," was "the life of the party," cohosted by InStyle. The magazine has a feature on Kressley this month. Amanda Monteiro of E.A. New York attended. The World Festival's gala was held Sunday night on the mall and top levels. The place was jammed. Many shops had parties for invited guests. Prada was a festive spot with operations boss Cori Mackie as hostess. Tiffany Regional VP John Geppert had Chai's snacks and wine to brighten Tiffany's affair. Escada held a luncheon in the store Friday for 50 of its best customers and donated a portion of sales to the American Heart Association. The shop served champagne and dessert Sunday. Regional chief Kerry Kooistra, from Beverly Hills, and manager Mariese Montano-Smith greeted guests. Fendi customers were given a large plastic key for entry to its "Garden of Delight." Bulgari, Cole Haan, Gucci, Chanel, Bally, Hermes and other shops had events, ranging from small to large ...

Roy Kruse hospitalized for triple bypass

Roy Kruse, retired Hawaii Newspaper Guild administrative officer, went to Kaiser clinic to have an eye checked last week and also told doctors he wasn't feeling well. A checkup found he needed a triple bypass, and he was hospitalized immediately. Surgery was scheduled yesterday ... Patricia Murray and Keiki Chang Kawaiaea will be signing books from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Native Books at Ward Warehouse. Pat wrote "Let's Learn the Hawaiian Alphabet," and Keiki authored "Let's Learn to Count in Hawaiian." Each book comes with its own sing-along CD featuring Pat, a former Waikiki headliner, and the Lanakila Children's Chorus ... David Heenan will sign copies of his "Flight Capital" Saturday at Borders in Ward Centre, 2 p.m. ...

Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of people, places and things every Wednesday and Saturday. E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com