Boutique believes in equal-opportunity fashion

Adasa expands to include men's and women's lines

MORE THAN 30 years after the women's movement began, the glass ceiling is still firmly in place and women's wages are consistently lower than men's. But if there is one area in which we have men beat, it's in dressing up.

Alas, in a "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," post-metrosexual kind of world, men looking for equal opportunity in fashion are exercising their right to look as cool as they always thought they were. The guys have made great strides in just a few short years, and -- gasp! -- may be on the verge of catching up with women in stuffing their closets.

ADASA Grand opening of 602 Kailua Road boutique: When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Call: 263-8500 Also: Other locations are at Hilton Hawaiian Village, 955-0500, and an outlet and Internet store at 2023 Young St., 955-1322 Web: Visit www.adasa.com

It's a welcome phenomenon for Donna Loren and Jered Cargman, who never expected to run a co-ed boutique when they opened Adasa on Oahu in 2001.

Carrying such hit contemporary women's lines such as True Religion, Citizens for Humanity, Diane von Furstenberg and Antik Denim, Loren said, "As we got involved with these brands, like Seven for All Mankind and Juicy Couture, we trusted the women's lines, so when they started creating men's lines, we decided to bring that in, too.

"We saw the clothing as an extension of lifestyle, and if the women were buying it, their men would wear it, too.

"It's about this new consciousness," she said. "We're concerned about what we eat, we exercise to be healthy, so if a guy's going to work on his body, that's a big investment in time and he's going to take a little more time to dress."

There's no better time to browse the racks at Adasa than on Saturday and Sunday, when Cargman and Loren host the grand opening of their stylish Kailua boutique, recalling the "Swinging '60s," when Loren was a pop star in Annette Funicello mode. Thus the beachy locale featuring groovy Sputnik chandeliers and sphere chair accents, with plenty of room for partying. A "Wheel of Fortune" will be spinning from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, with one chance per person to spin for prizes.

While women pore over the clothing racks, Isabella Fiore and Anya Hindmarch handbags and Bliss skincare products, men will be able to match premium denim with Lacoste, Grail, Buddhist Punk and James Perse shirts.

Cargman is especially excited about the addition of men's wear to the boutique mix.

"We'd been selling men's wear online for a year-and-a-half and it's grown in leaps and bounds," he said. "Men have become so much more fashion conscious in one to two years that the need for higher-end fashion is growing.

"I've heard the complaint that there's very little available for men in Hawaii, and we have a lot, so men I've talked to have been really happy with the selection."

And now he can put his own money back into the business.

"I now have a bunch of jeans and I hadn't bought jeans in years," Cargman said. "I have one pair so soft I can sleep in it!"

"I think men's consciousness is rising, not only in how they look, but how they feel in their clothes," Loren said. "They can buy a pair of jeans that are stiff and wear them to that velvety stage when holes start happening, or they can buy denim that already has that soft, worn quality, that conforms to the body. That is what people are willing to pay $200 to $300 for."