Hui Makaala will stage its 39th annual scholarship luncheon and fashion show Sunday at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, featuring the Far East-inspired designs of Harari, men's and women's attire kamaaina retailer Tapestries by Hauoli, and Los Angeles-based designer Ryan Roberts.

Roberts' designs may be new to Hawaii fashion watchers, but he's no stranger to our shores. He might be considered an honorary kamaaina because he's traveled here frequently over 16 years with his partner, who hails from Kailua.

He'll be showing a mix of men's and women's designs from his Spring 2008 collection and a sneak preview of his 2009 collection, the latter “;inspired by Hawaii a little bit,”; he said in a phone interview from his LA studio.

The collection embodies “;the idea of getting away and the sense of relaxing,”; he said. “;The color story is a mixture of seafoam blues, whites, pinks and sand colors.”;

Roberts grew up in Toronto, with an interest in illustration and fashion design. He moved to the United States in 1997, working for a series of East Coast designers before branching out on his own in 2000 with a men's and women's wear collection that reflects his background as a menswear designer, though, over the years, the women's line has become his focus.

“;I'm taking all the elements of tailoring, all the elements of menswear and applying it to womenswear,”; he said.

The result is impeccable, detailed construction that also contains fluidity and looseness that he attributes to being out West.

“;I always had an affinity to the West Coast, the pace, the people, because I grew up in a big city — not that LA isn't a big city — but everything is sprawling and open. Space is really important to me.

“;There's a nice, relaxed element to being on the West Coast. I find my designs are becoming less constructed, and (have) more ease, the longer I've been here.”;

Which suits Hawaii just fine, as well as his vision of his clientele.

“;They're people who live busy lives, so getting dressed should be something effortless, and I try to design in a way that's easy to approach.”;

Funds raised by the fashion show will benefit Hui Makaala's scholarship fund. This year, the Okinawan organization presented $20,000 in scholarships to nine Hawaii college-bound students.