the garden island There’s a new show in the works called “Fashion Cafe.” Producer Chante Trepte hopes to be picked up by the local channel OC16, but for now she’s content with the 15-minute spots on Hoi‘ke. Trepte shot the
the garden island
There’s a new show in the works called “Fashion Cafe.” Producer Chante Trepte hopes to be picked up by the local channel OC16, but for now she’s content with the 15-minute spots on Hoi‘ke.
Trepte shot the pilot at various locations on Kaua‘i, but once the show gets picked up, will move production to O‘ahu.
“The premise of the show is a trendy girl sits around a cafe with her friends, who happen to be designers and boutique owners, and all talk fashion,” said Trepte.
The trendy girl and host for the show is former Miss Hawai‘i 2002 Kehau Christian. Trepte knew she wanted Christian for the show when she saw a picture of her.
“It all just worked out,” Trepte said. “I contacted her agency and pitched it to them and asked if she’d be interested in doing it and she agreed.”
The channel OC16 already has a show dedicated to fashion called “Hawaii In Style TV,” but Trepte said her show is different.
“We’ve got a different style. They kind of cover some other things and we’re more on the whole fashion trends,” she said.
Although she is starting with a small, low-budget show at which she does all the camera work and editing, Trepte has big goals for “Fashion Cafe.” Trepte also hopes to expand to bigger and better things.
“I don’t just want a show, I want to take this and turn it into a whole network. I know I can do this. We’ve got the Style network but I think this can blow up to be better than the Style network. I want to give them a run for their money,” she said.
Trepte has a background in production, having experience in the Los Angeles scene, but this is the first project she’s tackled in a while.
Host Christian thinks “Fashion Cafe” is off to a good start.
“I thought it was a good idea and a great opportunity. We were all pretty excited about it,” she said.
She was on Kaua‘i earlier this month to shoot the pilot.
“I think its really different than what we have on TV locally right now. I think the difference is that (this show) and ‘Hawaii In Style TV’ is more focused on fashion and what’s happening now, what’s out there and what options we have available,” Christian said.
Christian herself is a pretty basic person when it comes to fashion, but she does like to spot trends.
“I do have some trendy things. I do shop at the little boutiques because sometimes they bring in things you can’t get anywhere else, lines that aren’t that common. I like to have a variety of things,” she said.
For now, Trepte is still in the production stage of the show, but when it’s finished, brief spots of the pilot will air on Ho‘ike. If the show gets picked up, she will turn it into a 30-minute show.
“I think we’ve got a good thing going here,” Trepte said.
• Lanaly Cabalo, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
