HANALEI — The latest collections of a.ell atelier and KaiKini Bikinis will be presented June 16 at the Kaua‘i Katwalk Red Carpet Runway Show. The show starts at 7 p.m. in the Lu‘au Room at the Tahiti Nui in Hanalei.
HANALEI — The latest collections of a.ell atelier and KaiKini Bikinis will be presented June 16 at the Kaua‘i Katwalk Red Carpet Runway Show.
The show starts at 7 p.m. in the Lu‘au Room at the Tahiti Nui in Hanalei. It will highlight the local talent and creativity of clothing apparel designers and artists.
“Everyone involved makes, designs or provides a service here on Kaua‘i,” said organizer Taryn Rodighiero, founder and creative director of KaiKini. “It is a collaborative effort that brings the beauty of what we love doing most to one place, on one night for you to enjoy.”
Angelique Ell, owner of a.ell atelier, will be introducing a new bohemian tribal silk collection on the runway. She said this show is unlike any other a.ell atelier has been involved with in 13 years of business.
“This is my first collaboration with KaiKini,” Ell said. “In the past I have presented my wedding line, beach island wear, and a edgy harajuku girl collection. For this show we are bringing together a glamorous, urban vibe, a couture show complete with a red carpet!”
Ell produces couture wedding dresses, ready to wear eco-clothing, and luxury items for the home.
Ell said the fashion is evolving toward a more feminine, sophisticated palette of artistic lines and silhouettes with pieces ranging from simple bamboo shrugs to long, silk corseted dresses.
“My collections have definitely grown over the years,” she said. “I have been influenced by what it is that I want to wear.”
The art of Troy Carney, Kelly Keane, Acacia Jones and Chanel Anderson of Little Tsunami Tattoo will add their own flair to the catwalk with hand-painted designs using clothing as their canvas.
The artists were given blank designs from a.ell design to create their art. The results will be revealed at the show as moving art on the runway.
Models will be wearing handcrafted jewelry using shells and sea glass by local artist Coco Zickos of Happy Earth Designs. Hair and makeup will be applied by Epic Hair Design and Relish Salon.
KaiKini’s bikinis will feature bright, bold-colored collections designed to match the summer sun.
Rodighiero said KaiKini suits are local, handmade designs with flattering cuts, comfort, and durability in mind. Manufacturing on a small scale allows KaiKini to make changes on the fly on existing designs.
“I want to make suits that make women feel good and look good when they have them on,” she said. “Since I’m totally self-taught and never went to design school or fashion school, I try to get as much feedback as I can from women who wear my suits and use those suggestions as guidelines when I design.”
KaiKini has a Keiki line for girls newborn to 6 years old, and Rodighiero plans on a ‘tweener line for girls 7 to 13. She plans to eventually create lines geared toward full-figured and older women.
Rodighiero said she learned all about the good and bad of bikinis while working for a local retailer for several years. She watched what women were buying and noticed what the locals preferred.
The main problems were that beautiful suits weren’t usually strong enough for Kaua‘i beaches. She said they often lacked materials that dried fast to allow women to wear them all day.
“Finding the right materials was the challenge,” she said.
After researching durable materials, including a fast-drying anti-microbial liner, Rodighiero said she wanted an attractive design to match the quality wear. She dreamed up “bright, crazy patterns” cut in the Brazilian style.
She applied a “scrunch design” technique of stretching the elastic before sewing to create a bunching effect; she said it’s more flattering to the rear.
After eight months of learning how to sew, Rodighiero sold her first bikini one year ago. Inspired by success, she put her idea to work and began manufacturing in the Wailua Homesteads.
Today, Rodighiero and three employees are running five industrial sewing machines assembly-line style. After starting with samples a year ago, KaiKini is now producing about 400 pieces a month.
After having success out of a few local shops, Rodighiero said she branched out to nine stores islandwide, with plans to sell on NeighborIslands. Strong sales are also coming direct from the mainland through kaikini.com, etsy.com, and swimshow.com.
“One of my biggest selling points is that they are made on Kaua‘i,” she said.
Rodighiero said her experience has been a lot of trial and error, and got her business license as a sole proprietor by following the guidelines online at hawaii.gov. Were she to do it all over again, she said business training and incubator programs would have helped.
“The bikini manufacturing business allows me to be creative and productive on a daily basis and I love every minute of it,” Rodighiero said. “I’m just so glad I found something I could be passionate about that I really enjoy and have a lot fun doing. I have Kaua‘i to thank for that.”
Tickets for the show are $20 and available in advance at the Bikini Room in Hanalei, a.ell atelier in Kapa‘a and Kama’aina Surf and Sport in Lihu‘e. For information visit thenui.com, kaikini.com and Kauai Katwalk on Facebook.
• Tom LaVenture can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or tlaventure@ thegardenisland.com.
