LIHUE — There were no tickets for the dinner Saturday for guests anticipating to pick up tickets at the door for the dinner and show at the Seventh annual Kauai Fashion Weekend at the Kauai Marriott Resort &Beach Club.
“We’re sold out for dinner,” said Laurie Yoshida, one of the event coordinators. “There are no exceptions — we’re sold out. We also have gone through plenty of tickets for the show.”
Hundreds of people flocked instead to the vendor area to browse through a variety of fashion and fashion-related accessories and products while waiting for the doors to open on the gala organizers Sha Ali Ahmad, an international designer, and Marynel Valenzuela described it as “one of Kauai’s signature red-carpet events.”
Guests to the Kauai Fashion Weekend were dressed to kill, taking advantage of the specially-designed backdrops for social media photos while anticipating the parade of celebrity models garbed in fashion finery.
“I didn’t know I had to walk,” said former Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., who delivered the opening prayer and doxology. “I thought I was only delivering the opening prayer.”
Carvalho was joined by Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and guest host Justin Cruz and a number of community men in the opening segment that was followed by the community women, including the former Kauai first lady Regina Carvalho, and other women community leaders, including Bennette Misalucha, who helped with emcee duties on the runway along with Lexi Jones.
“We’re voted No. 1 for fashion by Hawaii magazine,” said Penny Price of Tropical Tantrum, one of the providers of fashion wear for the showcase.
“This is the best of the best. Parker Price owns Tropical Tantrum and Parker’s sister Lorre Bethke is the designer for most of the pieces offered in the stores — the main store in Kapaa, a shop in the Kauai Marriott Resort, and one in Hanalei.”
Local songwriter and entertainer Larry Rivera crooned his musical offering while one of the Tropical Tantrum associates performed accompanying hula garbed in Bethke designs.
The offering was enhanced by the April Moon line of resin orchid creations.
“These were designed by Debra Lynn, who is in Bali and couldn’t make the show,” said Demi Dunsmoore, another of the Tropical Trantrum associates who also sported its unique designs.
“When she gets back, you’re more than welcome to talk to her about how she does it, and how it all came about.”
Other performers in the lineup included Paul Togioka, a slack-key guitarist who was nominated for Na Hoku Hanohano award honors this year, and Kimberly Hope, who took the runway with a musical tribute to Barry Takekuma, a longtime Kauai Fashion Week contributor.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
