The University of Hawaiʻi at ��ā�ԴDz�’s Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) program reached its diamond jubilee with its 60th annual fashion exhibition, “Kaleido: Fragmented Illusions.” Held at the ����Ӱҵ ��ā�ԴDz�’s Campus Center Ballroom, the event showcased the technical skill and creative vision of student designers from the , emphasizing a future built on collaborative innovation and collective action.

Seven senior designers created their MINI collections, along with their videographies, and small, box-like, decorative booths to present their collections before walking the Kaleidoscopic runway.

Student to leader

Leading the production was senior designer Latisha Tong, whose personal journey mirrors the transformations on the runway. She served as production lead and president of the FDM student club, Stole Society, managing the progress of her peers while developing her own senior collection. Her designs, inspired by botanical growth, transitioned from “seed and soil” to a “sprout” and finally an “upside-down flower.”

This four-look progression served as a metaphor for her evolution from a student who knew nothing of sewing to a confident leader. Through this high-pressure role, Tong learned that true leadership involves advocating for others and accepting that sometimes, things don’t go as planned.

Technical rigor

The exhibition also showed the technical rigor required to move from concept to garment. Senior designer Roshini Joshua Monkin created a collection about the elegance of a wedding day by elevating simple garments into sophisticated wedding attire.

Senior designer Elliana Abcede highlighted four princess looks as her own dreams inspired by her cultural roots in the Philippines. With dual roles as a senior designer and the exhibition’s audio-visual manager, she managed venue logistics, noting that the road to the final show is paved with trial and error. Reflecting on her growth since 2023, Elliana shared that the program taught her to embrace failure as a necessary step toward success. Her advice to future students is to stay focused, as the technical demands of the exhibition prepare them for the professional world.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa sophomore Lawrence Linton has secured a vendor spot at Riot Fest 2026 in Chicago—a national rock festival—less than a year after launching his own clothing line, Low Life Streetwear Company.

This achievement marks a career pivot for the 22-year-old Army veteran, who originally moved to Hawaiʻi last summer to pursue marine biology.

“There were many times when I was in my biology and chemistry lectures where I just didn’t get it,” Linton recalled. “My heart wasn’t into it. Whenever my mind would wander… I’d be thinking about design. I’d be thinking about my business.”

Linton formally switched his focus to the Fashion Design and Merchandising program within the . His entrepreneurial drive began after he struggled to find clothing that felt authentic to his identity. Dissatisfied with corporate brands, he started designing his own streetwear during his time at community college before arriving in Hawaiʻi.

Linton’s family roots also played a significant role in designing his clothing line, as his father was a graphic designer who screen-printed clothes throughout Linton’s childhood.

Low Life Streetwear Company focuses on graphic tees, hoodies and general streetwear.

Students from Maui’s Lahainaluna and Baldwin High Schools traveled to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for a hands–on immersion into the future of fashion technology in February. Hosted by the Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) program, these visits show students how traditional skills such as sewing merge with cutting-edge innovations like Computer-Aided Design and electronic textiles (e-textiles).

The events are a part of the ’s outreach strategy to introduce high school students and their teachers to educational paths and career opportunities in the fashion industry.

Tradition meets high tech

Students from Baldwin High School’s Poʻo Academy participated in intensive workshops designed to show the cycle of modern garment creation. Associate Professor Ju–Young Kang taught students about using Optitex design software to create fashion concepts, the first step in a garment’s life.

Professor Minako McCarthy expanded on this cycle by providing a design curriculum overview and how fashion collections are developed. She took students on a tour of the design and sewing labs, where they talked with current junior and senior FDM students.

“The students and their teachers were very engaged from the first sketch to the actual outfit presented at the fashion exhibition and show,” McCarthy said.

In a session with Assistant Professor Olaitan Adeleke, students from Lahainaluna High School experimented with innovative e-textile technologies, creating their own stitched LED “smiley” circuits. These students rounded out their experience with a traditional sewing workshop.

“It’s one thing to simulate things on software, but it’s another thing to really build it hands-on,” said Adeleke. “Connecting that physical integration with software is a beautiful one.”

FDM faculty work with high schools across Oʻahu and Maui as part of a broader recruitment and outreach strategy started by Professor Andy Reilly. Adeleke expects more than 40 students from other schools to participate in the coming weeks.

To celebrate Muʻumuʻu Month in January, the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s program in Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) has a special exhibition of vintage muʻumuʻu, chosen by nearly 30 Waipahu High School students who could be the future of Hawaiʻi’s fashion industry.

Housed within the (CTAHR), FDM combines Hawaiʻi’s culture and agricultural heritage with modern design. By inviting teens into the Historic Fashion Collection, CTAHR is introducing young people to potential career paths ranging from designing to entrepreneurship and retail buying to sustainable fashion.

“It is our kuleana to help students succeed and find what they want to do in life,” said Andy Reilly, professor and curator of fashion design and merchandising. “We do this through the lens of fashion. Fashion starts with ‘dirt to shirt’—from the people growing cotton to those developing new textiles from coffee beans. We want students to see that fashion isn’t just about what you wear. It’s about culture, history, and business.”

Waipahu High School fine arts teacher Alice Iraha said, “I want to expose them to the history of our state and our fashion here in Hawaiʻi. When you live here, it’s good to know the culture of the people and where they came from. The process of learning the fashion industry can help them into so many other areas, like art or starting their own business.”

From textiles to high tech

In addition to curating the Historic Fashion Collection, the students were introduced to Computer-Aided Design for fashion by Ju-Young Kang, an associate professor in FDM. This technology allows designers to create digital sketches, develop intricate textile patterns, and visualize 3D garments before a single piece of fabric is cut.

Muʻumuʻu Month, which began in 2014 when Kauaʻi designer Shannon Hiramoto challenged herself to wear a different vintage muʻumuʻu every day in January, has grown into a statewide movement to preserve the history of the garment.

The student-curated collection will be on display in Miller Hall at ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� throughout January. This collaboration highlights CTAHR’s commitment to honoring Hawaiʻi’s past while providing local students with the tools to build its future.

Ten freshmen and sophomore students at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz�’s (CTAHR) have achieved a remarkable feat: their hand made, tie-dyed garment, “A Flower Bud,” premiered at the International Textile and Apparel Association showcase in St. Louis, Missouri.

The students’ achievement is all the more exceptional because of their grade levels; usually only junior or senior-level work is accepted.

What started as an extra credit assignment in ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Professor Shu-Hwa Lin’s class grew into a semester-long learning experience for the team, led by students Livia Langmade and Ayla Alamedia.

For Langmade, the project was a lesson in garment construction from the first stitch to the last. “I’ve never made a piece like this from scratch before,” she said.

Alamedia, who first joined the project to gain more experience with sewing, learned the value of precision.

“For me, it was details,” Alamedia said. “I realized how important it is to have everything to be precise and to the best you can do it while doing the entire process and how each step of the process matters”.

International student Mana Yano also gained advanced skills, learning “how to carefully sew the dress and how to make a lot of ruffled parts” despite having limited prior experience.

Lin noted that the project provided the students with an integrated design process, pushing their performance “beyond freshman [and] sophomore” expectations and covering steps usually taught in senior classes.

Drawing from her undergraduate experiences at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� (CTAHR), alumna Jada Rogers is now thriving in her fashion retail career. Rogers, a Kentucky native who chose to study at ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� to combine her love of fashion with her desire to live in Hawaiʻi, is now a retail buyer at Maui Divers Jewelry.

Rogers focused on fashion merchandising during her time at ����Ӱҵ, and she credits a retail buying class taught by Professor Abbie Cristi for clarifying her career aspirations.

“That class helped me realize my passion for retail buying because I love math and I love fashion, and retail buying is essentially combining both math and fashion into a career field,” Rogers said.

In addition to her coursework, Rogers participated in an internship at Mikinola, a local boutique, where she gained hands-on experience in aspects of small business operations, including working on inventory, helping with store events, assisting on the sales floor and processing online orders. Rogers expressed that working at a local company made her a “more well-rounded person” and broadened her understanding of how a business operates.

Another formative experience for Rogers was a fashion show production class, which enabled her to work with design students, help produce a fashion show in 2021 and 2022, and find a professional mentor.

“The fashion show was completely virtual [in 2021] because of the pandemic,” Rogers said. “There were a lot of trials and tribulations and figuring that out, but we worked as a team and we did it! Through that class, I got to work with fashion producer Lynne O’Neill in New York Fashion Week. I am fortunate that Lynne and I have stayed connected after graduation.”

University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� alumna Riana Kawamura returned to her alma mater to host a highly anticipated pop-up for her business, .

The small business, which she co-owns with her mother, Evangeline Kawamura, is known for their palaka-print tops and accessories.

“I noticed a gap in the market—most palaka clothing was designed for older women,” said Riana Kawamura. “I wanted to create more modern, cute styles for younger women.”

Riana Kawamura’s classes at ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz�’�� piqued her interest in the field of merchandising and taught her valuable skills that have come in handy as a business owner.

“I learned how to build a brand and connect with customers,” said Riana Kawamura. “Since our demographic is my age, I know what they want, which really helps with marketing and design decisions.”

Sewing success

What started out as a sewing hobby for Evangeline Kawamura and an interest in merchandising for Riana Kawamura has blossomed into a local phenomenon.

The Kawamuras are no stranger to success, with every previous pop-up selling out, and online drops that sell out in minutes. Just reaching the one-year mark, their Da Palaka Girl small business has had an overwhelmingly positive response.

“I love that it’s locally made, and the owner is an alumni, so I’m happy to support her,” said business marketing major Cherisse Henley. “The clothes are just so cute.”

Their ����ԴDz� pop-up was met with a warm reception by the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� community, as a long line full of hundreds of excited customers stretched around the heart of the campus.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” said Chloe Trover, an international business and marketing major at ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz�.

Social media marketing spurs excitement

After experimenting with palaka and posting a few of their pieces on TikTok, demand grew quickly. Based on her experience, Riana Kawamura urges others to be bold.

“If you have an idea, just go for it—even if it’s not perfect. If you’re hesitant or hold back, you might limit your potential,” said Riana Kawamura. “Social media is your biggest tool, so don’t be afraid to use it. Once you commit, go all in.”

Actress Te Ao o Hinepehinga, who plays Kupuohi on the Apple TV+ series Chief of War, was styled by recent graduate Kalia Ferri of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (FDM) program. Ferri’s original, hand-painted dress was featured in an exclusive shoot for .

The opportunity came through one of Ferri’s mentors, ����Ӱҵ alumnus Matt Bruening. He invited Ferri to assist with three days of styling and press shoots for the Chief of War premiere event. On the final day, she secured a placement for her own design—a dress featuring a painted orange and red cut-out, drawing on the theme of natural decay and regrowth from shelf mushrooms.

The garment matched the photo shoot’s lava-inspired look, making it a perfect fit for the show’s visuals. Her dress debuted in the senior individual collection from FDM’s fashion exhibition in spring 2025.

Ferri credited experiences such as the fashion exhibition, her education and internship experience with providing a well-rounded skillset.

“I learned a lot from my fashion professor Minako McCarthy, who taught my design classes and encouraged my painting. And I thank my other teachers in courses for sewing, fashion forecasting, trend analysis and the business side of fashion,” Ferri said.

Her fashion journey will continue in the global fashion capital, New York City. With an impressive first placement in a major photoshoot, Ferri is one to watch as she heads to the Big Apple.

Designs that blend modern fashion with the cultural heritage of the Chin culture of Myanmar have earned a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumna a spot on the international stage. Hniang Sung will have two of her garments featured at the International Textiles and Apparel Association’s (ITAA) annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri in November.

The showcase is a major early career success for Sung, who came to the U.S. with her family as a refugee from Myanmar’s Chin State. Her designs are deeply personal, blending her journey as an immigrant and modern fashion.

“It feels like my ideas and culture come to life, and that’s what I’m truly grateful for,” Sung said. “This is a testimony of God’s grace and the support of my family.”

A recent graduate of the fashion design and merchandising program in the , Sung took inspiration from traditional items, such as bamboo baskets and Chokhleipar, the flower of the Chin culture in Myanmar.

Her senior collection, which was refined and submitted to the association by her professor and ITAA sponsor Minako McCarthy, will be one of the collections showcased. This highly competitive process has an undergraduate design acceptance rate of 36.5%–making it a milestone for students.

Sung credits her time at ����Ӱҵ with helping her grow as a designer and gain confidence, particularly with the support of her mentor, McCarthy. For Sung, having her work accepted for the exhibition means her designs are being recognized on an international level.

“Hniang’s story is inspirational to everyone who came to the U.S. seeking more opportunities and a better life,” McCarthy said. “She overcame incredible hardships, found a community of similar spirits at ����Ӱҵ, and has a bright future ahead of her.”

From plantation fields to the modern fashion runway, the iconic checkerboard pattern known as palaka is more than a fabric; it’s a symbol of Hawaiʻi’s history, resilience and identity. According to a University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� fashion expert, the historic textile is experiencing a resurgence, solidifying its place as the “denim of Hawaiʻi.”

Andy Reilly, a professor in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program, predicted this comeback in a 2023 ����Ӱҵ News story, and has since seen the trend flourish. He attributed its revival to a deeper connection with local culture and history.

“It’s been said that palaka is the denim of Hawaiʻi. It’s ubiquitous,” Reilly said. “It crosses over ethnic lines, now it crosses over class lines, and it has a rich history in Hawaiʻi. Many of the people who live here have ancestors who probably wore palaka on the fields.”

History of palaka

The story of palaka began in the early 1800s with the arrival of sailors. The name itself is believed to be a Hawaiian transliteration of the English word “frock,” the shirt worn by sailors. The original cotton fabric likely came from New England, with a plaid called “Cranston Plaid” bearing a strong resemblance to early palaka.

By the early 20th century, the dense, durable fabric became essential during the plantation era. Its signature blue-and-white check was especially appealing to Japanese immigrant workers, reminding them of the traditional indigo-dyed fabrics in Japan.

The fabric’s transformation from simple workwear to a symbol of local pride was possibly catalyzed by the infamous Thalia Massie case in 1931. This miscarriage of justice helped unify Hawaiʻi’s diverse ethnic groups.

“After the Massie affair, people saw themselves as unified against the power structure that was here,” Reilly said. “My supposition is that’s when it really started to take off as meaning of the working people of Hawaiʻi.”

Palaka power

The fashion evolution of palaka began in the 1960s and ’70s with the introduction of new colors such as red, yellow and green. The 1980s saw the rise of the “Palaka Power” movement, a statement of pride for the descendants of Japanese plantation laborers who had achieved political and economic success.

Today, local designers such as Matt Bruening and Kini Zamora are breathing new life into the historic pattern by experimenting with different colors, playing with the scale of the print and cutting the fabric on an angle to create fresh looks. The pattern was also featured in a recent, sold-out collection of ����Ӱҵ-branded bags by ALOHA Collection.

“People always recognize the palaka fabric just from that blocky plaid design,” Reilly said. “When people think of Hawaiʻi and fashion, they usually refer to the aloha shirt… but there’s so much more about Hawaiʻi and the fashion history beyond the aloha shirt, and palaka is just one good example of that.”

Ten graduating students from Honolulu Community College’s took center stage on May 2, during the sold-out “Lōkahi” Senior Fashion Show.

Showcasing original collections, each designer offered a unique creative perspective, all unified by the event’s theme, “Lōkahi,” or unity. The show celebrated their growth and artistic vision developed throughout their time at the college’s fashion program.

The senior designers and their collections include:

• Halee Pedro, The Local Kids Closet
• Brooke Bennetts, The Blue Mind
• Caitlin LeCompte, Color Theory
• Tumuria O’Conner LeClay, Rise and Shine
• Casey Contorelli, Forever Young
• Yudai Iwamura, Above Us
• Danica Saoit, Radiant
• Angelica Aguinaldo, Angel’s Dream
• Maria Mora-Sanchez, Vereda Tropical
• Arwen Schultz, She’s Such A Doll

The collections received support from the crowd of fashion enthusiasts, industry insiders, family members and University of Hawaiʻi faculty and staff, including ����Ӱҵ President Wendy Hensel. Prior to the main show, attendees viewed a special pre-show featuring designs from underclassmen, underscoring the collaborative spirit of the Fashion Technology Program.

“Each collection is so special and pays tribute to the personalities of each of our students,” said Elsie Casamina-Fernandez, Honolulu CC fashion technology instructor. “It was really exciting to see the student’s hard work be showcased and for the great community support that they received.”

Honolulu CC’s Fashion Technology Program offers students technical training in areas such as garment construction, pattern making, textiles and design, preparing graduates to enter and innovate in the fashion industry.

Hawaiʻi Island teens took needle and thread to the next level at a hands-on 4-H Fashion Camp in Honokaʻa where they learned from community volunteers, University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� faculty and industry insiders. The camp was a collaboration between Hawaiʻi 4-H and the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz�’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program.

Fourteen students created tank tops and shorts while learning the basics of sewing, fashion and entrepreneurship. The weeklong camp was taught by Honokaʻa High School fashion teacher Lisa Anderson, with support from the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) and local nonprofit Sew Fun.

Students explored fashion business, design technology, textiles and the history of the Aloha Shirt. The program highlighted fashion’s deep roots in agriculture through natural fibers such as cotton and wool, connecting students to career possibilities in Hawaiʻi’s growing fashion and creative industries.

“I liked learning how to sew. I’ve never sewn before so I loved learning the basics,” said one camper. Another added they enjoyed “the sewing and friends.”

Stoking passion for fashion

Guest speakers included Mariah Toledo-Tavares of Kalo Kini Swim, Chris Whitaker from ʻOhana Fiber Mill, and Sarah Anderson of Sarah Anderson Photography, who shared stories of turning creative passions into careers. The week wrapped up with a student-run photoshoot, where participants modeled their handmade outfits.

“This was a great opportunity to bring education, industry and community together to inspire students,” said CTAHR professor and fashion researcher Andrew Reilly. He organized faculty contributions from Minako McCarthy, Marie Abigail Cristi-Kim, Youngjin Bahng and Ju-Young Kang.

Surveys showed nearly half of the students were more interested in fashion careers after camp. Parents shared that their teens have since started sewing clothes at home.

The camp was organized by CTAHR Extension Agent Marielle Hampton as part of the Hawaiʻi 4-H youth development program, with funding from CTAHR’s Department of Family and Consumer Science and fabric from Discount Fabric Warehouse. For more information, contact hamptonm@hawaii.edu.

Honolulu’s streetwear scene is about much more than what people wear, it’s a reflection of identity, history and community. A new study by University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� fashion scholars shows how local street style blends surf influences, homegrown brands, and Native Hawaiian culture tell a deeper story about place and belonging in Hawaiʻi.

“Our research shows that Honolulu streetwear is not just a copy of mainland trends; it’s a unique blend rooted in our island’s diverse culture,” said Mark Oandasan, study co-author and (CTAHR) graduate who majored in fashion and design and is a ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� lecturer on the topic. He dove deep into the roots of the state’s street wear along with CTAHR Professor Andy Reilly in “Honolulu Streetwear: A Look into Aesthetics, Style, and Culture,” recently published in .

The team’s research offers a comprehensive look at how Hawaiʻi residents express themselves through contemporary dress, moving beyond the prevalent focus on aloha wear.

The researchers call this expression ‘Moke style,’ which they define as a powerful visual language born from the islands’ blend of outdoor living, a strong sense of community, and an understated pride in Native Hawaiian heritage.

“The emergence of ‘Moke’ style highlights how local identity, including Native Hawaiian culture, shapes what people wear on our streets,” said Oandasan, who grew up in Hawaiʻi. “It’s a tangible representation of ‘local boy’ identity, reflecting a connection to the land, community and the unpretentious spirit of island life, subtly weaving in threads of Native Hawaiian cultural values like respect for the ʻāina (land) and the importance of ʻohana (family).”

Bridging the gap

The study assessed the challenges posed by Honolulu’s geographic isolation. While this distance can hinder the rapid influx of new fashion styles, social media has emerged as a crucial tool for local streetwear brands. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok allow these brands to increase their accessibility and awareness among consumers, bridging the gap created by their remote location.

Expanding fashion research

Oandasan and Reilly hope their research highlights the value of understanding the cultural roots and diverse identities shaping Honolulu’s evolving streetwear scene. They also encourage continued exploration of the vibrant fashion movement in Hawaiʻi.

Oandasan continues to explore local style and culture through a collaborative fashion and design entrepreneur series with the at the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� .

Fashion students at the University of Hawaiʻi at ����ԴDz� are designing the future, literally. In the spring 2025 semester, students in Associate Professor Ju-Young Kang’s took a bold step forward. They didn’t just use 3D design software to create fashion, they teamed up with artificial intelligence (AI) to push their creativity further than ever before.

The class, part of the FDM program in the , has been producing 3D virtual fashion shows since 2015. However this year marked a first. Students used AI tools alongside 3D software to create lifelike fashion designs and videos. They learned how to guide AI in generating images and videos, then refined those results into complete digital looks.

“I’m so proud of our students for their commitment and the effort they put into their 2D/3D CAD projects, integrating 3D software with AI-driven virtual catwalks,” said Kang. “It was incredibly rewarding to help our students explore new and creative ways to use digital design software and AI technologies.”

Tech-driven design

The class projects were a mix of art and innovation. From realistic outfit renderings to full-on virtual runway shows, the results showed what happens when fashion and technology come together.

Fifty-four students shared their work at the 59th Lasting Legacies fashion exhibition on May 2, at the ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Campus Center Ballroom. More than 190 guests came to see how students used both AI and software to bring their visions to life.

FDM student Samantha Maeda expressed her fascination with exploring new creative possibilities.

“U�����Բ� AI platforms in the FDM 338 fashion CAD project gave me a sense of creative freedom, speed, and enhanced visual storytelling,” Maeda said. “The most motivating factor was being able to generate professional-looking visuals efficiently, which made the design process more dynamic, inspiring, and accessible.

FDM is housed in the .

For nearly six decades, the annual fashion exhibition at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been a signature showcase of creativity and craft. This year’s show, Lasting Legacies, marked the 59th—and final—edition of the traditional format, as the (FDM) looks ahead to a new chapter.

Held on May 2, the student-led event brought 12 senior mini-collections, two group lines by juniors, and nearly 90 models to the runway at the ����Ӱҵ Mānoa Campus Center Ballroom. Each piece told a story of heritage, resilience and personal growth.

“Many of our students are going to work in the fashion industry, and this gives them the experience of creating a collection 100% by themselves,” said FDM instructor and student mentor Minako McCarthy. “They find their inspirations, set up their storyboards and then move into designs, making a garment, and staging their models.”

Designing every detail

From concept to catwalk, students handled it all: design, construction, media production and event logistics.

Elliana (Yana) Abcede, the production lead, managed the massive effort behind the scenes.

“I became more assertive and decisive. You cannot be a people pleaser in this position. You learn when to say no, when to say yes, and to trust your decisions,” Abcede said.

Senior designer Hniang Sung based her line of clothing, Chin Legacy, on her upbringing in Burma’s Chin State.

“I took inspiration from traditions, cultural symbols, and childhood memories. It is a way to showcase my cultural background and uplift the people of Myanmar,” she shared.

Student designers Eleanor Osterloh and Marisa Kim also made bold statements on the runway with their collections, Bone House and Grit and Glitz.

A new chapter

“Fashion changes, but style endures,” said iconic clothing designer Coco Chanel. And so change has come for the long-running fashion exhibition at FDM. With a long and proud history within FDM, the and , organizers said next year it will return, revised and refreshed.

Hawaiʻi high school, college students and K–12 teachers are invited to apply for a new, free designed to spark innovation in agriculture, environmental sustainability, food systems, fashion and family and community resilience.

The eight-week program, offered by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (CTAHR), runs from June 9 to August 1, and is open to students from Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Maui and Molokaʻi. Participants can access programming at CTAHR facilities on their home island.

Participants will work alongside ����Ӱҵ faculty mentors to build research-based solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing Hawaiʻi and the world.

“This new program is specifically created to provide high school, community college and undergraduate students the real-world skills, and prepare them for the next stage of their lives,” said CTAHR Dean Parwinder Grewal. “We invite students to explore this new opportunity to contribute to society and to advance their careers.”

In addition to student tracks, the Summer Research Institute also offers a teacher development track for educators who want to strengthen their teaching in areas such as agriculture, food, family and environmental education.

To learn more and apply, visit the .

This week’s ����Ӱҵ News Image of the Week is from the Honolulu Community College and ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� fashion shows!

Check out more images from the , and .

Previous Images
Image of the Week: 2025 ����Ӱҵ ����ԴDz� Awards Ceremony
Hauʻoli Lā Honua
Black Necked Stilt
Imagination to art
Baby seahorses
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

Want to get in on the action? The next ����Ӱҵ News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• .

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other ����Ӱҵ connection. By submitting your image, you are giving ����Ӱҵ News permission to publish your photo on the ����Ӱҵ News website and ����Ӱҵ social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

For their case study of Native Hawaiian fashion designer a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research team earned top honors at the 2024 International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) conference. Their work explored the intersection of cultural values, sustainability and authenticity in fashion design.

Representing the ’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program, Professor Andy Reilly and graduate student Jordan Antonio received the Paper of Distinction award for the culture track at the 2024 conference of ITAA, held in Long Beach, California, in November.

Kamohoaliʻi started his fashion company in 2005. He has garnered attention in the fashion industry for years and has even shown his works on New York runways. Reilly and Antonio’s paper assessed how Kamohoaliʻi utilizes cultural values to guide his designing and manufacturing processes. The paper will be published in early 2025.

“Jordan and I are grateful to be recognized for this work,” said Reilly. “As this award is determined by my peers, it is high praise. We are in debt to Micah Kamohoaliʻi for lending his time and perspective on how to address some of the ills of the fashion industry, like waste and sustainability.”

ITAA is the premier organization for textile and fashion scholars and presents awards based on a rigorous selection process. This research was made possible through a Hatch Act grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.

Column by Chancellor Lui Hokoana was published by on November 29, 2024.

If you’ve ever thought of upping your home sewing skills to try your hand at the fashion business, we can help.

Our Fashion Tech Lab is undergoing an extensive refurbishment, expected to be completed for the Fall 2025 semester. (It remains fully operational during the upgrade.) The lab is being updated with fresh paint, new lecture and cutting tables, new ironing stations, and a brand new inventory of domestic sewing and serger machines for both our regular Fashion Tech credit program and our non-credit, low-cost classes.

Classes on sewing Knits, and Fashion Illustration are on tap for Spring 2025. A wide range of non-credit classes are also being offered—from Surface Design in Pattern and Textile, Beginning Sewing for Adults, Embroidery and Mending, Crochet, Garment Alterations, and the very popular Intro to Swimwear and Swimwear II.

Even if you’re not inclined to get into the fashion business, taking a class or two could lead to an international adventure, as it did for three of our Fashion Tech students last month.

Brielle Pacli-Donato, Meghan Reny and Aliza Clarke along with ����ӰҵMC Fashion Technology Instructor Maria Razzauti traveled to Japan to participate in the Blue Green Art Project. The project is sponsored by Yamaguchi Prefectural University, which has been a “sister university” with ����ӰҵMC since 2017 and where fashion design is a focus. It was thrilling for our students to join with such global and iconic fashion partners as Marimekko of Finland.

Emeritus Professor Yumiko Mizutani, the former Fashion Program Director of YPU, organized the event, the main purpose of which was to showcase upcycled garments made from old kimonos she personally donated. “The students were enrolled in my Upcycling Garments class this past Spring,” explains Razzauti. “So, the timing was perfect for them to apply what they learned and also learn additional sewing skills needed to recycle the kimonos.”

The inspiration for each student’s design was personal and evocative of Maui. Meghan Reny’s “Hōkū Moon and Her Waters” was created to honor “the beauty of the moon and the waters of Hawaiʻi, how the connection of moon, land and water breathes life into us, and how it is our kuleana to protect this deep relationship,” she explains.

She hand-sewed opal beads onto the lining of a recycled wedding dress to represent the luminescence of the full moon. The skirt, which is the beautiful old kimono fabric, represents the water.

“I honor the sacredness of Haleakalā and the enduring bond between the land, the sun, and the Hawaiian people,” says Aliza Clarke. She used striped red kimono fabric to represent “the layers of lava that shaped its ridges and valleys, a testament to geological forces over millions of years.” The bright yellow top of her garment “symbolizes Ka Lā (the sun), a source of light and renewal. Watching the sunrise at Haleakalā fosters a deep respect for the land and a connection to ancestors.”

Sugarcane provided the inspiration for Brielle Pacli-Donato’s “Wai Ko.”

“The white and peach upcycled furisode reflects Maui’s official pink color. The purple michiyuki and blue textured organza symbolize the water from irrigation furrows created by workers, with pieces of the michiyuki also flowing along the dress’s side,” she explains. “At the bottom, green organza was shapely cut and sewn to imitate the sugarcane.”

This trip was about so much more than fashion.

“Japan had always been a country I wanted to visit,” says Pacli-Donato. “There were so many amazing memories. From our first experience doing the kimono tea ceremony, attending an indigo dyeing workshop, long walks through the different cities of Tokyo, visiting the Bunka College as well as Yamaguchi University and more.”

For Instructor Maria Razzauti it was a nostalgic journey. “Seven years ago, as a ����ӰҵMC student, I had the opportunity to participate in a similar event with YPU,” she says. “I still can remember the excitement of being selected to represent the college, so I know first-hand what that’s like for the students. To travel to a beautiful country like Japan to exhibit one’s work as a student is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was a full-circle moment for me to help make this happen. A truly inspiring pivotal moment to be forever cherished.”

For information about the Fashion Technology credit program, visit . For information about non-credit Fashion Tech classes, contact Charlene cquanp@hawaii.edu For complete information about ����Ӱҵ Maui College, visit .