Amy Davis illustration
Margeaux in a Maui Girl bikini, Ki-ele and Q-pot. jewelry, with Happy Haleiwa shopping bag and Sanuk footwear.

I have styled my fair share of magazine pictorials, but a lunch meetup with former isle resident, Paper fashion illustrator, musician, actress, and, well, all-around artiste Amy Davis led to a first, a Hawaii collaboration for her new fashion + food blog, Yummy Dress.

I write about fashion + food, so we're simpatico, though she wasn't working the food angle when we formally met a few years ago when she was back in town as a guest artist for Le Sportsac, for whom she'd created four prints over two years.

This time around, she was back in town from Santa Fe, with longtime partner in art and life, Jon Moritsugu, before heading on to the Chicago Underground Film Festival for the March 8 world premiere of their new film, "Pig Death Machine." The dynamic duo also picked up the fest's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Of course, Hawaii is full of yummy clothes, so when it came to dressing Margeaux, I suggested a few Hawaii brands and was happy to see some of them on Margeaux. Of course the best part about dressing an illustration, there was no running around picking up and droppig off merchandise, and no heavy lifting. Love it!

Nadine Kam photo
Amy Davis and Jon Mortisugu at Taste Table, when Margeaux was still a line drawing and vision in Amy's head.

A trio of Amy's Style Fiends from Paper magazine.

Alex Cayley photo
Ariel Meredith was photographed for Sports Illustrated 2013 Swimsuit Issue's online edition, in Seville, Spain, in a swimsuit by Sarah Bolz of Maui's Kai ulu Swimwear.

In today's paper, I wrote a brief story about Maui-based Letarte Swimwear's history with the Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue, going back 13 years.

Another Hawaii company that made it into the issue was Maui Girl, and the online version also featured swimsuits from another Maui-based company, Kai ulu Swimwear.

Maui Girl suit by Debbie Wilson, modeled by Ariel Meredith and shot in Seville, Spain, by Alex Cayley. The company's swimsuits were featured in four magazine spreads, four full pages and six suits were presented in a collage format. With online presence as well, 28 of the company's swimsuits were featured.

Maui Girl suit modeled by Jessica Gomes and shot by Derek Kettela in Guilin, Guangxi Province, China. Many of the suits are already available at http://maui-girl.com

The annual issue has grown into a $1 billion enterprise according to Business Insider, but the issue had humble roots.

Our sports editor, Paul Arnett, happened to have purchased the original 1964 Swimsuit Issue for $10 in the 1990s. (Original price: .25 cents). I saw one site listing its value today as $175, though of course that's dependent on availability and one's desire to own it.

It's pretty rare that a sports and fashion writer have a meeting of minds. Most times, he's making fun of me because I never know the names of the Superbowl teams, except when I can't help but pick it up through osmosis. Generally, I try to avoid all talk of football and pretend to know nothing of the game, though I went to every game of my high school alma mater, and followed the UH team when I was there, as well.

I was much more enthusiastic when he brought in the original swimsuit issue. Sports Illustrated was born in 1954, and the "Swimsuit Issue" started 10 years later, on Jan. 20, 1964. It was really just a six-page fashion spread, with a few water-oriented stories on snorkel and dive spots, but the cover—of Babette March in a white bikini—was definitely not your typical Sports Illustrated cover.

The look was also more girl next door, vs. the bombshell look look of today's models. It was all quite tame and wholesome.

According to Business Insider, the supplement was started by then-editor Andre Laguerre to increase readership during the winter lull between popular sports seasons. With a hit on their hands, Jule Campbell was chosen as SI's first swimsuit editor, taking the helm from 1965 to 1996.

Since becoming a stand-alone issue in 1997, the magazine has become "one of Time Inc.’s biggest revenue drivers over the years, bringing in more than $1 billion," according to Forbes.

The empire encompasses online editions, videos, calendars, and a swimwear website, SwimDaily.com

In contrast to the original swimsuit spread, which fits in its entirety here: (The magazine is now in ab archival cover, and I don't think Paul would let me handle it again.)

For the second time in the 13 years Letarte Swimwear has been included in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, the Maui company has scored a cover. The brand created by Lisa Letarte Cabrinha and Michele Letarte Ross, and designed by Lisa, last made the cover in 2005. The 2013 edition of the swimsuit issue hits newsstands tomorrow, although you can view the images now at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2013_swimsuit/

Two's also a charm for model Kate Upton, who's been the cover girl for two years in a row. Last year, she appeared on the cover in a swimsuit by Maui-based Suit Yourself Bikinis by Kathleen Bruening.

This year, she appears in Letarte's sporty mesh side tie bikini bottom, sans top, but with a fur-trimmed parka in the unlikeliest of swimsuit venues, Antarctica.

It makes sense for Letarte, considering the sisters conduct their business cross-country. While Michele skis in Vermont every weekend, Lisa is surfing the Maui waves that inspire the line.

The suit Upton is wearing is part of a surf/kite capsule. The swimsuit issue always delivers a bump in sales for the local swimwear and jewelry companies included in the fashion spreads. Pre-orders for the $180 bikini are being taken at http://letarteswimwear.com/ The matching top is a white mesh slide triangle style that ties at the neck and back.

Nadine Kam photos
From left, Jessica Andrian of San Lorenzo, Chris Akin, Laura Grace D'Angeli, Michelle Van Veenendaal of LBDB and Lujuria—The Fashion Experience producer Jose Santamaria posed for photos after the "Wet the Bikini" pool party edition fashion show July 15 at The Modern.

Sunday was hot, hot, hot, the perfect weather for Jose Santamaria's "Wet the Bikini" pool party edition of Lujuria—The Fashion Experience, at the Modern, complete with a bikini and resort fashion show, heavy on the bikini part.

In one of the biggest shows of its kind, event host and producer Jose Santamaria, of JS Enterprises, sent more than 100 looks down the runway, including swimwear, coverups and casual wear from LBDB at Kahala Mall, and San Lorenzo Bikinis, and hats from Straw Garden.

Sitting with photographer Rae Huo while taking pictures of the runway, she asked me, "Would you wear one of those? Did you ever have a body like that?"

"Yeah, maybe when I was 16 through 22. It was all downhill from there."

Or, I used to say that when I was 22; the real downhill, I learned, was after 33.

At any rate, I'm more in the market for coverups, not bikinis!

Non-flash video

Artist Colin Andrew Wood, who was working on this board on the spot, took time out to pose with models, from left, Katherine Laethem, Crystal Douglas and Kaitlin "Goose" Hamilton.

Laura Grace D'Angeli walks the show.

This was one of the biggest pool and resort shows I've seen here, with 100 looks shown.

Catherine Martin showed up appropriately dressed in a colorful duckie inner tube.

(more...)

Nadine Kam photos

Loco Boutique and Sunglass Hut were among the shops featured March 24 on the Ala Moana Center Stage during Shop A Le'a.

Rather than bringing all the retailers together in one show as in past years, which led to confusion as to whose garments were being shown, retailers were given their own segments so it was clear whose designs were on stage.

I know I wanted to go to Sunglass Hut after seeing some of the Tom Ford glasses in the show. I've been wanting a pair since trying them on the Big Island. Glad I didn't buy it there though because the pair I want is $30 less on this island.

Fashion show watchers who saw the banner poster of Daniela Abe hanging over Center Stage throughout Shop A Le'a, could also see her on stage.

Fun fringed bikini on Angela Byrd.

We don't see plaid swimwear too often here.

Tankini and feathers.