Hawaiian designer makes history with Europe fashion tour

HONOLULU (KHON2) – Hawai’i continues to make history through fashion. 

Last year, it was the New York Fashion Show where Dezigns by Kamohoalii and other designers made their presence known. 

But this year, it’s about Dezigns by Kamohoalii being invited to not just one other, but three other of the world’s best fashion shows including London, Milan and Paris.

To find out more, we are here with designer Micah Kamohoalii of Dezigns by Kamohoalii. 

Tell us a little bit about this trip, this tour you will be taking next month throughout the month of September.

“We are heading over the pond, as they said, to London, Milan and Paris and we are taking a ray of models from home,” said Kamohoalii.

Kamohoalii continued, “Each runway for us is a different theme.  We are featuring Hawaiian arts at its best: feathers at our first show, kapa, as well as weaving at our last show.”

I love the fact though, speaking to you previous to this, that you are putting on concerts at each of these locations but it’s really the stories that you are sharing at these concerts. 

Tell us a little bit about those mo’olelo.

“In addition to fashion, we are hosting our concert series,” said Kamohoalii.

“It’s called Ka Momi taken from a chant from Kalakaua travelling the world.  We are telling the story of our homeland.  I am from Waimea on Hawaii island and a lot of our families have English ancestors.  So, we are kind of retracing their steps as well as steps our monarchs, Queen Liliuokalani and King Kalakaua, and we are telling the stories and chants that were written about London,” said Kamohoalii.

“And then we make our way to Milan and do the same with the stories and chants in Italy, and then finally in Paris as well.  So, three different concerts and our series is called Ka Momi,” explained Kamohoalii.

That is awesome and just the fact that you find an opportunity through fashion to tell these stories is brilliant so thank you for that. 

But I have to say that I am assuming this takes a lot of work and that you need a lot of help to bring it all together. 

How can we help you guys out?

“We do have a GoFundMe. It is. There is about 35 of us that is going,” said Kamohoalii.

“My cousin Amy Hanaialii is singing in these concerts as well as Kainani Kahaunaele, another cousin of mine, Jeff Peterson. My halau is also going to perform in these concerts as well as some of them will be models.  And then our models, so it’s a whole team,” said Kamohoalii.

Ok, well that being said, I’m just assuming, I mean I am wearing your clothes already and that you are looking for models maybe in the future. 

So, I think that I kind of want to practice how to be a model so that I can travel with you to London and all these fancy places. 

So, teach me how to be a Dezigns by Kamohoalii model.

“One of the biggest things I notice is that we tend to slouch,” said Kamohoalii. 

“And so, we came up with this method where we take some household items because we are from the homestead, that is what we do.  But a broomstick, we stick it in the back like this, and what it does it kind of pulls your shoulders back and it brings it down and then we have them walk this way because it forces them to have the body go up,” explained Kamohoalii.

I can do that. 

So, this is the deal then. 

I am going to do that and then you commentate like a fashion show commentator. 

I’ll try my best. 

Hitting the runways now, Kamaka Pili, here at Dezigns by Kamohoalii at Pearlridge. 

Modeling his Hinaikamalama print. 

I think I have a new job.  

Again, Dezigns by Kamohoalii they will be leaving for this tour come Wednesday, Sept. 14. 

You have the chance to, if you are here on Oahu, two brand new store front locations which they are still in a soft opening phase here at Pearlridge Mauka and also Windward Mall. 

For more information about Dezigns by Kamohoalii, click here.

To learn more about their GoFundMe, click here.