Tag: fashion designer

Get to know more about designer Manaola Yap with our Friday Fashion Five:

When do you feel most creatively productive?
When I am carving (ohe kapala). Although in my process of design its my first step in art preparation, but it is the most calming and exciting part for me because its such a traditional craft that helps me transcend time for a second. 

If you had more hours in the day how would you use them?
I would probably exercise more because health is really important to me. 

What is your favorite thing to eat when you are home in Hawaii?
Canned salmon and poi is what my grandma ate, what my mom ate, its so simple and makes me feel at home. Any kind of fish and poi or dried fish (usually aku) reminds me of home. 

How do you pass the time on long airplane rides?
Watch movies and listen to music. 

What kind of music do you listen to to unwind?
It depends on what I am doing, it changes a lot. I like reggae music, Beyonce, Maisey Rika and classical music, too. 

Get to know more about designer Manaola Yap with our Friday Fashion Five:

Who are your greatest fashion influences?
My mom was always my fashion influence because she was always well put together and fashionable. She is one of my main fashion influences. I grew up around a lot of Hawaiian designers doing fashion shows with them so I was really inspired by the things they produced and being around them and being able to see what they saw and watch their looks come together-Nake’u was a big inspiration. The things he paired together were always so unexpected and striking, some things I didn’t really understand until now. He was so on it, and it was always so original. 

What are your favorite ways to relieve stress?
I love to exercise, a good workout helps me to mellow my mind. Because I’m so creative, my mind is always moving and creating, which is also why I love music, it helps to stop the chatter in my brain. 

Whose fashion career would you like to emulate?
I like Carolina Herrera, I love what she’s built for herself and her family and how she uses her family and her daily life in a lot of her designs, which is what I love to do. She names certain pieces and collections after her family and I like to design clothes named after family or friends who embody it well.

What is your favorite pau hana drink of choice?
If I am at the beach (normally after paddling) I drink Heinekin. But if am out I like a very classic Grey Goose Cape Cods (cranberry juice, vodka & squeeze of lime). Grey Goose is distilled 7 times which is the highest content you can find. Grey Goose kills free radicals in the body but it is not detrimental to your health. 

What was your favorite moment of Melange 2015?
My favorite moment was watching the show, even though I was running back and forth. There was so much joy in everybody’s faces and seeing all of the models who were so excited to wear our clothes, both our brand ambassadors as well as new models that we met in San Francisco.