Tag: hawaii
Modern Luxury Hawai’i: Beach Bound (July/August 2015)
Style Spotlight: Hihimanu Top
HIHIMANU
Designer Manaola Yap shares the profound manaâo behind one of his most popular womens styles, the Hihimanu Top.
âThe hihimanu design was inspired its namesake, which translates to stingray. The reason why I was so blown away by these creates is because of how elegant they are in the water,â he explains.Â
âIn Hawaiian, when you say hihimanu, its another reference to a woman who is really beautiful, or carries herself really elegantly.â He shares the special place that sparked the design: âKokoiki, Kohala, is known for hihimanu that actually leap out of the water, as a signâan omen or hoâailona to us. When you see the hihimanu jump out of the water, itâs a blessing of the ancestors. There are a lot of stories in Kokoiki where families used to swim with them and feed them.â
Yap not only wanted to represent the hihimanu in an elegant shape that would flatter the figure of the wearer, but also used his design skills to literally showcase the elegance of the sea creature: âIf you were to open your arm span wearing the top, it is cut in the shape of a hihimanu.â
‘Ćiwi Tv: Hula Kia’i Mauna
Merrie Monarch week brings artists from all over HawaiÊ»i to share their beautiful creations. HawaiÊ»i Islandâs own Manaola, shared new fashions but also an aloha for home.
âFor me, I find my inspiration from here, on HawaiÊ»i Island because itâs my home.â says Manaola.
Manaola, as a hula practitioner, also draws inspiration for hula from this special place.
âSo we thought it appropriate to perform. Our first opening piece that we did was pertaining to the mauna. Especially because of whatâs going on right now with the âkĆ« kiaÊ»i maunaââŠ. Showing our support in a different way, although we canât be on the mauna, we chose to do it in a way that we know how. And thatâs through the hula.â says Manaola.
âOur hula is a way to stand and support the efforts. Itâs a way to raise awareness about our beloved mountain.â says NÄmakana Davis-Lim.
Other hula practitioners in Hilo for Merrie Monarch made their way up to Maunakea to share this similar sense of aloha.
âMaunakea is the piko for our island of HawaiÊ»i and we can all play a part in various ways to mÄlama aku.â says NÄmakana.
The original post can be seen here with video of the event.