LAWAI — Shannon Hiramoto, of Machinemachine, has long been an advocate of January being the month of celebrating the mu‘umu‘u, a garment that has a long and colorful history in Hawai‘i.
Hiramoto announced a call for entries to the Mu‘umu‘u Design Contest and Fashion Show, which will be presented by the Garden Island Arts Council, presenters of the popular Boro Boro Boutique that utilizes recycled and upcycled materials.
The arts council also serves as presenters of the popular E Kanikapila music series and the Kaua‘i Historical Society, which is coming off a successful launch of “100 Entertainments of Kaua‘i” by Tambi Larsen.
Winners of the design contest and fashion show will be shown during the Mu‘umu‘u Paina, which will take place on Jan. 28, starting at noon at the Smith’s Tropical Paradise.
The event is a benefit luncheon for the historical society and will feature a buffet lunch, live music, historical fashion displays, a silent auction and of course, mu‘umu‘u. Tickets for non-contest general admission individuals will be going on sale, shortly through www.kauaihistoricalsociety.org.
“We are looking for contestants for this first-of-its-kind design and sewing competition,” Hiramoto said. “Contestants are invited to strut their stuff, or bring a model, in three categories of mu‘umu‘u design — formal, casual or Avant Garde.”
For formal design, contestants work too create a mu‘umu‘u in the style of a formal holoku, holomu or incorporate special details, such as fine fabric choices, and novel touches to create a mu‘umu‘u worth of a classy event, Hiramoto said.
For casual design, contestants can create a “Ready to Wear” mu‘umu‘u.
“Focus on fun, comfort and a dress appropriate for an Aloha Friday,” Hiramoto said. “You can style it modern or vintage — have fun with this category.”
For Avant Garde design, contestants are tasked with creating something outside the box, Hiramoto said.
“Use unusual materials, silhouettes and techniques to design a dress that redefines what a mu‘umu‘u can be,” she said.
“Contestants must submit a garment of their own creation,” Hiramoto said. “No store-bought dresses or vintage pieces are allowed. Entrants may use a commercial sewing pattern, or create their own design from scratch. We welcome all of Kaua‘i and the neighbor islands to participate. Complete contest rules and registration is at www.muumuumonth.com.”
The Design Contest and Fashion Show portion of this event will benefit the arts council.
There is a contest entry deadline of Jan. 7. Hiramoto encourages interested individuals to register early because participation will be limited to the first 35 applicants.
