WAIPOULI — Shannon Hiramoto, of Machine Machine, said The Mu‘umu‘u Library allows women to share the joy of Mu‘umu‘u as a sustainable fashion community by borrowing and trading from their collection of vintage Hawaiian wear.
Hiramoto, who started the January as Mu‘umu‘u Month movement nearly 10 years ago, said the Mu‘umu‘u Market with O‘ahu and Kaua‘i vendors held on Saturday at the Kaua‘i Sands hotel was one aspect of this year’s January as Mu‘umu‘u Month.
“The credit for this event goes to Jamilee Jimenez,” Hiramoto said. “Jaime knows the Mu‘umu‘u Library people, and does similar markets and fair several times a year.”
Originally scheduled to take place at the Kaua‘i Museum courtyard, the event outgrew its capacity following the response from Kaua‘i vendors, including Hiramoto. The Mu‘umu‘u Library on O‘ahu was joined by Lei Betty and DeStash Hawai‘i in attracting scores of other Kaua‘i vendors with mu‘u-related offerings.
“Jaime also knows Wendy Waiwaiole, the manager of Kaua‘i Sands,” Hiramoto said. “We’re so lucky that Wendy was so welcoming and could accomodate the event.”
Jimenez, who operates her own line of clothing offerings, said the event was busy from the time they opened as a steady stream of shoppers flowed through the lobby of the resort where Lava Lava is located.
“I have some men’s shirts, too,” Jimenez said. “It’s a good thing that I have stuff still in boxes that I can take out as items get sold.”
Among the lineup of vendors, Ka‘iulani Kauahi, an employee with Permanently Affordable Living Hawai‘i, was aware of the impact of January being Mu‘umu‘u Month because PAL Hawai‘i allows its staff to wear mu‘u throughout the month. They were recently joined by the County of Kaua‘i, which allowed employees to wear mu‘u to work on a designated day.
Hi‘ilei Berg, a student with the Kawaikini New Century Public Charter School and the current Miss Hawai‘i Junior Elementary America 2023 title holder, was more than another vendor in the daylong marketplace. Berg is also a contestant in the Mu‘umu‘u Design Contest presented by the Garden Island Arts Council, which will be part of the Mu‘umu‘u Pa‘ina luncheon at Smith’s Tropical Paradise on Jan. 28.
Tickets for the highlight event celebrating January as Mu‘umu‘u Month are available online by visiting www.kauaihistoricalsociety.org.
We stopped by at Puhi food market on Saturday. It was busy. Good too.