This is my last blog here. This site will disappear on Sunday, along with the 154-year-old Honolulu Advertiser. It's still a little surreal and incredibly sad.

For the past 15 years I have joyfully covered fashion and fitness for the Honolulu Advertiser. It has been the best job I could have imagined.

There's a plethora of fashion talent in Hawaii, from brilliant designers to creative retailers. It has been an honor and a pleasure to search for the new and the now throughout our islands.

I have also enjoyed all the networking aspects of my job, introducing designers to appropriate retailers and watching them develop mutually beneficial relationships.

I am really going to miss my daily contact with you, dear readers. I do not say this lightly. You are my anchor and I always try to think of what YOU want to know and that guides my stories. In addition to being my inspiration, you are also frequently my source of information. I have learned of so many trends, shops, products and new designers through your calls and e-mails.

After 41 years as a writer, I will be unemployed for the first time on Monday. I don't know what I will be doing in the future. I am not ready to retire so I will be casting my net to see what may be out there for me.

In the meantime, please check me out on Facebook. Please befriend me! I have not been keeping up with my Facebook page because this blog was more important, but now I will have more time to update Facebook. Since I have been using Facebook for my art life rather than my writing life, you will be able to see another side of me there, with photos of my acrylics, watercolors and textile arts.

If you happen to be at First Friday tonight, please stop by the ARTS at Marks and say goodbye. I have 15 little watercolor paintings for sale in the Small Kine Show (mainly of shoes, natch, but also some birds and vegetables). The great thing about this show is that everything is priced at $35 - $100 - affordable art. And on June 28 we will open cathARTic, a show of 14 Advertiser artists' work in the Louis Pohl Gallery.

I will miss you deeply and do hope you will keep in touch. My e-mail address remains the same: paularath@aol.com.

Here's to great style in Hawaii!

Paula

INSPIRED BY PROJECT RUNWAY® PATTERN DESIGN CONTEST

Heidi Klum has inspired aspiring fashion designers for seven seasons with her hit television show and cultural phenomenon, Project Runway. Following her lead, Simplicity Creative Group® —known to industry-insiders as the iconic company committed to sewing education and support since 1927—is now giving a new audience of designers the chance to turn “pro.”

Simplicity®  is teaming up with The Weinstein Company and Project Runway® to offer designers, sewers and patternmakers the opportunity of a lifetime with the Inspired by Project Runway® Pattern Design Contest. Giving style-mavens the chance to enter the fashion world, the challenge is to creatively craft your original core design into an Inspired by Project Runway® pattern design. The design should have a current look with up to five variations on the core design pattern.

From your sketchbook to the fitting room, this is a rare opportunity to compete in a fashion design contest where the prize enables the winner’s name to be forever attached to the Simplicity® and Inspired by Project Runway® brands. “We are looking forward to reviewing the entries and introducing a fresh, new design to our Inspired by Project Runway® pattern collection and the world of fashion,” says Bonnie Simmons, Design Director of Simplicity®.

Entries will be judged by Project Runway® Executive Producer, Barbara Schneeweiss along with Simplicity® representatives. One Grand Prize Winner will be selected from all the entries, winning a trip to New York City to visit Simplicity Creative Group®’s offices for meetings with the Design and Production team. In addition, the winning original design will be produced and distributed worldwide as an Inspired by Project Runway® pattern in the Simplicity® Pattern Collection, as well as be featured on Simplicity.com and the Simplicity Catalog. All entries must be received by June 17th, 2010. For further information visit the contest site <http://www.simplicity.com/t-pattern-design-contest.aspx> or the Facebook page <http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Simplicity-Patterns/250504077612?ref=ts> .

Poet Bridget Gray, wearing a jacket by Doug Jago, recited her original works between each of the designers' segments.

"The best fashion show I've ever seen in Hawaii!"

"Such a great event! I had tons of fun all night long."

"What fabulous fashions! We have so much talent in Hawaii!"
"I loved the little extras like the mime and mannequins on the stage and the lady on stilts to spice it up,"
"The music and pacing were great!"
"Bridget Gray's poetry dividing up the designers was a stroke on genius."

Erin Ludolph opened the show with a stunning collection of evening looks. Here she takes feathers to new heights.

These were just a few of the comments I heard after the Chic in the City fashion show, as we were waiting in line to get into the Dole theatre to see the movie "Sex and the City 2.".

No question about it. It was a great event, from the greeting by the clown on stilts (oh no, I am drawing a blank on her name - she is Sierra Dew's mother who lives on Maui and came over just for the event) to the clothes on the runway to the visuals that added excitement to the runway, foyer and ballroom. It was truly a transformative evening for island fashion.

Suzanna Kuhlemann created this swimsuit as a nod to the New York skyline.

Amanda Stevens did a phenomenal job with this first-time event. Those who attended hope it will become an annual event.

While there were terrific pupu, cocktails and silent auction, the fashion show was the centerpiece of the evening. The show, called Cirque du Culture, rocked!

A theme is always helpful to fashion designers. It gives them a clear direction. As a former designer I understand it's hard to rein in the overabundance of thoughts and ideas. There are always far too many design concepts than what can be plausibly produced.

The circus theme offers a plethora of design ideas for clothing and accessories and each designer clearly had fun interpreting Cirque du Culture.

Jodi Salmonson's supremely wearable Martique line went to the circus with fun accessories.

The theme was enhanced by the poetry of Bridget Gray, who performed between each designer's segment. What a talent! Kudos to Sierra Dew for securing her. And wow did she rock Doug Jago's hand painted shirt.

Each designer showcased a carefully edited collection, with most pieces created specifically for the show and speaking to the theme.

And, hey, the music was great! I know Sierra listened to hundreds of hours of music to make her selections and all her work paid off. The music was highly original, exciting and yet did not overpower the performances of the models.

It was indeed an honor to have Anya on the runway. I think she helped all the models kick it up a notch. And she's such a pleasure to work with. No drama or diva-esque rantings, just plain great work on the runway and kindness and thoughtfulness back stage.

Rene worked his wonders backstage to make it all come together in a professional manner. The timing was impeccable and the models right on cue.

Hair and makeup by the likes of Ryan Jacobie and Jessica Hoffman helped set the tone and up the ante for the models.

As a fashion writer I do, of course, attend a lot of fashion shows. So many are formulaic and, well, boring. There was nothing ho-hum about Cirque du Culture. It's one I will remember for many years. Congratulations to all who were involved.

- Paula Rath

Willow Chang modeled an adorable Sierra Dew dress and danced her way down the runway.

Doug Jago went over the top with his collection. Recognize the model? She's Dezilynn, 14, of Waianae, who was our model for my Alice in Wonderland shoot in March.

Mahalo to Jerry Mayfield for the photos!

Sarah Jessica Parker at the after party for the London premiere of "Sex and the City 2." Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

OMG! Look at how fabulous these colors are on Sarah Jessica Parker. You know, turquoise and ocean blues are flattering to nearly every woman's coloring, from brunettes to blonds, fair to super-tan.
Take advantage of their trendiness this year and buy these colors while you can. Sometimes they are hard to find.
Last week I saw a fabulous turquoise tunic at Gap for $24. A great go-with-everything look (especially jeans or cuffed shorts).

- Paula Rath

Last call for $65 tickets to Chic in the City. Tomorrow they go up to $75.

It's shaping up to be a fabulous event so don't miss it!

Buy tickets online at www.dreamonhi.com

- Paula Rath