A Splash Of Color
Photographer: Russell Tanoue
www.my-rt.com
www.facebook.com/RussellTanoue
Production Assistants: Warren Woon and Robert Gibson
Makeup and Hair: Delish Makeup Artistry, Heather Heen,
Gemina Chong, Holly Tomita and Nicole Faria
Wardrobe: Yu Shing Ting
Wardrobe Assistant: Dawn Larson Lord
Location: The Kahala Hotel & Resort
TASHA JOHNSON
Not that the time of year matters for swimsuit shopping in Hawaii, but as summer nears, MidWeek highlights some of the season’s hottest styles in swimwear with our annual swimsuit issue. Photographed by Russell Tanoue, our stunning models showed off a colorful mix of swimwear at The Kahala Hotel & Resort, where they enjoyed the pool, beach and luxurious first-class amenities. One lucky model even got a friendly visit by the dolphins from Dolphin Quest (special discounts available for kamaaina and military personnel). And one of our suites was recently occupied by Rihanna, who Instagram and tweeted a photo of herself at the resort wearing a swimsuit by Acacia Swimwear, one of the local designers featured here. Named the No. 1 hotel in Honolulu by U.S. News and World Report, the oceanfront destination resort also offers great dining options, from a simple burger enjoyed poolside to an extravagant tower of sumptuous fresh seafood at Hoku’s. In August, the hotel hosts A Tribute to Julia Child with a month-long series of culinary events to mark the 100th birthday anniversary of the American chef. For more information, call 739-8888.
As for swimsuit trends, Tiana Becker Gamble and Ally Lopez, co-founders of bikinibird.com, note that they’re seeing a ton of lace up, straps, cut-outs and fringe. For fit, underwire is very prevalent. And for color, it’s ranging from bright multicolors, peachy oranges, fluorescent pink, lime green to slate and sand colors; and popular prints are animal, floral and zig zag.
“There is a new generation of young swim designers (such as Acacia and Madebydawn from Hawaii) who have made a big impact on the swim industry,” adds Gamble. “They have brought fun and out-of-the-box details to bikinis.”
Shopping for a new suit? Make a splash without getting wet with a bright color for summer.
ON THE COVER
Nick Freitas: O’Neill boardshorts $49.50 from HIC
Kylee Cunningham: Letarte Swimwear top $92, bottom $78 and mesh dress $218 from Letarte Swimwear Maui flagship store (28 Baldwin Ave.) and www.letarteswimwear.com // Cottage by the Sea horn necklace $169 // Pure Joy Adornments bracelet $110
Shannon Wise: Hawaiian Island Creations boardshorts $64 from HIC //
Kassandra Kanaar: San Lorenzo Bikinis $85 // sanlorenzohawaii.com // Cottage by the Sea necklace $125 // Pure Joy Adornments earrings $88 //
Michaela Rabinov: Rip Curl bikini $102 (courtesy www.bikinibird.com) available at Surf and Sea in Haleiwa
RUSSELL TANOUE
Photographer
For the past 12 years, MidWeek has partnered with glamour photographer Russell Tanoue for our popular swimsuit issue.
Along the way, we’ve witnessed his many personal and professional accomplishments, and continually applaud him for his generous community work and continuous efforts in celebrating one’s inner beauty, especially coming from such an influential person in the fashion and beauty industry.
Russell was recently filmed on the French reality show Angels in Reality, where he did a photo shoot with one of the cast members. Shortly after, he was approached by two other major networks for a possible feature on their reality shows, but declined.
Personally, he’s been focusing on living a healthier lifestyle, maintaining an organic food diet for the past year, cooking low-sodium meals, loading up on antioxidants, and drinking apple cider vinegar twice a day for its health benefits. He also has been smoke-free since 2005 (he smoked a pack a day for at least 12 years). “After 20 years in this industry I’m in, there really is not time for anything toxic,” he says. “I don’t handle lies well, and I thank my family for that because it is what keeps me on top of everything so that I can be there for those who truly need support.”
Next on his calendar, he hosts Beautiful May 26 at Pearl Ultralounge featuring a sexy summer bikini fashion show by San Lorenzo Bikinis. He’s also planning his birthday celebration July 14 at Pearl, and holding an essay contest in Hilo as part of his Project Shine with the winner receiving a photo shoot makeover. For more information, visit www.my-rt.com.
