The Hawai‘i Chinese Civic Association (HCCA) celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 15, 2025, with a Centennial Mandarin Ball and fundraising gala at the Ala Moana Hotel. The event honored the organization’s century of service to Hawai‘i and its ongoing mission to support the Honolulu community while fostering goodwill between individuals of Chinese ancestry and other ethnic groups. HCCA also continues its long-standing tradition of providing annual scholarships to local students.

As part of the celebration, the Mandarin Jacket Contest featured three categories: Women’s Mandarin Jacket, Women’s Mandarin Gown, and Men’s Mandarin Jacket. Each category had space for ten participants, and a total of approximately 20–30 contestants showcased traditional and contemporary interpretations of Mandarin-style attire.

Dr. ShuHwa Lin was invited to serve as one of the three judges for the Mandarin Ball, marking her sixth time in this role. Dr. Bobbie Yee also participated in the event, joining Dr. Lin for her third year of involvement with HCCA activities. Dr. Yee was originally invited by former HCCA president Leo Young in 2015 and 2016.

By Shu Hwa Lin

Dr. Andy Reilly, Jordan Antonio, and Dr. Youngjin Bahng received a Paper of Distinction Award from the International Textile and Apparel Association at the annual meeting in November 2025. Their paper focused on sustainability efforts used by Kānaka Maoli fashion designers. They found that ʻaloha aina (love of the land) guides Kānaka Maoli when designing and manufacturing garments. Designers focus on considering the environment in all aspects of the process, including selecting organic and durable textiles, using local manufacturing resources when possible, focusing on quality over quantity, and upcycling or reusing textile waste. Each team member brought their expertise to this project—Andy Reilly focuses Hawaiʻi fashion, graduate student Jordan Antonio on language, and Youngjin Bahng on sustainability—to showcase how ancient wisdom can help mitigate waste in the local fashion industry.

By Andy Reilly

Stole Society successfully hosted a hands-on event on December 3, 2025, featuring over 12 students who actively participated in decorating and creating adorable Santa hats. Congratulations on completing the fall semester! We are excited to announce that the SS workshop will resume in January 2026. Happy Holidays!!

By McCarthy Minako

The Fashion Design and Merchandising program had the opportunity to take part in this year’s Discover Mānoa event, where prospective students, families, and community members explored academic programs across campus. Our FDM booth welcomed a steady stream of visitors who were eager to learn more about the major and the hands-on experiences it offers.

We extend our appreciation to the five student representatives from the Stole Society and to the faculty members for their active engagement throughout the event. Their conversations with visitors helped highlight the strengths of the program and the creative opportunities available to FDM students. Younger attendees especially enjoyed the balloon animals crafted by our student participants, adding a fun and memorable element to the booth. Thank you to everyone in FDM who contributed to making our participation successful. Your support continue to strengthen our program’s presence in the UH Mānoa community.

By Ju-Young Kang