Alumni News

We are excited to announce that we will have the 58th UHM annual fashion exhibition event, titled In the Multiverse,on Tuesday, April 30th, at the UHM Campus Center Ballroom. Three senior and thirteen junior student designers will present their individual and group collections. Unlike ordinary fashion shows, we will showcase their exquisite collections through authentic videographies, a museum-formed exhibition, and salon-style live model presentations.

More details can be found on FDM IG @fdm_uhm and Fashion show IG @uhmfashionshow. 

In addition, we are seeking event sponsors. For more information, contact Haley Locke, Fashion Exhibition Event PR: hlocke@hawaii.edu. —Ticket sales will start on March 25th.

By Minako McCarthy

The news story covers Inferno Tech's quest to develop fire-resistant gear, as reported by Hawaii News Now. The project involves University of Hawaii students, under the guidance of Dr. Shu-Hwa Lin, who recently returned from a NASA competition. They are dedicated to creating a new firefighter's turnout gear that adheres to PFAS-free products. They meet weekly to collaborate on this innovative project. For more detail, please see the full article on Hawaii News Now: LINK

By Shu Hwa Lin​

Nine lucky students traveled with Dr. Andy Reilly to one of the largest fashion conventions in the world in Las Vegas, February 14 and 15.  Each year, “Magic” attracts vendors and manufacturers from around the world to showcase their collections to industry buyers.  This event is not open to the public, but as faculty, Dr. Reilly was able to take students to experience this aspect of the fashion industry. 

Students attended Magic’s industry seminars at the Las Vegas Convention Center, students attended industry seminars.  One seminar provided an overview of branding; did you know that brands have eight seconds to get a message across to a potential customer on social media?  Another seminar included representatives from the manufacturing industries in Africa, Egypt, and Sri Lanka, who talked about their workforce skills and regional resources.  According to Stephanie Sirju, the trip “made me appreciate my fashion degree beyond what I had in the past and left me with lifelong knowledge, advice, and connections with amazing people.  Not only that, this event put you in a very realistic environment and I’ve learned to navigate myself in fashion environments a lot better.” .......For more information, click the following "Read more" button.

E ka moku nui lehua i ka ua mao ʻole, aloha nō kākou. To the vast verdant land of lehua in the never ceasing rain, greetings to you all. I am currently a senior undergraduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi studying Hawaiian Language and Hawaiian Studies. Once I complete my bachelor's degree I plan on entering graduate school to receive my master's in Hawaiian Language where I will research linguistics in Hawaiian Language to expand on the teaching styles of Kealaleo to incorporate linguistic explanation of the Hawaiian Language. I also plan on studying Hawaiian lauhala weaving or pandanous weaving to provide explanation and documentation of patterns and styles throughout the archipelago.......For more information, click the following "Read More" button.

The Stole Society, an FDM student club, as a RIO (Registered Independent Organization), recently worked on an upcycled project. Motivated student members and an instructor created various upcycled, one-of-a-kind garments and sold the items at the campus center on Dec 4, 2023. We will continue working on the project next semester. The next Rainbow Bazaar will be sometime in early 2024. Please let us know if you have any gently used garments and want to join us. SS President: Quinn Curammeng--quinnkln@hawaii.edu -written by Minako McCarthy