Parachute pants redux
Indigé Design / Ron Irwin’s Asian-inspired shop looks like it was airlifted from Bali to Kaimuki. As the owner of Indigé Design, his primary interest is to bring local residents beautiful, quality clothing and décor from fair-trade artisans around the world.
Irwin’s enthusiasm for colorful silk scarves and handmade lamps seems as genuine as his passion for the people who make them.
“A man who loves what he is doing, will leave that love in his art,” he says. “Weaving, carving, things like this are a dying art, but they are the only products I want to sell.”
Inside the warm and colorful boutique, bamboo furniture filled with soft decorative pillows and hand-woven Tibetan rugs welcome curious visitors. Scarves made from pineapple fiber and raw silk along with cotton shawls made by the caretakers of an Indonesian orphanage remind shoppers of Irwin’s dedication and commitment to high import-export values.
“I realized long ago that simply giving people money is a temporary, quick fix,” he says. “I’m interested in employing talented women and men and changing communities for the better.”
Products with the “fair trade” stamp of approval are often associated with social responsibility, but Irwin also insists on making sure that his products meet his own personal guidelines.
“I have two rules,” he says. “No children and no toxic dyes.”
Irwin’s custom clothing designs range from handmade Alpaca jackets to crepe rayon batiks to hand-painted cotton coats.
Then there are the parachute pieces. Nevermind the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or M.C. Hammer jokes, these unique garments attract more customers than anything else in the store.
“They are definitely my bestsellers,” Irwin says. “Your body can breathe in them. They are wearable, gorgeous pieces of clothing that hang on the body beautifully.”
Irwin visits remote villages throughout Southeast Asia looking for artisans who continue the ancient practices of weaving, carving and making things beautiful with one’s hands. From Nepal to Tibet to rural Indonesian villages, Indigé Design carries high-end handbags, original paintings and artwork and a large variety of men’s and women’s clothing ranging from affordable to I-think-I’ll-spoil-myself-today.
“My customers love the fact that they know where their money is going. They’re not just supporting a local, independent business owner, they are supporting families and communities who can count on a fair wage and a regular income.”
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