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Anne Au / Anné Au wears a lot of hats. No really, she wears hats a lot. The founder of Rock Shop was wearing a hip Castor-style number when we met a couple of months ago for a conversation that led to Au’s joining the Weekly as our occasional Style columnist. Rock Shop, Au’s claim to fame, is a wildly successful monthly style extravaganza that relocated to Chinatown’s new SoHo Mixed Media Bar last week. Style mavens of all ages descend on the event as vendors show off their latest creations, both on the rack and on models during a nightly fashion show. Readers of the City Wise page will have noticed two of Au’s pieces thus far–we thought it time to introduce Anné to a wider audience here, and to sit down with her to talk about her background and her take on fashion–the business and the styles–in Honolulu today.

What’s your background/how did you come to this?

It’s really funny how I just kind of fell into it. I grew up as a home school kid in Kahaluu, so I’ve always had an outsider’s way of thinking. But the main thing was that all together, counting all my brothers and sisters, there are 14 of us, and I’m smack-dab in the middle of everybody. My mom would take us shopping at regular stores when she could, but it was a lot of Salvation Army and Goodwill. And then that becme our favorite place to shop. Cut ’em up, reuse them, that’s how it started to grow in me I think. But even more, it’s just that ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always had to have something cool on. Look at my pictures from that time, and everything would be matching, matching colors.

So born into it, more or less.

I guess, and then because I grew up with homeschool, I wasn’t taught to be like everyone else, I just didn’t have that experience. And then thrift stores, and the way we used them, that was a like a real-life education for me. Creatively, things just come to me. I’ve never gone to school for fashion. But if I sit down and sketch out something, it just flows and I’m super thankful that that’s how it works for me.

Is that the rule in the local fashion scene, or the exception?

The majority of people have formal training, not everyone, but it’s especially important if you’re going to go to a designer and you want a job. So most of the formal fashion designers do have an academic background in it, but with stylists, it’s different. I have a girlfriend who went to school and now designs for a top company in L.A. She told me, “I wish I hadn’t gone to school, because I think I would have more guts.” She felt like she had lost what we call beginner’s mind, a state where nothing is holding you back, you’re open to just do it and charge in. That’s beginner’s mind, and that’s where I’m at. If I had a box, I would be in that box.

Aaron Yoshino

When we talk about the industry: outside of major aloha wear labels, is it fair to even describe a fashion industry in Hawaii? Is there one?

There is one, definitely. Right now it’s more of an underground movement, but it’s coming together. And I think it’s important to say that I appreciate even the old-line aloha wear companies. Without them, this place wouldn’t be what it is. Some of that stuff is pretty cheesy, but it’s not cheesy because it’s aloha wear. And those companies show me–because I design my own clothes and do my own thing–they demonstrate how it can be done in Hawaii. If they can do it, why can’t I? Why can’t I be a sustainable business and make it happen in Hawaii. They keep it in Hawaii, where it should be.

Is there enough interest for local designers to support themselves here?

Yes and no. It depends on how successful they want to be. The thing about Hawaii to me that is so beautiful– I haven’t seen it elsewhere, and I’ve traveled a bit– is that if you’re from here, and you’re creating something successful, this is one of the most supportive places in the world. Everyone backs you. On the flip side, we have this sort of humble mentality, and that holds us back in a lot of ways. It held me back for a long time. Being from Kahaluu, I felt like I didn’t want to make a scene, or draw attention to myself. But it’s not about that, it’s about supporting my idea and helping it grow. If you do that, people here support you, and so I think there is that opportunity for local designers. But you have to go to the rest of the world in order to really thrive, too. There are a million people here–that’s not a lot unless you’re charging a lot of money for each piece. Someone like Anne Namba is able to do it, and at the same time, her pieces are expensive.

Is there anyone following in her footsteps?

I haven’t seen it at that level, but at the same time, I don’t know if she’s from here. That’s another thing. We have some high end designers on Maui, though they’re not originally from here. Michelle Lau’s stuff was the best stuff I had seen in terms of designers, but she’s in New York now working for Phillip Lim, who’s a major fashion god…Hawaii has some of the most talented people in the world. The fact that they have to leave in order to make a success of themselves is too bad. But I think the younger generation can make it happen here. There are some of the most talented people coming out of here.

Is Honolulu open to a bigger emphasis on style?

I think it’s growing to be. It’s kind of funny. I’m from the country, the opposite side of the island. Growing up, I didn’t have to get dressed up to go outside of the house. When I go over there, or anywhere on the island, I see change happening. It’s not New York or Sydney, but it’s definitely growing. I see local girls doing their thing, and even some local guys. They’re rocking it in their own way. I definitely think there’s a distinctive style to Hawaii. There always has been.

For me, what lacks in fashion most in Hawaii, is men’s fashion. It just does not really exist here. With business wear, it’s, you know, let’s throw on some khaki pants and an aloha shirt. Are you kidding me? Can you be a little more creative with it, please? It’s funny how people are caught up in that look. Either that or tennis shoes, jeans, a T-shirt and a cap. It’s not that I don’t like it, but hey man, step up your game. I understand. It is a casual concept. People are relaxed here. Don’t get me wrong, last night I had a T-shirt, jeans and some sandals on.

At the same time, it’s harder for men.

It’s true that guys don’t have that many options. It goes back too that local humbleness, you don’t want to stand out. But the other night, I was with these two guys, and they were rocking it. Necklaces. Shoes other than Air Force Ones. One of them just had a pair of tennis shoes on, but was a little more creative with it.

Is it about the small touches for guys?

I think it’s a good way to go to transition. There are some fashionable guys in Hawaii. The aloha shirt and khakis gotta go. Back to business wear, men that dress that way can be their most creative because they have to wear something that’s nice, they can’t wear jeans or T-shirts, but they can give themselves the most style…I was in Los Angeles recently and saw this guy with lavender pants, a lavender shirt, shoes, I think a hat. Every time he comes through, people are going to know him…People may not know his name, but they’ll remember him for sure. At the same time, and it’s not just a Hawaii thing, you want to fit in to what’s going on. They don’t want to stand out. That was me for so long. We’re like a blank canvas, and our clothes are like our art for ourselves. Why not paint ourselves in a way that’s beautiful? Most people don’t recognize that. I’m not saying expensive. Again, most of my stuff is from thrift stores. But I take on different personalities when I paint myself in different ways. Some days I just wanna wear shorts and slippers…It’s about how you feel in it. If you feel confident and comfortable, people see that. If you’re wearing something fun or a new color or a new texture or pattern, and you love it, it really shows. When I style people, they take on different personalities in the way that I dress them. It’s such a beautiful art form. Because I was raised as a hippie, I view it as so materialistic. But it’s not. It’s something beautiful. It’s an art form.

Aaron Yoshino

How has the rise of the Chinatown scene made a difference in fashion?

Chinatown is the hub for it. In the sense that it pushes other creative types to keep pushing each other. I can’t say that I don’t get the same inspiration on the North Shore, but Chinatown is the showcase.

What’s next?

I think Hawaii is ready for a movement. Fashion in Hawaii is ready to bloom. We just need to build the support network. There are so many deisngers coming out of UH and HCC. They’re not in stores yet: let them have a place where they can showcase their stuff. That’s what Rock Shop is all about, by the way. I want those designers. And I haven’t been able to take it to that level. The reason why we don’t have many successful designers here is that there’s not a big enough, or a supportive enough network to help all these talented people get the word out. There is so much fashion talent here. Me doing Rock Shop, these guys doing Swap Bop and Grind, the more the better…It may seem shallow, but it’s not to me. That’s the creative process going. I think Hawaii has it, it’s here and ready to move forward. We just don’t have that network yet. But that doesn’t mean we can’t create it.