March in review (Part 2) – The Birth of Custom Event Design

Welcome back to my March in review, part 2.  As I mentioned before, March was a busy month for me with lots of exciting events.  One such event was Andy South’s runway show.  For non-fashionistas, Andy South was recently a finalist on Project Runway.  We Hawaii people love our Hawaii people, for better or for worse.  But, I have to say that Andy has a great edgy point of view and I really enjoyed his work on Project Runway.  So, viewing his collection in Hawaii was very exciting.  He had some modern dancers start off the show which was interesting and gave some movement to what can sometimes be very stiff models.  His color palate was mostly grey and black with the exception of a couple of final pieces that came out in yellow and white.  I was particularly fond of his dresses and jackets and the large head pieces that hid the model’s face.  I thought it was a great showing and I’m definitely inspired by where he came from and where he is going.

On a side note, I found it interesting how you could tell which model was a good walker and who wasn’t.  While I’m no expert on how a model should walk (despite my TV watching), I found that I enjoyed the girls who were fluid and confident in their walk and it actually made me like their outfit better.  It’s interesting how when it comes to being a professional, fluidity and confidence can really make a difference.  Just food for thought.

One of the biggest moments of March was the birth of custom event design creations for Mango Muse Events.  For Tami and Brian’s wedding, I really wanted a floral chandelier to hold honohono orchids.  No such chandelier exists, so I ended up creating one.  At first, it was just an idea in my head, then a concept sketched on paper.  Then I had to do research in order to make sure the idea in my head was actually doable.  I made many trips to Home Depot to talk to various wood specialists to make sure that the chandelier would not only be structurally sound and safe, but also aesthetically pleasing.  After making a mock version, my team and I created 3 chandeliers for the Hawaii wedding.  It was amazing to see the final product erected and hung in the tent.

I don’t have kids, so I’m not sure it’s a good comparison, but it felt like these custom event design pieces felt like the growth of a child.  It went from just an idea to reality, improving and solidifying step by step.  And the pride I felt when it all came together and “grew up”, is priceless.  The physical carpentry work was also fascinating to learn and I can definitely say that both I and Mango Muse Events has grown because of it.  Now, I know that any design is possible.  If you can dream it, I can make it happen.