Designs from 19th & Whimsy at Ward Centers

Design fabric. Check. Cut pattern. Check. Sew each dress flawlessly. Double check.

Simple enough for a team of 10, but Lauren Hayashibara, owner and designer of the new 19th & Whimsy clothing line, is making it happen all by herself. The 27-year-old Los Angeles transplant left the big city for sunny Hawaii, earning a degree from UH Manoa’s fashion program and bringing a playful, quiet glamour to the local fashion scene.

Her Fall ’12 collection features slim-fitting, structured dresses and relaxed silhouettes in one-of-a-kind prints that Hayashibara designs and fabricates herself—a skill that sets this fashion multitasker apart from other designers. “I create a print by importing a photo I took or an image I hand-painted, or I start drawing with the mouse. Then, I alter that image with design programs. The most time-consuming part is creating the repeat. It has to be perfect,” says Hayashibara. The result for this one-woman show? Charming seahorse and festive ribbon designs worthy of applause. Available at Basique Threads, Ward Centers, 597-1720.