Rumi Murakami's tailored, work-appropriate apparel

Rumi Has It

White cotton sundress with adjustable tie, $150.

Picture this: you have a handful of clothes and roughly 30 minutes to photograph them. What do you do?

Sure, you could cry. Or, you could throw them at your co-workers, drag them across the street, and snap as many shots as possible before security kicks you out.

Guess which one we did…

It's a good thing too, since you can now feast your eyes on Rumi Murakami's eponymous new apparel line, developed after the San Francisco-born designer moved to Kahaluu and realized most of her mainland work wear was too hot and heavy for Hawaii's humid climate.

Left-right: wool and viscose car coat, $330, and cocoon zip jacket, $140.

No sweat. The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising graduate made her own, featuring classic silhouettes along the lines of Dries Van Noten and Consuelo Castiglioni, but done in lightweight, natural, high-quality fabrics. Think unlined or partially lined menswear-inspired car coats and cocoon jackets that look and keep their cool, or tailored sleeveless dresses and swingy peplum skirts with contrast fabric details. One exception to the work rule: a breezy, white cotton number with asymmetrical seaming and adjustable tie (hello, sexy summer sundress).

The collection isn't perfect. One editor flashed a few bystanders when her ruffled hem caught a strong gust of wind; another said the unlined jacket felt slightly itchy. Customers, however, may not encounter these problems once Murakami alters the piece free of charge or, for just $25 more, cuts an entirely new garment to ensure a flawless fit.

Though it’s probably not as flawless as our editors and impromptu modeling sessions.

Prices range from $110-$330. Email Rumi at rmwomenswear@gmail.com for information and personal orders or visit her Facebook page for additional styles and updates.