Lei Chic | Best of Lei Chic 2009: Heavy Petal: Mariana Echegoien's surf couture dresses - As we get set to ring in 2010, Lei Chic is taking a look...

Best of Lei Chic 2009: Heavy Petal

Mariana Echegoien's surf couture dresses

December 28, 2009

www.leichic.com
As we get set to ring in 2010, Lei Chic is taking a look back into our archives and bringing you some of the best stories we published during 2009. Enjoy and see you next year!
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Originally published June 26, 2009

You don’t dress to blend in. When you live in the land of purple orchids and scarlet hibiscus, you can’t be a shrinking violet.

Designer Mariana Echegoien understands. Her new line of dresses combines vivid colors and flower prints that pop into frocks that are a little bit surfy, and a little bit rock and roll. Growing up in Spain and attending fashion school in Paris, Echegoien developed a fashion sense rooted in old school techniques. But when she joined her Hilo-native boyfriend in Hawai‘i, the beachy, youthful look of surfer style planted the seeds of inspiration.

Her dresses are familiar, comfy Island-style pieces — strapless necklines and flowy A-line skirts with accents of vintage Hawaiian and Japanese fabrics. But they have some European edginess, thanks to deconstructed fabric appliqués and unexpected color combinations, like a rosy pink paired with a shock of acid yellow.

She calls the look “surf couture” as a nod to her Euro-Island aesthetic (she styles the dresses with black tights and towering, candy-colored heels), but also because they’re each one-of-a-kind and custom-made with personalized fabrics and details.

Which means the one you wear will let your own style come into bloom.
More flower to you.

Check out sample designs at www.marianaechegoien.com. Dresses are available through custom orders. Contact Mariana at Marianaechegoyen.hi@gmail.com or 808.333.9067.

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