Nui Fashions at the Oh Baby! Family Expo Oct. 12 and 13

on October 2, 2013

When Tamalyn Hasegawa was pregnant with her first child in 2011, she, like many other pregnant women, couldn’t fit into any of her clothes anymore. So she designed a few different dresses and asked her Grandma Nui, who was a seamstress, to sew them for her.

As she wore the dresses, which are made on Kauai with handpainted 100 percent rayon materials, people would stop her to ask where she got them from. The response was so great, she decided to make it into a business and called it Nui Fashions after her grandma, great-grandma and great-great-great-grandma, who all share the same name. She also named her son Nui.

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Mia Alexander: Nui Fashions long-sleeve dress $55, white flower pick $8 (or three for $20)

Hasegawa, 26, is from Kauai but now lives on Oahu. She opened a store in Anchor Cove on Kauai, where Grandma Nui and other relatives, including her mom and aunties, help out. She also sells her dresses at many of the craft fairs and expos on Oahu, including the upcoming Oh Baby! Family Expo Oct. 12 and 13 at the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall.

The expo will feature more than 150 exhibitors offering the latest products and services for Hawaii’s young families. There also will be expert speakers and demonstrations, as well as entertainment and activities for the whole family to enjoy. This year’s event also will have a Hawaii Toy & Game Expo highlighting new and classic toys, games and hobbies for kids and parents to try, play and enjoy (such as a Toys R Us dart tag challenge arena, Lego play area, FirstBIKE track and more); and the Hawaii Party Expo with all the information you need for planning that perfect party.

There also will be a children’s activity area, infant/toddler play area and appearances by Sanrio Hello Kitty and Keroppi costume characters. Also, Oct. 13 at noon, meet the contestants in the upcoming Miss Hawaii Jr. Teen and Teen Beauty pageants presented by Susan Page Modeling.

Expo hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and general admission is $4.50 (free for children age 5 and under). For more information on Nui Fashions, call (808) 346-6874. For more information on the Oh Baby! Family Expo, call 239-777 or visit ohbabyfamilyexpo.com.

Photos by Nathalie Walker