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Style 101: Shop swimwear in Honolulu (2)
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A look from Maui Waterwear
After looking into brand-owner stores, let's examine the retailers in town, mostly in Ala Moana Shopping Center. Contrary to my belief, ABC stores do not carry women's swimwear, only men's trunks. So better be prepared before heading to the beach.
Retail stores purchase from wholesalers and resell the merchandise to consumers. Their choice and presentation of merchandise largely determine their success as a retailer. They are the so-called gatekeepers of the fashion industry, because they make the initial selections from what are available to them and decide what are accessible to consumers.
Pros: a large selection and variety of brands, styles, colors and prints. You are bound to find something appealing to you.
Cons: a little bit pricy. Retailers can only give no more than 60% discount to stay afloat. But mass generalist retailers that sell "generic" swimwear can offer great prices.
Specialist focuses on swimwear and accessories.
Maui Waterwear, a cool place to scout for your ideal swimwear. Its knowledgeable sales associate may tell you the trends and styles that you may not know. For example, wired bra-like bikini top can make you look more curvy. Besides the mix and match trend, the store also supports a complete outfit related to water sports with a large collection of crocs, coverups, and beach bags. It also has kids waterwear. Price: $50~$60/top, $35~$50/bottom, $35/ kids outfit.
Splash Hawaii, a packed place with racks and racks of swimwear, next door to the Food Court. It has a section devoted to kids swimwear. You can find good deals in their sales event, such as sidewalk sale, when the store becomes very crowded.
Semi-specialist focuses on sports. In Hawaii sports means surfing. In semi-specialist store, you may find a wall or a rack of swimsuits among graphic tees, surfboards, and skateboards.
Hawaiian Island Creations, local active sports store, has a wall of swimwear in the popular brands.
T&C Surf Designs, local surf store started from selling surfboards, has two standing racks of swimwear with all the popular brands, as seen below.
Pacific Sunwear, California-based teen fashion chain store, offers mainly Billabong and Rip Curl brands.
Pipe Dreams Surf Co., a local surf store wtih big eyewear selection, includes a wall of swimwear.
Brands most frequently carried in specialist and semi-specialist retail stores. The brands all came from a common roots, i.e. boardsports.
Billabong Australian surfwear and accessories brand. Its iconic product is the long punk rock boardshorts.
Hurley, the former Billabong licencee in the USA, started their own more fashion-oriented surfer lifestyle brand in the 1990s.
Roxy, Quicksilver's (Asutralian board sport wear brand) girl surfer's line, starting from swimwear to all-encompassing clothing and accessories
Volcom, born in the early 1990s recession by two boardsports ethusiasts, captured the zeitgeist as "youth against establishment", developed into full-line clothing company for both men and girls.
Generalist sells every kind of consumer products, including swimwear.
Walmart, a pretty big selection of swimwear insolid colors, stripes or island floral prints. Sells at $14/ separate or $25/ pair. You could find a decent swimwear, but Walmart in swimwear category offer neither the best price nor the best design.
Costco, a table of one-piece swimsuit still on the transparent plastic mannequin stacked up into ladies and girls. The prices are great with laides at $10.00/ piece and girls at $11.99/ piece. But you can find only one-piece swimsuit in limited colors and prints here.
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