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aloha shirts and dresses on manikins

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is offering an exclusive glimpse into a diverse and unique wardrobe. A Qing dynasty dragon robe, a Japanese Uchikake, and several casual aloha-style wear are making a fashionable comeback for a limited time as part of the In Style: Celebrating 50 Years of UHM Costume Collection exhibit, now open for viewing in the Hamilton Library Bridge Gallery.

The exhibit represents only a small portion of the UH Mānoa Costume Collection, which now holds over 10,000 articles representing Hawaiian, Western, and a variety of Asian styles.

historic fashion Japanese doll

The collection was first established in the 1960s when Professor Oma Umbel, then a UH Mānoa professor of fashion and textiles, returned from a sabbatical leave in Asia with 125 cartons filled with fabric, costumes, jewelry and accessories. Curators continue to add to the collection as new articles are donated by faculty, students and alumni from across the globe.

Also in the exhibit is a collection of fine dolls, each a tiny representation of a unique fashion and culture.

The In Style: Celebrating 50 Years of UHM Costume Collection exhibit will be open for viewing in the Hamilton Library Bridge Gallery through December 6 and is free and open to the public.

Photos from the exhibit

For photos, visit the UH System Flickr page.

—By Kapiʻolani Ching

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