Dedicated to supporting ethical practices and a sustainable economy and planet, Roberta Oaks, Hawaii is a brand with conscience. Eco-fabrics like bamboo jersey and organic cotton are mixed with bold prints in funky colors.  With strong beliefs in supporting small businesses and "keeping it local", the island label is made in Honolulu.  The brand stands strong as a fresh, fashionable, and ethical alternative to the mainstream market. A  collection composed of Mod-vibed dresses and sexy, yet surfable bikinis, is the brainchild of photographer and collage artist turned self-taught fashion designer, Roberta Oaks Power. A Missouri native and country-girl at heart, Oaks’ artistic roots are dated to her farmhouse childhood and creative parents. Oaks explains her work as "...a juxtaposition. I've been a visual artist much longer than a designer, mainly working in mixed media collage and photography. I started making art as a kid and always had a project going on. It's common to see a lot of different elements and materials come together in my artwork.  Bold colors are painted around found objects, typed words or pages from my journals are sewn together to form the canvas, shapes are spraypainted using stencils... it all comes together in a melodic way that 'works'. There is usually some sort of pattern developed by line or repetition. Color and boldness are really important to me. My artwork has an urban yet vintage quality to it and my designs in fashion are a reflection of all of that.  I am an artist, really.  I always feel funny calling myself a Fashion Designer!" Roberta Oaks received a B.A. in 2002 upon completion of studies in Photography and Graphic Design at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Kingston University-London. After graduation Oaks traveled to Fiji and then lived in New Zealand for several months.  In the summer of 2003 she came to Honolulu to visit her sister.  Oaks bought a 30 year old sewing maching at a garage sale and started playing around. Her first designs were reworked embellished, and hand dyed vintage slips and rag skirts. While displaying visual art at a gallery show at The Arts at Marks Garage, Oaks hung a rack of her one-of-a-kind creations. The gallery crowd snatched them up and that was the start! The following week, Roberta Oaks Hawaii was officially born. That was July 15, 2004. At the beginning Oaks handcrafted each item and sold at local art fairs, on the beach, or by private appointment. Oaks says, "...the growth happened naturaly and I just went with it."  Today the brand can be found at more than 150 boutiques within the Islands, on the Mainland, on-line, and even internationally in Japan, Canada, and the Caribbean. Enjoy and Aloha!