January 31st, 2008
Ala Moana Shopping Center Spring Fashion & Shopping Festival - March 2008
Ala Moana Center is Hawaii’s largest shopping center and is the world’s largest outdoor shopping center. The big news is that come March 7th Ala Moana will be welcoming more than 30 new shops and restaurants!
March 3-9, 2008 Ala Moana will host Honolulu’s first major week-long spring fashion and shopping festival. The event has been named “Shop a Le`a – Seven Blissful Days of Shopping Euphoria,” with plans for this to become Ala Moana Center’s new annual signature fashion event celebrating the very best in global brands and merchandise. The event’s name, Shop a Le`a, combines “shop” with the Hawaiian word “le`a,” which means “to delight or take pleasure in.” The event’s name is artistically translated to mean “The Joy of Shopping.”
Shop a Le`a will present shopping enthusiasts from all over Hawaii and the Pacific with a myriad experiences in fashion, beauty, active lifestyle, home entertaining, family, travel and cuisine. Included as part of the event’s line-up are high-profile fashion shows, trunk shows, exclusive receptions and events, lifestyle seminars and events at Centerstage, Hawaii Regional Cuisine demonstrations, center-wide gift-with-purchase incentives, mall-wide shopping and dining offers, a grand prize euphoric shopping vacation for two to New York City, and much more!
The highlight of the 2008 inaugural event will be the grand-opening of Ala Moana Center’s new multi-million dollar expansion project on Friday, March 7, 2008. More than 300,000 sq. ft of new retail space will be unveiled including Hawaii’s first full-line Nordstrom department store and 30 new stores as part of a brand new two-level retail concourse connecting the new anchor to the existing mall.
For neighbor island shopping enthusiasts and fashionistas from all points in the Pacific who wish to attend the Shop a Le`a festivities, Ala Moana Center will also be launching a variety of Shop a Le`a hotel packages with three Oahu hotel partners including the Ala Moana Hotel, ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Tower and ResortQuest Waikiki Sunset. Package.
Major Shop a Le`a events include:
Weeklong Events Kicking Off Monday, March 3, 2008
Shop a Le`a Euphoric Events & Blissful Offers
Shop a Le`a kicks off seven blissful days of shopping euphoria with week-long discounts (ranging from 10 percent to 50 percent off regular price and clearance merchandise) and special offers throughout the mall. Participating retailers will also present in-store events, trunk shows, special celebrity guest appearances and more! Visit ShopaLea.com for details.
Shop a Le`a Limited-Edition Gift-with-Purchase Offer
Ala Moana Center’s exclusive Shop a Le`a gift-with-purchase promotion officially kicks-off on Monday, March 3 rewarding customers with a choice of two outstanding commemorative Shop a Le`a gifts. Customers can receive a Shop a Le`a Mini-Tote with the redemption of $75 in store receipts and a Shop a Le`a Cosmetic Bag, complete with variety of beauty samples, with the redemption of $300 in store receipts. Receipts can be redeemed at Ala Moana Center’s Customer Service Center. The offer is limited to one item per person, per redemption level and available while supplies last through Sunday, March 9.
JCB International Credit Card Company Gift-with-Purchase Offer
As an exclusive Shop a Le`a shopping incentive, JCB credit card holders will receive a $10 Ala Moana Center gift card for every $75 in purchases made at the center between Monday, March 3 through Sunday, March 9, 2008. JCB credit card receipts can be presented at the JCB redemption kiosk located Street Level next to Ala Moana Center’s Customer Service Center and Centerstage. The promotion is limited to the first 2,000 redemptions, while supply lasts. Redemption receipts must be a single transaction of $75 or more per receipt to qualify. Receipts cannot be combined. This promotional offer cannot be combined with any other JCB promotion that runs during the same time period.
Shop a Le`a’s Euphoric Shopping Trip to New York City
Shoppers can enter to win a euphoric shopping trip for two to New York City – one of the world’s top fashion and shopping destinations – valued at $10,000! This grand prize giveaway includes coach roundtrip air for two persons from any major U.S. gateway city to New York, eight days and seven nights deluxe hotel accommodations at Times Square, and airport limousine service. This euphoric New York experience also includes a $1,500 American Express gift card, $1,000 shopping spree and style consultation at Diesel New York, an evening of haute-cuisine at a stylish New York restaurant, two evenings of Broadway shows, and a hair and make-up trend update for two – to prepare for a night on the town — at the Aveda Lifestyle Salon in New York!
Shop a Le`a at Centerstage
Ala Moana Center’s Centerstage is transformed into chic style venue that embodies the heart of the Shop a Le`a experience with 35 lifestyle seminars highlighting the best in fashion, beauty, active lifestyle, home entertaining, family, travel and cuisine. Events run daily from March 3 – 9 between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Major events include:
Macy’s at Shop a Le`a – 12 p.m. daily featuring five different fashion shows, haute cuisine demonstrations and beauty seminars throughout the entire week.
Macy’s at Shop a Le`a highlights include:
Monday, March 3 – What’s Hot & What’s New in Cosmetics seminar and product demonstration
Tuesday, March 4 – Cooking Demonstration with Pastry Chef Mark Okumura
Wednesday, March 5 – Woman’s Wear Fashion Show featuring clothing by Fresh Produce
Thursday, March 6 – Men’s Wear Fashion Show featuring clothing by Kahala
Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8 – Woman’s Wear Fashion Shows clothing lines to be announced
Sunday, March 9 – Macy’s and the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year Award with Sassy/G Magazine and Juniors & Young Men’s Fashion Show
Morning Yoga with Lululemon Athletica – 10 a.m. daily (except March 
Lululemon Athletica Function Show – 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 8
Steve Kemble, “America’s Sassiest Lifestyle Guru” and US Weekly television personality, makes a celebrity appearance on Wednesday, March 5 at 2 p.m. featuring home entertaining tips and Friday, March 7 at 2 p.m. featuring three transforming style makeovers.
Aveda Salon & Spa – Beauty and rejuvenation seminars on Thursday, March 6 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m.
Wolford Fashion Show – Friday, March 7 at 4 p.m. featuring the store’s top swimwear, lingerie and ready-to-wear lines
Spring Fashion Showcase at Shop a Le`a – Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8 at 7 p.m. featuring a ten-store runway show celebrating spring fashion.
Oscar Blandi Presented by Sephora – Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m.
Bobby Jones Spring Fashion Show – Saturday, March 8 at 4 p.m.
Mac Cosmetics Presentation – Saturday, March 8 at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, March 4
Celebration of Luxury
Ala Moana Center presents its Celebration of Luxury event with more than two dozen of the mall’s luxury boutiques participating in an all-day open house. Participating retailers will feature special in-store events, trunk shows, demonstrations, and drawings to win select luxury merchandise. One grand prize winner will win Ala Moana Center’s Celebration of Luxury Giveaway with an extravagant $5,000 shopping spree at any of the center’s 30-plus luxury boutiques, lunch at Mariposa Restaurant, and complimentary limousine service to port home your couture shopping finds! Entry forms will be available at participating luxury boutiques with a winner chosen that same evening.
Wednesday, March 5
Nordstrom Grand Opening Gala
Nordstrom presents it’s highly anticipated Grand Opening Gala starting at 7 p.m. with a fashionable fête to benefit three local Hawaii charities including the Bishop Museum, Hawaii Theatre Center and HUGS (Help, Understanding & Group Support).
The chic evening will include lavish pupus, cocktails and buffets, live entertainment and the opportunity to partake in a little “sneak preview” shopping. Featured will be culinary selections from Chef Chai Chaowasaree, Chef Loperfido Donato and Chef Philippe Padovani. The highlight of the evening will be a tented, full-scale runway fashion show featuring American and European designer collections, including Tory Burch, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Roberto Cavalli – to name a few. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased in advance by calling (808) 723-1879.
Thursday, March 6
Ala Moana Center’s Preview Shopping Night & Fundraiser
HONOLULU Magazine is proud to host Ala Moana Center’s Preview Shopping Night & Fundraiser. Be one of 500 shoppers to preview Ala Moana Center’s brand-new retail expansion wing featuring 30-plus stores at this private reception. The event kicks off at 7 p.m. with two hours of shopping at participating Preview Shopping Night retailers, entertainment, cocktails and desserts by Hale ’Aina award-winning chefs. Event-goers will also receive a commemorative Shop a Le`a gift sponsored by Ala Moana Center. The $40 per person ticket cost benefits Hawaii Habitat for Humanity. Tickets go on sale starting February 15 at Ala Moana Center’s Customer Service Center. Pre-sale ticket reservations are available by calling (808) 955-9517.
Friday, March 7
Nordstrom Cosmetic Tailgate Party & Grand Opening Event
Join Nordstrom at its early morning Cosmetic Tailgate Party with complimentary beauty and cosmetic samples, makeovers and consultations by a myriad of the store’s beauty, make-up line and fragrance partners. Special shopping discounts and gift-with-purchase items will be available at the event. The Cosmetic Tailgate Party runs from 7:30 am to 9 a.m. with the store’s traditional Hawaiian blessing to follow at 9:15 a.m. and public grand opening at 9:30 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP for Nordstrom’s Cosmetic Tailgate Party, please call (866) 667-3911.
New Stores Opening on March 7, 2008 – Ann Taylor (relocation), Bare Escentuals, Blue Hawaii Lifestyle, Chico’s, Design Within Reach, J Crew, Janie & Jack, LeGrand Marqet, Lululemon Athletica, Max & Co. (relocation), Ponte Vecchio, Sunglass Icon, Vera Bradley, White House/Black Market (relocation), Williams-Sonoma (relocation) and Wolford.
New Stores Opening Soon – Anteprima Plastiq, Ash & Diamonds, Brighton Collectibles, Club Monaco, Kahala, Metropark, Miki House, Philip Rickard Factory Showroom, The Kiss, and True Religion Jeans.