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Created for Liberty House by Malia Hawaiian Dress

Discussion in 'PUBLIC Vintage Fashion - Ask Questions Get Answers' started by jauntyrooster, Jul 26, 2010.

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  1. jauntyrooster

    jauntyrooster Alumni

    Hi All,

    Found this wonderful navy/white hawaiian dress with the label "Created for Liberty House by Malia." Am familiar with Liberty House (and great info in Label Resource) but am wondering if anyone can help me narrow down date with the Malia reference on the label. I found an article in a 1960 Life Magazine concerning "cut out waists" and how they were becoming all the rage but this dress still feels a little more 70s to me (no idea why and of course would rather it was 60s). It has a nylon back zip. The material feels like a very nice cotton and has sort of a "corded" look/feel. The bodice of the dress is lined - it is unlined from the cutouts on down. The navy color is so deep and the white is very vibrant. The entire bottom was completely yellowed when I purchased. After many different gentle methods of cleaning failing miserably, I took a chance and used Clorox 2 on it and it came out beautifully with just one tiny area of spotting left...yea!!!!

    Any ideas of dating or info on Malia is greatly appreciated...or anything you want to add for that matter. I always get great info here! Thank you all!!!!

    Maureen

    Front View

    [​IMG]

    Close Up of Cut Outs

    [​IMG]

    Label View

    [​IMG]

    Back View

    [​IMG]
     
    jauntyrooster, Jul 26, 2010
    #1
  2. themerchantsofvintage

    themerchantsofvintage Alumni

    :wub:

    Not sure what side of 1970s this falls, but wanted to say what a lovely dress you have! I adore these types of prints and it such a great cut.
     
    themerchantsofvintage, Jul 26, 2010
    #2
  3. joules

    joules VFG Member

    I believe this is 70's Malia, due to the fabrication. Very cute maxi dress!
     
    joules, Jul 26, 2010
    #3
  4. The Vintage Merchant

    The Vintage Merchant Administrator Staff Member

    i had a dress from that same fabric (different print, though) in the v e r y late 60s early early 70s. that is ADORABLE!

    Malia was a locally designed line, and as they often did, LH would hire to have local designers do a specialty line (or more) for them, sometimes exclusively, sometimes not, it depended on how the design house negotiated the deal.

    do you have a way to shoot it so the cut-outs pop a bit more? the color of your manni is similar enough to the dress that it really doesn't stand out the way it could... if you could put THAT on a live model, it would show/sell SO much better!!

    super cute! congrats on a great find, and a good soak!
     
    The Vintage Merchant, Jul 26, 2010
    #4
  5. The Vintage Merchant

    The Vintage Merchant Administrator Staff Member

    btw, that is a stylized anthirium flower print ~ anthiriums do really look like elongated hearts; the one cut for the bodice is particularly heart-shaped, and i'm sure the cutter was instructed to cut it to center on the bodice like that.

    really neat!
     
    The Vintage Merchant, Jul 26, 2010
    #5
  6. jauntyrooster

    jauntyrooster Alumni

    You guys are amazing...so much information that I would have never known.

    I agree - cutouts need to pop for sure. I need a tiny waisted tan person - and I think I know just the person (not me..I have an Irish tan and lost that waist years ago!).

    Was really excited to find. Someone had dumped into a junk pile of clothes bc of staining at bottom. When I saw label and design I had to grab and give it a try at least. I grabbed a few other items that they had written off and went ahead and used the Clorox 2 - so far it has been amazing. Most of the stuff is pretty hearty material of course but I had no luck with the rust and yellowing and it really is disappearing. Makes me happy to see the clothes come back.

    Thank you all so much. When I get good model pics will post just for fun.
     
    jauntyrooster, Jul 26, 2010
    #6
  7. Linn

    Linn Super Moderator Staff Member VFG Past President

    Adding just a little more information, Malia made clothing into the '90's and now makes uniforms. We do not have Malia in our label resource and I've been trying to find the pertinent information. I know that the company was owned and run by husband and wife Bill and Mary Foster. I came up with this link from 1984 doing a search.

    http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1154/is_v72/ai_3070731/

    This article is interesting because their customer base was not in Hawaii. I'm not sure when Malia stopped making clothing and began making only uniforms.

    Linn
     
    Linn, Jul 26, 2010
    #7
  8. joules

    joules VFG Member

    And now I know how to pronounce the name properly. Thanks Linn, for posting the link. I have a good label shot, from a 70s dress, to add to the entry, once you've finished research.

    So nice that you rescued this one! It's cute as can be.

    There are two pages of nice Malia garments listed on Etsy at the moment, including a darling maxi from our member, metroretrovintage, from about the same time period:
    http://www.etsy.com/listing/44292547/vintage-60s-malia-hawaiian-girl-novelty
    I think Laura's is perhaps a bit earlier, than this one of yours, but not by much.
     
    joules, Jul 26, 2010
    #8
  9. The Vintage Merchant

    The Vintage Merchant Administrator Staff Member

    mah-LEE-ah is correct, NOT muh-LEE-uh.

    "a" is "ah" in Hawaiian, not "uh"

    freakin' haoles...

    for example:

    Moon: mahina
    Pronounced: mah-hee-nah

    sorry, that kind of mis-representation in an article like that makes me crazy.

    and yes, my name, Mary is Malia in Hawaiian.
     
    The Vintage Merchant, Jul 26, 2010
    #9
  10. joules

    joules VFG Member

    Well, shoot, I guess I was saying it correctly before! Now I'll be perpetually confused. ;)
     
    joules, Jul 26, 2010
    #10
  11. Linn

    Linn Super Moderator Staff Member VFG Past President

    Linn, Jul 26, 2010
    #11
  12. jauntyrooster

    jauntyrooster Alumni

    Just want to say thank you again to everyone.

    Really interesting reading Linn...I know that I frequently get lost in the Google archives. I find one thing which leads to another, and to another...and so on. Soon it is midnight and I am don't know what happened to the time.

    We are taking pics with live model tomorrow. I was hoping to have a better photographer on hand but for now, me and my little Kodak easyshare will have to do. Think we can get some decent pictures of the dress. Since I have her, am going to get her into a few other dresses as well. Should be fun!

    Well, overall an okay day. Managed to save four garments that were thought to be junk but think I lost one - that was really my favorite - due to shrinking. Hoping that the hot iron will help stretch the material back out but not holding out hope. Got a little too gutsy...lesson learned! :wacko:
     
    jauntyrooster, Jul 26, 2010
    #12
  13. anothertimevintageapparel

    anothertimevintageapparel VFG Member

    I have 3 Malia dresses from the early 70s. 1 a maxi.
    A darling turq. print sundress I had on etsy for months. No interest and I cannot figure out why it didn't sell. I wasn't that small either. Also, very good quaity fabric.
    Maybe it is because no one recognizes the name?

    This one is very striking with its cut outs.
     
    anothertimevintageapparel, Jul 26, 2010
    #13
  14. Linn

    Linn Super Moderator Staff Member VFG Past President

    I've done a little more reading about Malia and found this ad from 1979. It appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal:

    [​IMG]

    Mary Foster, the co-owner and designer was making a personal appearance.

    Linn
     
    Linn, Jul 26, 2010
    #14
  15. jauntyrooster

    jauntyrooster Alumni

    Pic on Live Model

    You were sooo right! What a difference it made to have on a live model. Mind you, she has never modeled before and I am no photographer (especially with my 6.1 mp Kodak) but they came out pretty well. Thanks for the suggestion - still amazed at the difference!

    Maureen
     
    jauntyrooster, Jul 27, 2010
    #15
  16. The Vintage Merchant

    The Vintage Merchant Administrator Staff Member

    OMG, MAUREEN!! now THAT is amazing!!

    :party:
     
    The Vintage Merchant, Jul 27, 2010
    #16
  17. joules

    joules VFG Member

    Superb!
     
    joules, Jul 27, 2010
    #17
  18. glamoursurf

    glamoursurf Alumni

    Bee-U-Ti-Ful!
     
    glamoursurf, Jul 27, 2010
    #18
  19. thespectrum

    thespectrum VFG Member Staff Member

    That really looks great, wow!
     
    thespectrum, Jul 28, 2010
    #19
  20. bycin

    bycin Guest

    Be still my heart!! THAT dress is fabulous on a bod!!
     
    bycin, Jul 28, 2010
    #20
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