Blogs by Allison

As I get older, I'm finding myself wanting to challenge myself more - to live outside of the constraints and old habits that once was my norm. I don't want to just "show up" and survive, I want to thrive! With all the lessons we've learned from the pandemic, one lesson stands out to me always is to grab life by its horns and LIVE FULLY. I love fashion and design - it's something that's kept me connected to my creativity since I was a small girl. And I'm so grateful that I have the opportunity to share my design theory of comfort and confidence with you and so many other women! But recently, something has been gnawing at me from the inside. A challenge of sorts, a new way of looking at design, at my own self acceptance and at aging. For some, clothing is just the things that covers their bodies while they go about their day. But for me, it's an expression of self, of how I'm feeling (or want to feel). And now, in my forties - I want to use clothing to change my own point of view, to influence the way we see ourselves and our place in the world. That's why I created this new brand - A. IZU - it's like the rebellious side of me that's ready to be set free. I thought to myself that if the "Allison Izu" side of the brand is here to make women feel comfortable in their bodies, then "A. IZU" is here to push them outside their comfort zone, challenge them (and myself) to fully step into the light. It's the brand that allows us, encourages us, pushes us (and society) to accept us in our authentic truth - be it loud, sexy, messy and powerful. We're no longer here so that others feel comfortable around us. We're here to make our mark, to take up space, and push society to accept that we are valuable, exactly where we are.  I'm not going to apologize for getting older, for the extra weight I put on after I had my babies, for wearing a two piece swimsuit and showing my soft tummy. I'm not going to cover my arms because the flabbiness of them might offend you. I'm not going to be embarrassed to show my bralette, under a sheer top or under my sort-of sexy tank top! I am just starting to feel good again in my skin, at my age - and I am not going to shrink back into the darkness.  This collection, this brand - A. IZU - is all about me willing myself to fully step into the light! -Allison  CLICK HERE to shop the A.Izu Collection

As some of you know, I've been on a journey of self discovery. Call it my 40's, my mid-life crisis (or salvation), whatever the label - it has been an eye opening, sometimes painful process. It's a day-to-day practice of working to uncover some deep, hidden wounds from my past. And it's also about looking at what society has been teaching me or training me to accept as the truth. I was talking to a customer the other day and I recommended she try a sleeveless top. Her answer was "I can't wear that!" I asked her why and she replied that 'her arms are jiggly and no one wants to see that!' This conversation stuck with me and I kept thinking to myself, who told you this? Who told you that jiggly arms can't be shown? Or at a certain age or size, we should just keep our arms covered at all times?! As I aged, there were things - specifically clothing styles, that I categorized as "not appropriate." I had to ask myself the question - is it my fear of being ridiculed by others or is it my own judgement of myself? Probably a little of both. It's been a constant ongoing battle, but my first step is working to accept the fact that there will always be people out there who have negative things to say. And my realization is that it's more about that person, than it's about me. Secondly, why should I allow society to create "norms" and why am I automatically programmed to follow them?  And lastly, and the hardest of them all - I need to go a little deeper to understand why it is that when I look at myself in the mirror, I repeat horrible things in my head? Why is my own fear of aging and having my body shape change creating such a powerful negative reaction? I know there's no instant fix to all of layers, but I'll be here alongside of you. I'm working through and dealing with the same things. And I'm making it my mission to create a safe space for women, to educate you about fashion, styling and our bodies. Through designing clothing for my own body shape - I believe I can offer healing to other women. And through education, we can empower ourselves and other women to learn to love and appreciate their bodies.    It's time we take back our power. It's time we allow ourself to take up space in this world. To show up, unapologetically, and say - this is me, all of the jiggly, soft, wrinkled parts - and you know what - I LOVE EVERY PART OF HER. And through our own practice of self-love, we'll be able to love each other more deeply and authentically. I believe this to be a truth, that I choose to live my life by daily. Thank you so much for being here and for listening . . . I see you and I love you!

You should always have a goal in mind when trying to accomplish anything. It's something that inspirational speakers talk about all of the time. But what if along the way you somehow lost sight of the goal? And what if, along the way, the goal morphed into something bigger than you could've ever imagine? I feel like that's what happened to me over the years since I set my sights on my first goal - to create a successful fashion design company.  That was goal #1. I always kept it in my minds eye. But what did that mean? Successful? The definition of success is totally subjective. my first professional photoshoot for a magazine in my Kaimuki home Over these last few years of being a designer and entrepreneur, my goals changed. They shifted in a way I didn't really expect. The destination feels the same - create a successful design company, but the purpose is so much bigger than just clothing. I realized that I'm not just designing clothing for women, I'm creating pieces that support and accentuate a women's beauty, empowerment, acceptance and self-love. The goal and the purpose became less about the actual piece of clothing and more about the wearer. This is what these past few years has been about, finding my way back to my original goal with a new purpose in mind. With my new purpose, I decided I needed a new space. Somewhere that would support my creativity, my brand and this new journey . . . What would this location looks like, I asked?  I think the more appropriate questions was, "what would this new location feel like?" I knew it should feel like home, a place that I could show up as my most authentic genuine self and be able to live out this purpose. To support other women to show up as their most authentic genuine selves too. That's when Manoa popped back into my head and the thought of it was home to me. This was the community that supported me when I first started my brand. It was the area that I did some of my first pop-ups and photoshoots, it was the place that I felt comfortable to show up as my new 40-something year old self. working in my first "office" at Manoa Innovation Center My goals were the same . . . to design clothing, but my purpose was more - to solve problems with how clothing didn't "fit" and be a support system for women. To create clothing that doesn't make us feel shameful for the extra pounds we put on since having children or entering menopause or any of the other changes we face as women. This brand, this company, could be a safe haven for us to feel beautiful in our skin. I'm not saying its going to solve all of the negative self talk, but I'm working to become that space where we nurture and work on self-love. Where women can feel seen, heard, and accepted. This is how my purpose has changed. This is how I know I was led back to Manoa for something bigger. I'm excited for the challenge. I'm excited to embark on this new journey with a new goal in mind. The destination is somewhat the same, but the purpose is so much bigger . . . 

Renovations are always hard - you have to put up with the usual unexpected costs and delays. Since opening this company, I've moved in and renovated 5 spaces in a matter of 8 years, but this one started off feeling so much more difficult for me. The Universe had a bigger lesson for me to learn through this process, one that I am only now realizing. As a small business, I am always keeping an eye on costs while satisfying my "expensive" taste. Even when I am designing and manufacturing clothing, I need to find the balance of high end fabrics and details, while keeping costs reasonable (so I can be a profitable business). These renovations followed the same train of thought.  I wanted to do a full renovation of the Showroom space. I wanted to do it "right" and make it something special. That meant I needed to take down walls and rip out flooring, in addition to numerous other details. The space was, shall we say, not in perfect condition - it needed A LOT of care. With every wall we moved, we had the realization that there was more work to be done. It was disheartening and felt like I was climbing an uphill battle. To keep some costs down, we did a lot of work ourselves . . . remove a built-in shelf? Sure! Rip out laminate flooring? Got it! Hang some drywall? Why not! But even with all of the late nights, there was still more work to be done. The days were disappearing and I wanted to do a soft opening for my friends and family in May. When I set my heart on a goal, I go for it 100% - so there was no turning back. Entering my turning point, I realized I was forcing things to happen. But this has been the way I have always survived up to this point in my life.  Force, push, break down walls. . . I make shit happen - sometimes against the will of the Universe. However, I lost sight of the fact that my lesson has always been to surrender. I needed to pause, breathe deeply, and allow help to enter my life. Help from the Universe, help from people. Once I had that moment of awareness, help showed up. It was surreal and awe-inspiring. That day as I talked to my team about needing support (which they were like -"HELL YES AL, what do you need us to do?"), my parents unexpectedly stopped by. My dad is a retired general contractor and while he doesn't actively do this kind of work anymore, he immediately got on the phone and called a couple of people to come and help. Meanwhile that same day, my husband, Young (who is a lot like me. . . a hard-headed entrepreneur that's often hesitant to ask for help), had gone to Home Depot and bumped into a friend who was also a general contractor.  He insisted he come by and help for a few hours, and without hesitation he jumped right in. And like a wave, help and support kept coming. Everything started to fall into place - our long time friend came to install the flooring, another friend from back in the day came to install new lighting, and the boxes on the to-do list kept getting checked off slowly . . . one by one. It's such a funny thing that happens when you allow help in - it changes you. It allows you to see that there is wonder and goodness everywhere around you. You realize how much love and support live within people. It causes your heart to swell so much, that it takes your breathe away.  I am tearing up as I write this because of how the Universe showed up for me in the way of helpful people, doors opening, and everything aligning just as I needed it to. This is not to say that I am cured of my forceful nature - that will take time, practice, and discipline. But I am learning that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, nor is it a burden on other people. Asking for help and surrendering is allowing the beauty of this world to show up - allowing the Universe to support me. That's the way I am seeing it these days. There is so much gratefulness for this lesson - for these people who were so willing to show up for us, and for the Universe always providing me with new lessons and ways for me to grow, shift and evolve.      

When the decision was made to move out of Ala Moana Center, I had no idea where we would go next.  I didn't know what I was looking for, or what I wanted our new space to look or feel like. The more spaces I visited, the more I doubted myself and the idea of leaving a well-known mall.  In every space we toured, I would ask myself - would my customers come here, do I envision my team working here. . . After about a handful so spaces we visited, I realized I was forgetting about myself in this whole process. “What do you want, Allison?” the question kept popping into my head . . . I realized I needed to take a break, give myself space and time to figure it out and get back to square one.  Where can I see myself putting down roots?  Where will I feel creative and supported? These were the new questions floating in my head. And then a friend suggested Manoa . . . ‘yes, Manoa!’ I liked the idea.  It was a full circle moment for me, the beginning years of my brand were in Manoa. It was the location of my first “office” space and where I fondly remember my kids growing up, as well as myself. And so I had my realtor reach out to Manoa Marketplace and toured a few spaces. It was definitely different from Ala Moana, but perhaps in the best way possible? I allowed myself to be led, to be inspired, so I could see what came to fruition. The process of negotiation was disheartening at times, but once I put my focus on something I want - I work to get it. So I kept at it, until a month and a half later- I was signing the lease. Serendipitously, it was on the last days of being at Ala Moana. I literally went from packing and moving to signing the papers! I’m here in Manoa, writing this blog at my desk in my office and it feels amazing! I have a place to come to daily, to be creative, to be inspired and to just be. To allow myself to dream the big dream, to see that I am worthy of that. Every set back feels more like an exciting challenge, every mishap feels like an opportunity for me to find a deeper meaning or truth. It’s an opportunity for me to find out more about myself and what I want from this life.  I am excited to share more of this journey with you, and to eventually share this space with you as well. We have put a lot of love, sweat and a couple of tears into this space. But what has come out of this process is a clearer understanding of who I am, what I want for this business, this team and essentially what I want for you too! Thank you for allowing me to share this journey with you . . . stay tuned for more news about the renovations and Grand Opening!

Being a mom is one of the hardest yet most rewarding jobs . . . I didn't know coming into motherhood it'd be so dependent on my own growth and evolution as a human. There are so many things to worry about and so many things that can become overwhelming, but I try hard to remind myself what my purpose is as Olive and Owen's mom. For me, it's just to show up - however I am in the moment, to live in the present, instead of in my head worrying and obsessing.  They don't need me to be perfect, to have all of the answers, or to constantly protect them. They just need me to listen with an open mind and love all parts of them with an open heart. Even the parts that sometimes drive me crazy or get me frustrated.  It's in those moments, that I know there is a lesson for me to learn or evolve from. I recently read this quote from Dr. Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D - she is the author of “The Awakened Family”, one of my favorite books: May you be blessed with a child . . . Who defies you so you can learn to release control, Who doesn’t listen so you learn to tune in. With one who loves to procrastinate so you learn the beauty of stillness, With one who forgets things so you learn to let go of attachments, With one who is extra sensitive so you learn to be more grounded. With one who is inattentive so you learn to be focused, With one who dares to rebel so you learn to think outside the box, With one who feels afraid so you learn to trust the Universe, May you be blessed with a child . . . Who teaches you  That it is never about them And all about you. If you're a mom, THANK YOU and I send you lots of love and light for giving so much of yourself to your kids and family.  And if you're lucky enough to still have your mother in your life, reach out to her and thank her for doing her best to love and raise you. All I can say is, it's one step at a time. For me - sometimes it feels like I'm taking four steps backwards to get one step ahead. But I'm ready and willing everyday to show up, as my very flawed self, and work to become the mom that Olive and Owen deserve. Because in the process - I'm doing so much for myself as well. They are the blessings in my life that show me how to release control, how to tune in, be still, let go of attachments, be more grounded, be more focused, think outside the box, and trust the Universe. Thank you Olive and Owen for choosing me to be your mom! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! -Allison 

Hi there! Thank you for joining me on my personal journey of growth and self-discovery. I am grateful for the space to share so openly. I’m at a pivotal point where I’ve made new self-realizations and have a greater understanding of what I truly want in life, but now I’m asking, “What do I do next?” Self-realization is a beautiful and scary thing. With awareness comes the added weight of making the necessary changes and putting things into daily practice. But one of my favorite Maya Angelou quotes comes to mind and gives me all the motivation I need - “When you know better, you do better.” It’s not just about knowing that things have to change (which is the scary and HUGE first step),  it’s about actually doing the changes. For me, going through this process had me needing tools to set me up for success and give me the perspective I needed to keep me focused and grounded. Once I opened the door to awareness, I also somehow opened the door  to doubt and fear.  Through these lessons I uncovered some deeply rooted issues and emotions that were overwhelming at times. Navigating through this and understanding what it I’m I was feeling at every step of the way became daunting, and I immediately found guidance from 2 particular books. The first was “Atlas of the Heart” by Brene Brown. I love Brene and how she shares her truths and perspectives, this book was extremely impactful in helping me understand what I was feeling. It gave me the vocabulary to identify emotions, dig deep to figure out where they come from, and uncover why I react in certain ways. Most importantly, she showed me how to give myself the space, compassion, and permission to experience my emotions with a deeper level of understanding and context. The other book, “Fierce Conversations” by Susan Scott, was recently recommended to me by a close friend and I can’t put it down. My husband, my friends, and my team hear me reference this book ALL THE TIME! LOL! It’s guided me through so many intrinsic conversations with myself, and opened the door to deeper dialogue with those around me. It helps me understand how to have tough conversations with others, but mostly - it has helped me to have tough conversations with myself.  One part of the book asks, “What am I pretending not to know?” This one question has changed so much of what I pay attention to and how I interact with others. I hope these books offer help if you are navigating through this or something similar, as I have found them to be amazing resources for my own personal development. I’d love to hear your stories and learn about what you’re going through, what has worked for you, and all the knowledge you have gained through your self-realizations and growth. There is so much gratitude in my heart having shared this connection with you through this process and I look forward to hearing more from you.

When I first started designing in 2007, I wanted to create clothing that stood for something - that went against the status quo.  I had a bone to pick with the fashion industry and figured it was a good start to a business. During my time at The Fashion Institute of Technology, I realized most brands are designing for a fit model who was 5'8" and lean. Her overall measurements were similar to mine (bust, waist, hips) but the rest of her proportions were completely different.  Her thigh circumference, her inseam, her knee break - nothing came close to mine. That’s when it hit me - anyone outside of this “perfect” mold was being completely overlooked in the design process. So I set out to create a premium petite denim brand - Allison Izu.  With some investment and a little bit of pestering people, I found some success launching this brand. I was featured in national publications like Oprah Magazine, Lucky Magazine, Apparel News, Audrey, well-known blogs, and also local press outlets.  Then luck hit. Well, more like I met Brian Tatsumura, the General Manager of Nordstrom Hawaii. And I bothered him enough that he finally gave me a shot - a trunk show to sell my denim at Nordstrom Ala Moana in 2011.  It was my big break where I had the opportunity to learn from the best, absorb as much knowledge as I could, and try to kick open as many doors as possible. Through grit, determination and a little ignorance, I was fortunate enough to start in Manoa, to then open a store in Ward Warehouse.  I expanded my repertoire and became a design consultant to a few local brands. Then came the store in Kaimuki while also launching my brand in a national department store called Von Maur.  Finally, I opened my own namesake boutique in Ala Moana Center in 2018.   I jumped in full speed to all this face-paced movement and serendipitous opportunity without ever looking back.  But I began to feel like I unknowingly punched my ticket onto this roller coaster. . . a ride I didn't even ask myself if I wanted to be on.  Wholesale, Retail, Design, Development, Sourcing, Production - the ups, downs, and loops went on and on. But in this industry, it cycles over and over with every season. We learn to anticipate every twist and turn, living to meet deadlines and allowing someone else to dictate the speed, direction, and regulations of the ride - aka “The Industry.”  I didn’t even realize I was riding this “roller coaster” until recently. Some may call it my mid-life crisis, but I call it my awakening.  I can't pinpoint the exact date, but it was a slow removal of the "rose colored" glasses I was wearing on the ride.  Telling myself that I was happy, that I was successful, that I was living the dream!  As the “rose tint” lifted, I kept asking myself “Is this my dream?” And slowly, I began to realize that this wasn't my dream. But, I was afraid to tell anyone, especially myself.  It wasn’t that I was unhappy, it was just that I wasn't living my purpose. I wasn't living in my JOY. So what is my joy? Well, I’m still on that path of finding it.  But I've realized something while on this journey. It’s our duty to find what lights us up, and I don’t think it's ever too late.  I know I still want to design clothing. I still see a future for Allison Izu as a brand and company.  But there are so many other ideas swirling in my head - an endless amount of dreams and possibilities. I’m learning to admit them to myself and in turn share them with you.  This is my lesson in my 40's - to find myself again. To rediscover my “wild side.” The mixture of audaciousness from my 20's, logic of my 30's, and growth of my 40’s - I want to embrace them all and find myself again.  So the question I ask myself everyday is, "What do YOU want today Allison?"  Most times it's small things like saying what I want for dinner (even though I know my kids won’t like what I want) or going on an evening walk by myself (and trying a new, unexpected route).  Other times, it could be designing a top that I want in my closet - in a color, print or silhouette that not everyone will like.  Through this daily practice, I’m finding myself more and more. I hope this gives you some spark of inspiration to start asking yourself what it is that YOU want. Not your husband, not your kids, not society – just you. We owe it to ourselves and those around us to do these small acts of self-love. Because my friend, I think this is where we’ll find our truest JOY.