There’s nothing like a presidential election year to remind everyone of the basic principles of freedom, liberty and self-determination that guided our nation’s founding fathers. We’re reminded that here we’re free to choose our religion, our love, our occupations, and couldn’t imagine living without choices.

But Sonny Ching hails from an older, Hawaiian society, in which his future as a kumu hula was predetermined. He said that as a young boy he didn’t question this edict. It was only later that he understood the sacrifices this would entail.

"When you’re young you don’t think of the consequences, that your own hopes and dreams are not important compared to what your family and culture says you are meant to do," he said.

Ching guided the men and women of his Halau Na Mamo o Pu‘u­ana­hulu to Merrie Monarch Festival titles and other accolades here and in Cali­fornia, Las Vegas and Japan. And while he loved hula, he also felt "fashion was something I wanted to do. It was always my dream to go to New York and study fashion, but I was designated to be the one to carry on the dance tradition."

He recalls sitting at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center with other kumu hula and lamenting at one point that he was "too old" to realize his fashion dreams, only to be told by someone in the group, "Of course not."

Two years later, in 2006, he was contacted by Linda Ueda of Para­disus Jewelry, a San Francisco- and Hawaii-based company that specializes in Hawaii- and Asia-inspired designs. Ueda encouraged Ching to try his hand at jewelry design.

"I never thought of designing jewelry, but when she asked me, I said, ‘Why not?’ It’s just another form of expression."

Today, Ching has his feet planted in both worlds, with a successful jewelry line, and Sunday marks the debut of his clothing line, which will be presented during Hui Maka­ala’s lunch and fashion show, a benefit for the Okinawan scholarship organization. The 1 p.m. show at the Sheraton Waikiki’s Hawaii Ballroom will also feature Asian-inspired designs, fashioned from vintage kimono fabric by Mon­tsuki, and men’s shirts by Amos Kotomori plus a preview of some of Kotomori’s women’s designs.

In addition to his Hawaiian jewelry collection with Paradisus, Ching will be showing a women’s fashion collection marked by his colorful textile designs, with prints created on computer and by coloring with his adopted sons, ages 6 and 4.

Again, Ueda encouraged him to experiment with textile design, and Ching admits approaching the computer with trepidation. "I’m not technologically savvy."

Initially feeling it would be natural to come up with prints that also reflect the kapa and ‘ohe kapala, or bamboo stamp, designs of his jewelry, he started by scanning and manipulating imagery on the computer. Eventually he felt trying to match his jewelry collection was too limiting.

"My 6-year-old son and I did a lot of coloring. We would use crayons or colored pencils, and I liked the raw, organic feel of a color crayon drawing. It’s so vibrant."

From that point he was unstoppable. "I designed enough fabric for the next 10 years," he said. The printing was done in San Francisco, and he said he drove the technicians crazy while trying to choose the final images. "It was going on forever."

Production of the youthful contemporary collection took place in Japan, where Ching has a halau and shares teaching duties with Lopaka DeVera.

He uses the word "ho‘ololi" — "evolve" — to describe his transition while on his fashion journey.

"I’m kind of a monochromatic person. I’m always wearing black and dark colors, so I was afraid I would come up with a black collection for spring.

"I cannot help but think that it was affected by the fact that I’ve adopted two boys. It gave me a new perspective on the world and allowed me to be a little more childlike, more whimsical."

He also feels shy about revealing his designs for the first time, but said that’s not unusual.

"I still feel the same way about hula after 26 years. I think a little bit of that insecurity is a good thing. It puts you in a place where you’re always striving to do better."