There probably aren’t many women whose sewing skills rival their expertise with an M16 rifle, but Hunnelle Ediza-Trenery is one of them.
The former homemaker-turned-Army Reserve specialist learned how to sew as a little girl in the Philippines, and now her collection of designer handbags is vying to represent Hawaii in the national RAWards 2012 for independent artists.
In the same vein, former Army Staff Sgt. Eva Salcedo is proving with her line of all-natural handmade cosmetics that combat boots and beauty aren’t mutually exclusive.
H&K HANDBAGS
One doesn’t normally envision a girlie pink aesthetic in the middle of the Iraqi desert, but that’s exactly what you would have found inside Army Reserve Spec. Hunnelle Ediza-Trenery’s CHU (containerized housing unit).
One of the 12-by-12-foot steel boxes, replete with a single window, aluminum cot and — for the lucky ones — a latrine, was what she called home while deployed in Basra for a year starting in the summer of 2010, working as a videographer and broadcaster attached to the 1st Infantry Division. After spending 18 hours a day in desert soil and staring at sandy shrubs, Ediza-Trenery wanted to relax in pretty surroundings and did her best to create a feminine oasis.
“Iraq is the most unflattering place I have ever seen,” said Ediza-Trenery, who’s about to snag a spot on Honolulu’s fashion map with her 1950s and ’60s Parisian-inspired H&K Handbags collection. (The “H” stands for Hunnelle and “K” represents her daughter Kari).
Although Ediza-Trenery had no materials to continue her sewing hobby while deployed, she occupied her idle time by sketching handbags. When she returned home to Makakilo, Ediza-Trenery traded in her desert fatigues for fabric swatches. Soon her designs came to life through a line of handmade totes, clutches and messenger bags that reflect her whimsical French-chateau aesthetic.
“A lot of people wonder why I joined the Army in the first place,” she said. “I’d been a housewife for 20 years, but unfortunately that doesn’t seem résumé-worthy to most people, even though I did all the bookkeeping, paid all the bills, kept our home and children’s lives organized, and juggled all that while leading a (military) family readiness support group.”
So, at age 40 and with two grown children and two children still living at home, she decided to start a new phase of her life and joined the Army Reserves. “I just couldn’t see myself standing in the employment line at McDonald’s,” she said.
Telling her husband, Gregg Trenery, a 17-year Army man who used to work as a recruiter, of her plans, wasn’t easy.
“He said I’d have to run for 30 minutes straight, without stopping, and then give him 20 pushups and 40 situps — military style — before he’d even consider filling out the paperwork for my application,” she said.
Self-discipline and a positive attitude, along with the support of her husband, now stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., and family are why H&K Handbags often steals the show at fashion events and art markets, including the recent sold-out RAW: Natural Born Artists show held at Vice Nightclub.
H&K Handbags is one of five Hawaii semifinalists in the accessories division of the 2012 RAWards for indie artists and will compete at a Nov. 17 showcase to represent Hawaii in the national competition.
H&K Handbags are fun, classic street-chic with modern hardware, colorful fabric linings and fine stitching — the perfect accessory for any neutral ensemble. Her soft cotton and canvas Weekender bags are a favorite, with mindfully designed pockets that allow travelers to pack for the occasional downpour or a weekend of spontaneous adventure. Prices range from $45 to $175.
“I think there is a bit of a stereotype that because we wear the uniform, we don’t know much about fashion,” said Ediza-Trenery, who is leaving the Reserves. “But military women are some of the most stylish women I’ve met.”
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Find H&K Handbags at 37th Annual Fall Craft Fair, Saturday, Hickam Arts & Crafts Center (open to the public); Waikiki Artfest, Nov. 17-18, Kapiolani Park; and Season’s Best Aiea Craft & Gift Fair, Dec. 8, Aiea Elementary. Visit www.HandKhandbags.com.
D&E HANDMADE COSMETICS
Former Army Staff Sgt. Eva Salcedo says most people would be surprised to learn how many women serving in the U.S. military are former models, pageant queens and devoted followers of beauty and fashion trends.
“When I was in the military, I had people tell me that I didn’t look like I belonged there, so I think there is a certain stereotype out there,” she said.
Salcedo joined the Army in 2003, at age 23, because she simply wanted to see the world. “In a weird way it worked out perfectly because my first assignment was to England,” she said.
The posting allowed her to travel throughout Europe over the next four years. The Makakilo resident returned home, enrolling in the Master’s of Business Administration program at Hawaii Pacific University and giving birth to her first child in 2010.
“I’m not sure why, but I had so many issues with my skin after she was born that I began researching skin-care ingredients in order to figure out why my condition wasn’t improving,” she said.
Salcedo, who left the military in February 2011, found the answer after creating her own all-natural, vegan mineral-based makeup. “Our bodies absorb chemicals from our skin. So if your food is organic but your makeup is full of chemicals, then you’re not taking care of the whole picture,” she said.
She created D&E Handmade Cosmetics, mixing the ingredients herself in small batches with no fillers. Salcedo now offers more than 100 items, including 50 eye shadow colors, 10 lipstick shades, six blushes and bronzers, four foundations, three shades of mineral concealer, plus a black eyeliner.
“I wanted to make a collection that has everything you need and tailor it to the most sensitive of skin types.”
In addition to her popular “Shave Ice” line, which features neon green, midnight blue and an explosive shade of aquamarine, Salcedo recently launched a “Fall Leaves” collection that produces smoldering brown eyes and blood-red lips. For a bonus, the makeup acts like mineral armor, protecting the skin from environmental stressors.
If you like Bare Escentuals, PürMinerals or Colorescience, you’ll appreciate D&E Handmade Cosmetics, which costs less than a third of the major national brands. Prices start at $3.95 for eye shadows, $8 for lipsticks, $5.99 for bronzers and $12 for foundations.
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Find D&E Handmade Cosmetics at Art & Flea, Nov. 23, at Fresh Café, 831 Queen St., or online at dehandmadecosmetics.etsy.com.
