Update We always come here for new ideas in art or clothing. They even have Christmas ornaments Island style. Men's clothes in the back. Cute shop read more

Absolutely beautiful store, we'll merchandised and very nicely organized. Nice employees, very helpful and accommodating read more

Designing Wahine - Rooster - Home Decor Near Me - Makawao, Hawaii

See all

Designing Wahine is a cute little boutique located in Makawao amongst a whole street of specialty boutiques lining Baldwin Avenue. I've never gone into these stores before and wrote them off as mostly touristy, but we were on the search for a Maui made gift and this shop piqued my interest. Designing Wahine, along with their sister stores in Lahaina and Paia, feature beach luxe items with a 'splash of aloha.' They have a wide collection of one-of-a-kind furnishings, linens, home decor, designer jewelry, women's clothing, beauty products, and so much more! This is the perfect spot to find a gift or items for yourself or your home. They feature many Maui and Hawaii made items which is always a plus for me. They do have quite a bit of inventory so it did get a little overwhelming looking through all the goods, but there's something for everyone to fit anyone's budget. Some of their items can be pricey, but there's some decent deals to be had. Street parking is also available, but could get a little tough during busier times, but overall, worth a stop. read more

See all

What a lovely shop with unique items you really don't see anywhere else. We bought some Christmas ornaments. Loved their soap, lotion collection. Pillows, clothes shoes, children's clothes as well. Staff friendly and busy putting out new items. Really enjoyed my shopping experience. read more

See all

Overall, we liked the products in this store and we bought a hand crafted Christmas ornament (snowman with stick arms and a Hawaii sign which you can see in some of the Yelp photos) so we could remember this trip to Maui. However, for a $30 Christmas ornament that is super fragile, when asking for a box, the cashier was pretty rude and seemed like we were making an unreasonable request. They pretty much just wrapped it in paper and handed it to you, without a bag even (although we got a small paper one after asking). Although the store has some interesting souvenirs that we didn't see in other stores, I'm giving it lower stars for the poor customer service. I hope they read this review and do better in the future as this seems to be a somewhat common theme in other lower reviews of this place. read more

I rarely leave reviews and try to give businesses multiple chances when their service is off. In this case, unfortunately, poor service has proven the standard again and again. Two instances stand out as particularly off-putting. On one occasion I'd accidentally left my sunglasses and arranged to pick them up later in the week. When I came to pick them up, they said they threw them out and were unapologetic about it. This is after I'd spend a few hundred in the store. The next time I'd walked it, admittedly as they were closing, while the store was full of customers. I had something in mind to grab quickly and purchase. Instead of politely mentioning they were closing (the door was open) and asking if I could make a selection quickly, they told me to get out. That they'd help the customers already in the store but not me. Their attitude is always snide and they don't seem to care to treat a a repeat local customer with any respect or kindness. read more

This shop is located on Baldwin Avenue in Makawao. Its a cute little shop, you can find so many different things. You may walk out with something you may never find anywhere else. Staff here are friendly and kind. Come in and take a look around for some neat things. read more

Value: 3.5 stars Quality: 4 stars Service: 4 stars I have spent a lot of time browsing this store, and my favorite purchases here include: one of my favorite dresses, baby shower presents, and a hilarious hat for my husband. They have jam-packed there store with high quality and well-curated items, ranging from baby outfits and toys to candles and Christmas ornaments. It's a great place to shop for a present if you want to be inspired. One note of caution: while they do stock many local products, it's about 50/50 whether the item you're looking at is designed or made in Hawaii versus from a mainland brand. If you're specifically shopping for something local, you'll need to check the tags to confirm before you buy. Prices here are fair, and sometimes you can snag a great deal on their sale rack, although it often contains damaged items so be sure to check carefully! Tip: no Kama'aina discount here. read more

Best shop in Makawao! You will find so many treasures - it was hard to leave. Clean store, well presented and unique merchandise, charming and kind staff. Not a touristy feel but like a nice, upscale shop in your home town. Love Love Love it! read more

See all

Located on Baldwin Avenue, in the heart of Makawao, Designing Women is an interesting shop with clothing, jewelry, housewares, shoes, and souvenirs. Excellent customer service! Tried on and needed a larger size and the young lady promptly called their Lahaina store to have my size transferred by the next morning! Wow! And there it was the next morning, right on time! Woo hoo! read more

So sad. Went in one of my fav stores ever to buy some clothes, came out happy after a $300+ purchase. The bracelet was poorly made, the button closure was too loose, lost it after literally 1 hour. Next the earrings had rough ends, ouch!, and lastly the $112 Hard Tale shirt had a too loose wrist closure, this button hole was too big also! So I go in the next day to return them tell them about the lost bracelet and was told, "They don't close very well. It was an inexpensive bracelet anyway." About the rough earrings, "We can just resell them. It's ok. You can just file that down with a nail file anyway." I tried to explain about the sleeve closure and that was the only time they didn't act like everything was my fault and throwing away money or buying substandard items was completely acceptable. Exchanged the earrings and the shirt for two other pieces of clothing because their stuff is unique, but really they didn't deserve the sale. I guarantee they knew about the closure on the lost item and will not stop selling them so be aware $30 of your money will hit some sidewalk and that is fine with them. So disappointed... read more

Fantastic shop, terrific staff. Gift items I have seen no where else! Napkins and tea towels I couldn't stop giggling over (octopus with xmas hat caption: don't get your tinsel in a tangle), food items-mustard, Hawaiian salts, jewellery, irreverent cards with sayings... I can't print here, purses, hats - trucker?! Roll eyes, but apparently very popular... cutest kids section, something for everyone! I came in because the Christmas ornament display drew my attention. I was pleasantly surprised by the fragrance in the shop too. I usually have to back away or run for fear I'll have issues with allergies and asthma but not here, not one bit! Very pleasant. We could have spent a lot of time here. Ok, we did!! I know we'll visit every time we're upcountry. read more

This store is so much fun! If you are looking for some serious happy vibe decor/clothing or gifts, you will find it here. This store is located in sweet downtown Makawao and offers plenty of parking along the street. The doors are wide open and very welcoming to customers. There was a clearance rack by the door with clothing that was marked down. Always good to start off with sales! Inside is where the magic is. Bedding, towels, soaps, jewelry, shoes, books, and so much more! The place is filled from wall to wall with just adorable merchandise. Lots of it is made locally by really talented people. The employees were really friendly and listened to me go on and on about how much I love evveerryythhing in this store. Check this place out to find that perfect gift for that special someone. read more

See all

Located on your way to Maui's Haleakala volcano, Makawao's history is ts plantation past and its current community of artists that have decided to call Maui home. Makawao and much of Maui has a thriving arts community. Many artists, those practicing in oils, jewelry making, watercolor, glass blowing, illustration, floral decor, ceramics, pastry chefs and executive chefs. Maui's charm evolves from these folks. The town of Makawao was once named one of the top 25 arts destinations in the United States. Makawao is a little town in the region locally known as Upcountry Maui and is famous for its Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo. Since the late 19th century, horseback-riding paniolo have wrangled cattle in Maui's wide-open upland fields. The Makawao Rodeo, held yearly on the Fourth of July, is Hawaii's largest paniolo competition and has been an Upcountry tradition for more than 50 years. The weekend events include a parade and traditional rodeo competitions such as barrel racing, calf roping and bareback bronco riding, all with a few Hawaiian twists. You can also spend the afternoon meandering through the eclectic shops, boutiques and art galleries. It's a town of working artists, where you can watch glassblowers, wood sculptors and painters as they fulfill your order. Makawao is also home to the Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center, where visitors can take classes and explore free gallery exhibits. The combination of its paniolo heritage and its lively artistic community make Makawao a unique stop on your visit to Maui. One of my favorite stores to visit is Designing Wahine. The gifts you will find are unique, cool and much of its inventory is made on Maui. You may find jewelry, perfume, linen, pillows, candles, kitchen ware, entertaining items, clothing, Christmas decor and ornaments, children's gifts, books and much more! If your on the west side visit their furniture warehouse or other gift shop Hale Zen. read more

See all

I love coming here to shop! Teal is always so helpful and patient. Great customer service and always a really cute, unique shopping experience. read more

MakaWOW I loved Designing Wahine! It's a corner of cuteness in the Upcountry. I could imagine a boutiquey store like this in SF. The stuff they carry make great gifts, especially if you aren't looking for typical souvenirs like the leis, cheap ukuleles, coconut bras, and plastic seashell keychains made in China carried everywhere else. Seriously, every ABC store I visited carried Maui-themed mini license plates, wooden bowls, and seashells that originated from Asia. Unlike Derek S., I didn't have any problems whatsoever with the friendly staff. They just pleasantly asked if I needed help, and otherwise let me browse the store at my own leisure. I ended up purchasing a foot pumice stone with hand-milled jasmine-scented soap ($12), plus a neat wine stopper topped with a bouquet of seashells ($14). read more

Designing Wahine - The gateway to goodies! - Home Decor Near Me - Makawao, Hawaii

Stopped in this little gem on Saturday and wow! So much variety of high quality merchandise and something in every price range. Unique gifts, housewares, clothing - both for my husband and myself. The staff were so sweet and friendly - from greeting us as we came through the door to helping find the right size, assistance was right there. Found all the perfect gifts for our family back home and even a perfect pair of jeans. Will be back again for sure. read more

What a treasure this shop was to find! My friend and I both left with Maui treasures to fill our suitcases. The staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

So this place was apparently cheaper than some tourist places in Paia - my wife looked at a t shirt for the kids and it was 20% cheaper. They also had super cool tree ornaments that make great trip souvenirs and very friendly staff! read more

Designing Wahine - Home Decor Near Me - Makawao, Hawaii

Sept 10, 2010 2pm saw this cute little store, and as we were browsing, the older "customer service" rep rudely made us move out of her way when she easily could have walked around us. Um shouldn't she be helping us find nice things to buy rather than encouraging us to leave and never come back? I love Makawao's aloha, but did not find any in this shop. read more

Very rude customer service! I called them up to give me some info on a product I saw in their store. They asked me if I planned on buying it. When I said "not at this time" the woman's voice changed, she was very short with me. she said she was busy and would call me back. I never got a call back. read more

The products are top quality and some are one of a kind. The staff is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about their products. You can always count on them to be friendly and helpful. This company understands what it means to provide a great retail establishment. read more

This is a 5 star store with a 2 star staff IMO. Yeah...it IS a bummer they aren't more friendly but if you can get past that you will find some really unique items. Worth a peek and after your kick in the tail by the staff, there are plenty of great bars in town to soothe your wounded spirits! read more

Great place to find some beautiful Hawaii jewelry and home decor!

What a great little shop; a mix of souvenirs and local knick knacks, but not along the lines of a cheesy airport gift shop. Oh no, Designing Wahine houses a carefully chosen selection of goodies that's fun just to wander through, and even better to shop in. I picked up a stunning set of sea turtle themed jewelry in silver and rose gold; earrings, necklace, and ring, & they were very high quality at a very reasonable price. It was hard to walk away without grabbing an armful of stuff, there were so many neat things to choose from! Very friendly staff & a cozy but not cramped environment; a very pleasant shopping experience in a lovely little town in the Upcountry of Maui. read more

I love this store!! It's so fun to look around at all the amazing gifts. What I really appreciate is their shoe selection and beautiful local jewelry. Even their skin care area has so much to choose from. It's a must visit. read more

We got some great treasures in this shop. There seems to be something for everyone in there, and I enjoyed checking everytihng out. Beautiful little treasures here. Locally made jewelry and some hard to find lines as well (Kiehls, Apothia) Great store---even if you just check out thier t-shirts--its worth it to go in. read more

Really cool assortment of stuff. Prices were more affordable then some of the other places in Makawao. Super friendly employees!

Loved this store. They have some great jewelry and gift items. Definitely a store you should check out. Although I know one person shared they had a challenge with the sales person my encounter was completely different. They were extremely helpful and polite. read more

Best store in Makawao! The staff is sweet and helpful but let me take my time trying things on and looking around. I bought two super cute shirts that I didn't see anywhere else on the island. read more

Do Not miss this fabulous store!!! Super friendly staff - my reason for going in as other stores in the area said 'go away until 10am'. Bought many treasures here and could have purchased much more. Great quality of everything in here from the tshirts to the comforters, the pillow cushions, the jewellry - I cant say enough good things about this store! mahalo, Kelly read more

Wonderful shop- lots of cute things, mostly nice sales help. But- same thing happened with the older sales clerk that happened to Derek. She asked me to move out of her way three times, and not in a friendly way. Not sure what she was doing but she wasn't friendly at all. I seemed to be in her way no matter where I was in the store. She must be an owner or she would be out of there! read more

This is one of my favorite shops in Makawao. So many cute items in one store--jewelry, soaps, placemats, tshirts, shoes, dishes, you name it--and a cute little children's section in the back. This is not your usual "touristy" store. I brought my sisters here on the last day of their Maui visit, and we wished we had come here first--so many cute and unusual items to choose from! read more

great contemporary hawaiiana store in the middle of upcountry Maui. great service

Worth peeking into but the merchandise is not top quality as stated in reviews I've seen. There is a cute ambiance to this shop that carries home decor and jewelry. It's not as high quality or unique as most of the other stores at the beginning of the street. If you're looking for higher quality souvenirs of Hawaii then this your place. read more