Some people seem to collect careers throughout their lives. Others collect stories.
For Michele Philips, the two have always gone hand in hand.
Before she was carefully tending orchids on Hawaiʻi Island, handcrafting botanical body oils, or harvesting anthuriums at sunrise, Michele spent years chasing swells around the world as a professional bodyboarder. She later built a 25-year career as a Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant, traveling across the Pacific while never losing sight of the ocean that first shaped her life.
Today, you'll most likely find her barefoot on the Big Island, surrounded by orchids, tropical flowers, fruit trees, and the rich volcanic landscape of Puna at Puakea Estates. Whether she's gathering blossoms for her botanical products, checking the surf, or working alongside her husband Sean, Michele embodies the kind of effortless island lifestyle that has always inspired us at Coconut Ave.
She was the perfect muse for our Hilo Flower Market Collection, because her life reflects everything the collection represents—authentic Hawaiʻi, creativity, sustainability, and finding beauty in everyday moments.
A Life Built Around the Ocean
Long before flower farms and orchids became part of her daily life, Michele was simply a surfer from Oʻahu.
Growing up in Hawaiʻi meant spending countless hours in the ocean, and before long, surfing evolved into competitive bodyboarding. Michele traveled internationally as a professional bodyboarder for three years, experiencing waves, cultures, and coastlines around the globe.
Professional surfing isn't simply about catching waves. It teaches patience, resilience, adaptability, and a deep respect for nature—qualities that continue to influence how Michele approaches life today.
It was surfing that first connected Michele with Coconut Ave founders Mahealani Gambill and Kelly Pila. The Hawaiʻi surf community has always been remarkably close, and friendships naturally formed through countless sessions at favorite breaks.
Some of those memories happened at Honoliʻi Beach Park near Hilo, one of Hawaiʻi Island's most iconic surf breaks. Others unfolded at Anaehoʻomalu Bay (A-Bay) on the Kohala Coast, where warm sunsets and gentle waves create one of the Big Island's most beloved beach communities.
Years later, those friendships would evolve into creative collaborations.
Photo by Hauoli Reeves
Twenty-Five Years Exploring the World
While surfing first introduced Michele to traveling, her career with Hawaiian Airlines allowed that passion to continue for decades.
For over 25 years, Michele has worked as a Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant, giving her the opportunity to explore destinations across the Pacific and beyond. Travel has always been one of the greatest joys in her life—not just for the places she's visited, but for the people she's met and the cultures she's experienced along the way.
Whether wandering local markets, discovering regional cuisine, or simply observing how people live in different corners of the world, Michele believes every destination offers something to learn. Those experiences have shaped her appreciation for craftsmanship, nature, and the simple beauty found in everyday life.
Despite seeing so much of the world, Hawaiʻi has always been home. Returning to the lush landscapes of Hawaiʻi Island after each trip has only deepened her appreciation for the islands, inspiring the slower, more intentional lifestyle she now enjoys at Puakea Estates.
Her curiosity and adventurous spirit continue to influence everything she does—from surfing new waves and cultivating tropical flowers to creating botanical body oils inspired by the natural beauty of Hawaiʻi.
Falling in Love with Flowers
Sometimes life surprises us with passions we never expected.
Although surfing defined much of Michele's early life, flowers slowly captured her heart after meeting her husband, Sean Philips.
Shawn's family has been growing tropical plants in Leilani Estates for more than 40 years, building generations of knowledge about Hawaiʻi Island's unique climate and growing conditions.
What began as curiosity quickly became genuine fascination.
Over the past eight years, Michele immersed herself in learning floriculture—from understanding orchids and anthuriums to appreciating the incredible diversity of tropical plants that flourish on Hawaiʻi Island.
Today, flowers are woven into nearly every aspect of her daily life.
As her love for flowers grew, so did her appreciation for clothing that could move effortlessly between life on the farm and everyday island adventures. Here, Michele wears our Long Sleeve Gypsy Top in the Na Puʻuwai print while surrounded by the tropical blooms that inspire her every day.
Puakea Estates: Growing Hawaiʻi's Tropical Beauty
Nestled on Hawaiʻi Island, Puakea Estates is more than a flower farm.
It's a living expression of Hawaiʻi's extraordinary biodiversity.
Rows of colorful anthuriums stretch beneath carefully maintained shade cloth. Delicate orchids bloom in every direction. Tropical fruit trees thrive throughout the property, producing fresh island harvests while creating an ecosystem where plants, pollinators, and people coexist.
Every season brings something different.
Every bloom tells its own story.
Rather than rushing nature, Michele embraces its rhythms, understanding that every flower opens exactly when it's ready.
Working on a flower farm requires patience, consistency, and appreciation for details many people overlook.
It's incredibly rewarding work—but it's also wonderfully grounding.
From Flowers to Botanical Skincare
Michele's love for flowers eventually inspired something entirely new.
She founded Puakea Products, creating handcrafted botanical body oils infused with the delicate essence of locally grown white flowers cultivated right here on Hawaiʻi Island.
Instead of synthetic fragrances, her products celebrate the natural aromas that make Hawaiʻi so unforgettable.
Each bottle reflects the same philosophy found throughout Puakea Estates: slow craftsmanship, thoughtful ingredients, and genuine appreciation for the land.
As the business grew, Michele and Shawn expanded even further, establishing their own orchid operation nearby in Pāhoa, continuing their commitment to locally grown tropical flowers.
Their work supports Hawaiʻi agriculture while sharing the beauty of island botanicals with people both near and far.
It's only fitting that Michele is photographed here wearing our Long Sleeve Gypsy Top in the Pua Hou print—a design inspired by Hawaiʻi's vibrant blooms and the same natural beauty that influences every bottle of Puakea Products.
Living in Coconut Ave
Some people wear clothing only for special occasions.
Michele wears hers while actually living life.
One of our favorite memories is seeing her spend entire days working around Puakea Estates wearing our Island Bloom – Jungle Tube Top paired with the matching pareau from a previous Coconut Ave collection.
From harvesting flowers...
To watering orchids...
To gathering fruit...
To making a quick detour for an afternoon surf...
Her wardrobe moves effortlessly between every part of island life.
That's exactly how we design our collections.
Pieces should never feel too precious to actually wear.
They're meant for:
- Real adventures.
- Real beaches.
- Real farms.
- Real Hawaiʻi
The effortless ease Michele loves in everyday pieces is exactly what inspired styles like our Waikiki Maxi Dress in the Lilikoi Blooms print—designed to move comfortably from flower farms and beach walks to everything in between.
The Skipper One Piece: Michele's Favorite Surf Suit
Ask Michele which Coconut Ave swimsuit she reaches for when the surf is good, and she'll quickly mention the Skipper One Piece.
For someone who has spent years surfing professionally, performance matters just as much as style.
She loves the Skipper because it offers the perfect balance of:
- Supportive structure
- Comfortable fit
- Freedom of movement
- A flattering, cheeky silhouette
- Confidence in the water
Whether paddling out before work or catching an evening session after a day on the farm, it's become one of her trusted go-to suits.
When someone with Michele's surfing background chooses a favorite swimsuit, we pay attention.
Creating Community Through Small Businesses
One of our favorite memories with Michele happened during the NIU Bungalow Pop-Up, where Puakea Products shared space alongside Coconut Ave.
Local markets have a unique energy.
They're where:
- Farmers meet artists.
- Designers meet customers.
- Friends become collaborators.
- Ideas become businesses.
Michele immediately fell in love with the atmosphere.
In fact, she still says the NIU Bungalow market was her favorite pop-up she's ever attended.
"It was such a vibe."
We couldn't agree more.
Inspired by Hawaiʻi's blooms and designed for everyday island life, our Aloha Skirt in the Pua Hou print reflects the same creativity and sense of community that makes gatherings like these so special.
There's something incredibly special about gathering Hawaiʻi makers together in one beautiful space where every booth tells a different island story.
Why Michele Was the Perfect Muse for Hilo Flower Market
When we created our Hilo Flower Market Collection, we weren't simply designing prints inspired by flowers.
We were celebrating the people who live among them.
Michele represents that spirit perfectly.
She understands both the wild beauty of Hawaiʻi's coastlines and the quiet patience required to cultivate flowers.
She knows what it's like to chase waves across the world while still feeling most at home surrounded by tropical blooms on Hawaiʻi Island.
Her lifestyle isn't curated for social media.
It's simply who she is.
That authenticity shines through every photograph we captured together.
You don't have to ask Michele how to pose.
You simply let her be herself.
The result feels effortless because it is.
Michele wearing our Waikiki Mini in the Pua Hou print perfectly captures that effortless spirit—comfortable, playful, and completely herself.
Hawaiʻi Lifestyle, Naturally
At Coconut Ave, we've always believed the best inspiration comes from real people living real island lives.
Not staged moments.
Not manufactured stories.
Just genuine women who embody the spirit of Hawaiʻi every single day.
Michele reminds us that life doesn't have to fit neatly into one category.
You can be:
- A surfer.
- A world traveler.
- A flight attendant.
- A flower farmer.
- An entrepreneur.
- A creator.
- A wife.
- A friend.
Each chapter simply adds another layer to your story.
Visit Puakea Estates and Experience the Beauty of Hawaiʻi Island
If you're exploring the Big Island, keep an eye out for the incredible work happening at Puakea Estates and Puakea Products.
Their flowers celebrate the extraordinary growing conditions of Hawaiʻi Island, while their handcrafted botanical body oils capture the delicate fragrance of locally grown white blossoms.
It's a beautiful reminder that some of Hawaiʻi's greatest treasures aren't found in souvenir shops—they're grown with patience, cared for with intention, and shared by the people who call these islands home.
We're endlessly grateful to call Michele a longtime friend and part of the Coconut Ave ʻohana.
She reminds us that the most beautiful lives aren't necessarily the busiest or the loudest—they're the ones rooted in passion, guided by curiosity, and grounded in the places we love most.
Whether she's harvesting orchids at sunrise, greeting passengers aboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight, paddling into a clean morning swell, or wrapping herself in an Island Bloom pareau before heading out for the day, Michele carries the spirit of Hawaiʻi with her everywhere she goes.
And that's exactly the kind of island living that continues to inspire every collection we create.
Today, we're proud to carry Puakea Products botanical body oils at all Coconut Ave locations. They're one of our favorite locally made products to share with customers, offering a beautiful way to experience the delicate fragrance of Hawaiʻi's white flowers. It's a partnership that feels especially meaningful because it supports a longtime friend, fellow Hawaiʻi small business, and someone whose lifestyle naturally aligns with the values behind Coconut Ave.
If Michele's story inspired you, you'll also enjoy reading the story behind our hand-painted Pua Hou print, another glimpse into the creativity and people who inspire the Hilo Flower Market Collection.
Explore the Hilo Flower Market Collection
Inspired by Hawaiʻi Island's vibrant blooms and the women who live among them, the Hilo Flower Market Collection celebrates effortless island style through original Coconut Ave prints, thoughtfully designed swimwear, and versatile resort wear made for surfing, traveling, gardening, beach days, and everything in between.
Whether you're packing for a Hawaiʻi vacation or simply bringing a little piece of paradise home with you, we invite you to explore the collection and discover pieces designed to be worn—not just admired.
Because the best memories are made while living life, not saving your favorite outfit for someday.