Indashio is a brash, bold, self-promoting New York-based fashion designer whose style is sassy and sexy. His clothes are costumey, not couture, so it's not surprising that his latest collection was inspired by Sin City. Now he's bringing the daring — and baring — collection to Honolulu for his first Island appearance.

Indashio's "Viva Las Vegas" show, which premiered at New York Fashion Week, is comprised of 25 flamboyant designs, all of which will be showcased at the Honolulu Design Center. The young designer is just 22. In fact, he will turn 23 on Jan. 18, while he is in Honolulu.

Indashio is the made-up name of Brad Batory, from Pittsfield, Mass., in the Berkshire Mountains. Since he made up the name, he can also make up a definition: "living a dream."

A dream indeed. Indashio has no fashion pedigree or training. "I never studied fashion; I just read magazines," he said in a phone interview from snowy Pittsfield. In fact, he admitted he barely made it through high school. "I had never attended a show — all I did was read fashion magazines," he reiterated.

His first creations were worn by his sister, Ciara. "My Donatella," he called her, in a reference to Donatella Versace, sister of the late Italian designer Gianni Versace.

"I would dress her up for school in something different every day, so every day was a fashion show. The boys loved the clothes, and the girls hated them because they got so much attention from the boys," he quipped.

He began hand-painting T-shirts and jeans. "I found that people wanted them," he said.

This gave him the encouragement to start a line of his own. His first show, at age 18, was in Miami, where his family, including sister Ciara, now lives. He has since shown in New York and Los Angeles.

WHY HONOLULU?

Diva Franson, a business consultant in Manhattan who is originally from Kane'ohe, was Indashio's inspiration for the spring show. "If you could see the way she dresses, with the flash of a Las Vegas showgirl, you would totally know why," Indashio said.

After seeing his show in New York, Franson said, "You've got to take this show to Honolulu," and so he did.

Indashio showed his first collection in 2003 during New York Fashion Week, when he was just 18 years old. His themes and inspirations have been all over the map. In 2005, the "Candy Collection" was all about gold lamé and blatant commercialism, epitomized by a puffy dollar sign appliqued on the bust of a gold maillot. His "Pretty in Pink" collection for 2006 was sweet-16 meets biker chic.

For fall 2007, the inspiration was "Edward Scissorhands," a dark collection of garments created entirely by cutting and snipping with scissors — nothing was sewn.

"Now, enough of the darkness already. Let's go for full-on boldness," he shouted into the phone. Enter "Viva Las Vegas."

The audience for Indashio's Saturday show can expect to see a lot of skin and flashy showgirl style. Feather boas and headdresses will abound. There's even a dress with dice appliqued on the bodice. Nothing subtle about the stimulus for this show.

Indashio's clothes are not for the shy or timid.

"My customer wants all eyes on them when they walk into a room," Indashio said. "It's just so fabulous to see my clients' expressions when they are transformed by one of my dresses."

We'll see how Honolulu's fashion lovers react as they flank Indashio's runway on Saturday night.

Reach Paula Rath at paularath@aol.com.