Chapter.2 A New Breeze for Aloha Shirts
Stick to Made in Hawaii
Classical New Wave.
The pandemic hit Hawaii hard. Aloha shirts were also affected, with some manufacturers scaling back or even reducing the size of their operations. More and more manufacturers moved their factories overseas due to labor shortages and other reasons. In such a situation, there was a valuable manufacturer who has been keeping the made-in-Hawaii tradition.
The number of manufacturers that produce entirely in Hawaii is decreasing every year. There are various factors, such as a decrease in the number of seamstresses. But I want aloha shirts to be made in Hawaii. I think it is very important to know which country or region the garment was produced in.
Dennis Kaneko started LANI'S General Store in 2017. Upon entering the factory, we were greeted by a nostalgic scene of fabrics piled up and sewn by a seamstress.
Lanies' aloha shirts are made in Hawaii.
When I trace the history of the aloha shirt, I find that Japanese people are deeply involved in it, which is one of the major attractions for me as a Japanese-American. It is exciting to imagine how Japanese immigrants took apart kimonos and yukatas to make shirts."
Dennis came to Hawaii in his 20s and spent five years making clothes at the long-established apparel company Jams World. After running a skate store in Tokyo, he returned to Hawaii in 2017 to start Lanny's General Store. When he launched his brand in Hawaii, where he learned about manufacturing, he had only one thing in mind: to make things made in Hawaii.
Denise Kaneko, owner.
What is Lanies' idea of Hawaiianness?
I always value traditional stories when making clothes. I am happy if people can feel the story from a single shirt. We often choose fabrics with Hawaiian patterns from local textile makers. We think it is important to make shirts using local fabrics, including supporting Hawaiian businesses.
Lannie's General Store's aloha shirts also incorporate the history of Japan and Hawaii that continues to this day.
Textured aloha shirt made of rayon crape fabric.
Bucket hats made from leftover fabric from the production of palaca shirts.
▼shop info
LANI'S Generat Store
https://lanisgeneralstore.com
Wearing an aloha shirt?
Maybe it is to wear Hawaii.
Not a day goes by when you don't see someone in an aloha shirt on the streets of Hawaii. Many hotels and restaurants wear aloha shirts as their uniforms. Since aloha means "greeting" or "welcome," they probably wear them to welcome visitors. Aloha shirts that blend into everyday life, not special materials or vintage patterns, are also nice. And the shaka sign goes well with the aloha shirt.
The driver of The BUS said, "Look! It's a bus pattern," he showed me.
Musicians performing at the Kani Ka Pila Grill at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort were also dressed in aloha shirts.
