Honolulu (KHON2) – Local clothing line Kona Bay Hawaii brings the style of 50s-inspired designs to modern aloha shirts.
Since 2001, local clothing line Kona Bay Hawai‘i has specialized in selling 1950s-inspired shirts, loved by many in the Japanese market.
“I believe the aloha shirts from the 1930s to the 1950s were the best, so we try to make them the same way. We are one of the few remaining independent aloha shirt makers that crafts the shirts the original way. We import high quality rayon fabric from Japan, and then handcraft each shirt in Hawai‘i. Every panel cut, every stitch made, and every genuine shell button added is all done right here in Hawai‘i. Most “aloha shirts” today are not made here anymore. My life mission is to keep the culture of the true aloha shirt alive,” says Kusuo “KC” Kiuchi, Founder and Owner of Kona Bay Hawaii.
Prior to the pandemic, Kona Bay Hawaii has attracted many Japanese tourists. According to Kiuchi, the support of both local consumers and Japanese consumers helped his business stay afloat.
Kiuchi says, “I was able to keep my business up and running thanks to the people of Hawaii and Japan. Our customers support locally-owned and operated businesses, so I was really thankful for all the aloha we received through crowd-funding.”
To shop at Kona Bay Hawaii, Kiuchi encourages customers to visit its store in Waikiki.
Kona Bay Hawaii:
444 Ena Rd.
Honolulu, HI 96815
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