FITTED + PAIʻEA PROJECTS: PUʻUKOHOLĀ 2.0 COLLECTION
Releasing in-store and online today, March 26 at 11am HST.
Please abide by the new safety guidelines while shopping in-store.
Music and Model: @olapakauwila.wilz
Cinematographer: @lukeaguinaldo
Editor: @ahardflipproduction
Director: @ka_ito
Producer: @ponosher
Art: @kema808
Words by Pai‘ea Projects
In the days of our ali‘i, Kōnane was used to test battle strategies. This Hawaiian two-player game was played on a rectangular board with black and white pieces similar to chess. Kōnane was an intellectual training for a warrior, which measured their ability to strategize an attack, foresee their opponentsʻ next move, and plan their defenses. Pai‘ea learned from some of the best at Kōnane: Kekuhaupi‘o (his guardian) was revered as a Kōnane master and Kahekili (some believed to be his father) notably used Kōnane to illustrate his battle plan to his chiefs.
"Because your next move gotta be your best move." – Kauwila. "Konane." Lehua. Daniel Kauwila Mahi, 2020.
One of Pai‘ea’s most important moves to uniting the Hawaiian Islands was activating Kūka‘ilimoku (snatcher of lands) by constructing Pu‘ukoholā. This heiau was 250 feet long, 100 feet wide, with surrounding walls 12 feet thick, rising up 8 feet in height on the upper side, and 20 feet on the lower side. This maneuver elevated Pai‘ea in the chiefly ranks, granting him the mana to defeat his rivals in battle and conquering the islands.
"If you’re plottin’ your next move, I suggest you move into the pō so remote that you lose control to be in tune with the moon, plot your ʻaha now, the time is comin’ soon." – Kauwila. "Konane." Lehua. Daniel Kauwila Mahi, 2020.
The Pu‘ukoholā 2.0 collection celebrates the epic architectural achievement of the heiau. The vertical red stripes of the basketball jersey and basketball shorts tell the story of the ‘aha‘ula: Pai‘ea’s council of ali‘i and the red chord that guided Kamehameha to make his next move his best move after the completion of Pu‘ukoholā., and the right leg features the signature FITTED Kamehameha and the Pai‘ea Projects silhouette.