Film/Edit: @conormcgivern
Starring: @j.sizzzle_ / @porkondapali / @k3.lz
Tomorrow we have a very special release as part of our Noir Collection. We could not keep the Hell’s Half Acre party going without tapping our homies at Aʻala Park Boardshop, who actually reside within these grimy city limits. Together, we took the collection motif and put a spin on their company moniker, dubbing the collaboration “Aʻala Park Bastards,” cleverly keeping the APB acronym intact.
The logo became a combination of a few staple Chinatown elements—particularly the guardian lion statues and bright neon lights. We kept the the slogans from the collection as well, adding to the allure of Hell’s Half Acre. As the premier stop for all things skate, it was only right that we bring you not only one but two brand new skate decks—one standard and one cruiser style. We then translated that design to a 9FIFTY snapback, hoodie and tee, resulting in a cohesive and well-rounded capsule.
See below for more info on the Hawaiʻi Noir Collection in general, as well as all the products releasing tomorrow.
We pulled inspiration from the classic Film Noir genre (a trend of darker and cynical films in the early to mid-1900’s), matched it up with a similar era in Hawaiʻi’s past, then laced it with a bit of irony and humor to stir up a new concoction: the Hawaiʻi Noir Collection.
Let’s set it up for you. It’s 1930’s Chinatown, a time where people still came over from the states by boat—a bunch of affluent out-of-towners looking to escape their mundane lives and encase themselves in paradise. To most, paradise was the allure of bright sun, warm waters, and sandy beaches, but of course there were some that thought of paradise a little differently.
For those people, there was Hell’s Half Acre.
This little parcel of land in Chinatown became notorious for being an adult playground, filled with crime, hookers, drugs, scandal, and downright debauchery—and many wouldn’t have it any other way. It was almost its own self-governed society, with all the different businesses knowing their roles and playing their part. Ordered chaos, if you will.
This unique irony of paradise masking the grimy adult paradise in Chinatown inspired us to create this collection, resulting in a carefully curated assortment of items centered around Hell’s Half Acre, and focuses on tongue-in-cheek designs based on fictional businesses within the area.
We’ve also created a new pattern specifically for this collection called Nectar, which encapsulates the facade of a Hawaiʻi paradise (la ulu palm, monstera, Diamond Head) combined with the gritty underbelly (scantily clad women) to create the perfect depiction of Hell’s Half Acre.
Because the ideas and execution became so robust, it was hard to limit ourselves to just one release day. So we expanded the collection to span across the next several weeks—the only way to do this collection justice. Keep checking back as the weeks progress, all the while thinking about which of these places you’d like to check out. Because we know you would.
Indulge in the debauchery. Immerse yourself in the toughest spot in the Pacific. Welcome to Hell’s Half Acre.
FITTED FOR APB BASTARDS SKATEBOARD DECK – STANDARD OR CRUISER
Choose from two different styles of skate deck for our collaborative effort with APB—standard or cruiser, both utilizing the new Bastards design made exclusively for this collection. The standard version comes in three widths: 7.25" (mini), 8.25", or 8.5". Please note that the top color may vary between decks.
FITTED FOR APB BASTARDS SNAPBACK
The headlining hat for this collaboration features the Bastards design on the front of an all-black hat, with a tonal all-over print of the map of Hell’s Half Acre. The side logos are tonal black, along with the APB logo on the back. It also features a black snap enclosure and black crest tag.
FITTED FOR APB BASTARDS TEE – BLACK
This tee proudly displays the Bastards design on the back with dual branding on the front left chest.
FITTED FOR APB BASTARDS HOODIE – BLACK
The Bastards hoodie matches the look of the tee above, perfect for the winter weather.
NECTAR HOT SPOT SHIRT
The newest addition to our cut and sew line is the Hot Spot button shirt, a standard cut button shirt made to our exact specifications. For this collection, we covered it with our new Nectar pattern, showcasing the griminess of Hell’s Half Acre masked by the beautiful views of paradise.
