Releasing exclusively in-store and online this Tuesday, King Kamehameha I Day, June 11 at 11am HST.
Aloha kākou!
We celebrate King Kamehameha I Day this Tuesday with a special capsule release, showcasing a brand new 59FIFTY design called Kou, a new Kamehameha 59FIFTY, and a brand new tee design called Head Hawaiian in Charge.
The Kou 59FIFTY features a truly regal look utilizing premium materials, with black velour covering the entire crown and visor and metallic gold stitching on the front Kou logo, side New Era logo, side crown, and back crest. The Kamehameha 59FIFTY features a clean black base with mountain pine green undervisor, red top button, yellow front logo, red side crown, and yellow back crest.
The new Head Hawaiian in Charge tee design arrives on either a vintage black tee or white tee, and features unique artwork of King Kamehameha I, as described below, along with overlaid hand-lettering.
In 1816, the Russian artist Louis Choris accompanied the expedition of Otto von Kotzebue to the Pacific and created some of the earliest known visual records of the Hawaiian Islands and their inhabitants. Among his notable works is a portrait of King Kamehameha I, the formidable monarch who united the Hawaiian Islands. Choris's depiction of Kamehameha is significant not only for its artistic value but also for its historical importance, capturing the likeness of one of Hawaii's most revered leaders during his reign. Notably, this stands as the only instance where Kamehameha sat for a portrait.
Kamehameha's choice of garments in the portrait is particularly intriguing. Initially, he greeted Choris and his crew draped in a black kapa cloak over his royal shoulders and a red malo, making a strong statement of political independence. For the portrait, however, Kamehameha opted for a more unusual ensemble: a plain white shirt, a yellow silk necktie, blue trousers, and a red waistcoat without the coat. This attire was more akin to a simple English sailor's outfit, rather than the Russian-provided captain's suit or the formal English attire, which could have signaled aggression towards the Russian voyage. Kamehameha, always a tactician, chose his attire with konane-like precision.
The portrait showcases Kamehameha's regal bearing and the powerful presence that earned him respect and loyalty from his people. Through Choris's eyes, we see Kamehameha in his grandest respect—the head Hawaiian in charge.
