Releasing tomorrow, Wed. Dec. 15th online and in-stores. The release is limited to 40 pieces for the jerseys and 50 caps
It’s been 200 years since Kamehameha unified the Hawaiian Islands. A few months ago, Puukohola National Historic Site celebrated the bicentennial anniversary with a chicken-skin-inducing ceremony on Hawaii Island– the birthplace of Kamehameha aka Paiea. Puukohola heiau (temple) was widely believed to empower Kamehameha with the necessary mana (spiritual energy/currency) to unify Hawaii. Kamehameha ordered the construction of Puukohola heiau and dedicated it to Ku– the god of war amongst other things and one of the four major Akua (gods) in ancient Hawaii. Today, the heiau still stands in Kawaihae as evidence of ancient Hawaiian ingenuity and culture, but more importantly Puukohola is a testament to the greatness of Kamehameha.
To commemorate Kamehameha’s historical achievement Fitted and Paiea Projects collaborated on a limited edition Hawaiian Throwback jersey and a matching Kamehameha New Era 59Fifty. This jersey is a tribute to the bicentennial anniversary of the hookuikahi (unification) of the Hawaiian Islands by Kamehameha the Great in 1810.
Kamehameha’s birth name is Paiea, and is proudly displayed on the Hawaiian Throwback. The jersey sports the #91 to commemorate the completion of Puukohola Heiau in 1791. The text throughout the jersey contains no diacritics (okina/kahako), just as it was printed in the old newspapers of Hawaii. The colorway of the jersey was inspired by the Chicago Bulls. Just like Michael “Air” Jordan and the Bulls ruled the NBA for years, so did Paiea and the Kamehameha dynasty run Hawaii for nearly a century. The matching Kamehameha hat is black with a white logo and red stitching.
The jerseys are limited, ranging in sizes from small to 3XL for the big bruddahs. The Fitted x Paiea Projects Hawaiian Throwback Pack is dropping on December 15 at Fitted. Judging by the preliminary public response to the jersey and hats this limited edition pack will probably sell out immediately.
Paiea Projects designed the Hawaiian Throwback Pack to make a product relevant in today's society, while giving respect to the olden days of the Hawaiian monarchy. Paiea Projects is a web and graphic design company specializing in modern media- digital photography, viral marketing and social networking. The name "Paiea"refers to the birth name of Kamehameha, and the owners' alma mater, the Kamehameha Schools. "Projects" refers to their diverse work and various design endeavors.