Aloha kākou!
For our Spring 2016 collection, rather than look elsewhere for inspiration, we chose to turn our attention to those closest to us—our FITTED ‘ohana. This season, we’re getting up close and personal with our “hui” (Hawaiian for club or company), as we allowed each of our team members to dream up two hats, each utilizing their choice of silhouette (59FIFTY fitted or 9FIFTY snapback), front logo, color-blocking, and materials—resulting in unique pieces that hold special value to the team members that created them. A few of our stockists on the Mainland will release their own store exclusives in the near future as well. Please note that all hats in this collection were produced in limited quantities.
Each piece has a special story behind it, and what better way to hear those stories than from the creators themselves? Every release will be authored by the team member responsible for that design, for an even more personal touch. This Spring season, we hope to share a little more about our hui with you.
Name: Haylee Watson
AKA: hele_wats
Title/Position: Shop Girl
Favorite place in Hawaii? Waipoli Rd., Kula, Maui
One thing you can't live without? THREE things I canʻt live without. Family, friends and bread.
What are you doing when you aren't working? Creating and thinking about the future.
Favorite FITTED hat? H Pride and 5 panels
What inspires you? “He ʻaʻaliʻi ku makani mai au; ʻaʻohe makani nana e kulaʻi.” The ʻaʻaliʻi bush can stand the worst of gales, twisting and bending but seldom breaking off or falling over.
BLUE ROOM SLAPS WIND SNAPBACK
By Haylee Watson
When I get a chance to visit ʻIolani Palace I always end up lingering in the “Blue Room.” It’s my favorite room in the entire palace. The colors, the paintings, the architecture are all very stunning and elegant. It’s crazy to think that almost all the original pieces within the room are still intact. In the Blue Room there are many portraits of the aliʻi. This room is also where the palace would entertain guests. Most of the dignitaries who visited the Palace spent majority of their leisurely time in the Blue Room. It is equally amazing to think that ʻIolani Palace had electricity before the White House.
Although the history of ʻIolani Palace is awe-striking and many dignitaries visited the palace, there is one event in the history of the palace that will live forever in infamy. On January 17, 1893, the overthrow and imprisonment of Queen Liliʻuokalani occurred. This event was met with much discourse and discontent. On January 16, 1895, Liliʻuokalani was imprisoned in the palace under the impression she had constructed the Kaua Kuloko (Counter Revolution in Hawaiʻi) which occurred a few days earlier and was led by Robert William Wilcox. She became imprisoned and confined to one of the upper rooms of the palace. There were petitions in opposition of the attempted annexation which would occur later. This was known as the Kūʻē Petition, which garnered over 40,000 signatures. This perhaps inspired the Leka Hoʻōle o Liliʻuokalani (Liliʻuokalani Letter of Protest) which was crafted in the Blue Room. It was eventually shown to the U.S. House of Representatives protesting the U.S. assertion of ownership of Hawaiʻi on December 19, 1898. It was a direct opposition to the supposed annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
I chose to pay homage to the room, the palace, and the Hae Hawaiʻi—the flag that slaps the wind proudly and independently above any other. The blue, gold, and white colors on this hat resemble the Blue Room within the palace, along with the rich history and artistry which provide the foundation of the palace.
Along with the Blue Room Slaps Wind, we’ll be releasing a new WTCF 2 tee featuring gold print on a white tee.
