Discover the Cultural Secrets Behind Award-Winning Hawaiian Fashion That Shocked the World!

Hold onto your hats, fashion lovers! A jaw-dropping case study has just swept the awards at the 2024 International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) conference. A groundbreaking team from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa delved into the world of Native Hawaiian fashion designer Micah Kamohoaliʻi, unraveling the threads of cultural values, sustainability, and authenticity in fashion design.

Meet the dynamic duo, Professor Andy Reilly and graduate student Jordan Antonio, who put the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program on the map by bagging the prestigious Paper of Distinction award! Their pivotal insights were showcased at the ITAA conference in Long Beach, California.

Kamohoaliʻi, whose fashion saga began in 2005, has been shaking up the industry with his show-stopping designs on both Hawaiian and New York runways. Reilly and Antonio's paper reveals how he weaves cultural values into his design and manufacturing magic. Get excited—the full scoop will drop in early 2025!

In Reilly's words, "Jordan and I are thrilled to receive such high praise from our peers. We owe a huge thanks to Micah Kamohoaliʻi for sharing his invaluable perspective on tackling fashion's relentless challenges, from waste to sustainability."

The ITAA, the crown jewel for textile and fashion scholars, only dishes out awards after scrutinizing the crème de la crème. Thanks to a buzzing Hatch Act grant, this mind-blowing research is shaking up the fashion scene!