IT'S BEEN A STAPLE HERE FOR
ABOUT A CENTURY.
Trini: HOW DID IT START AND
GET SO POPULAR?
WE'RE LEARNING ALL ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF THE ALOHA IN TODAY'S
EXPLORING ALOHA.
I'M EXCITED TO LEARN WHERE
WE'RE GOING TODAY.
Trini: I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU
LOVE YOUR ALOHA SHIRTS.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF ALOHA SHIRTS AND
HOW IT BECAME SO POPULAR.
I'M EXCITED.
I CAN'T WAIT.
♪
Trini: WE'RE HERE IN THE
BACK OF BEAUTIFUL PALOLO VALLEY
AT THE HOME OF DALE HOPE.
THE AUTHOR OF REQUESTS OF "THE ALOHA SHIRT."
TELL US, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO
WRITE THIS BOOK?
I GREW UP IN THE GARMENT
INDUSTRY.
MY PARENTS WERE THE OWNER OF THE
COMPANY HERE.
WHEN I WAS LITTLE, THE CUTTERS
AND SEAMSTRESS WHERE SO NICE TO
ME.
THEY WERE SO SPECIAL AND SPECIAL
FOR OUR INDUSTRY THAT I WANTED
TO TELL THEIR STORY.
THE ARTISTS STORY, THE THE RETAILER
STORY.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO
DID A LOT OF RESEARCH.
YOU INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE
FIRST ALOHA SHIRT?
WELL, WE DID HUNDREDS OF
INTERVIEWS, AND THE FIRST ALOHA
SHIRT, IT SEEMS THAT IT REALLY
CAME FROM THE TEENAGERS, SCHOOL
KIDS THAT WENT TO PUNAHOU.
AND ALSO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
HAWAI'I.
THEY WOULD GO TO THE DOWNTOWN
SHOPS.
THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF TAILOR
SHOTS.
THEY'D BRING FABRIC TO THE DRESS
MAKERS.
THEY'D MAKE THE SHIRTS, AND
OF A WOMAN WHO CLAIMS SHE MADE
THE FIRST ALOHA SHIRT.
I MET A LADY WHO HAD A GREAT
DRYGOODS STORE.
SHE TOLD ME, YOU WENT COME IN MY
SHOP.
HE WENT TELL ME HE LIKE ONE
CHECK.
I WENT MAKE 'EM.
BUT YOU KNOW THE PAKE DOUBLE THE
AND SHE HAD PICTURES OF SHIRLIE
TEMPLE.
Trini: HOW HAS IT EVOLVED?
IT WENT FROM TAILOR MADE TO
FACTORY MADE.
WE HAD COMPANIES LIKE KIHIKIHI,
KAHALA, KAMEHAMEHA.
WATUMULS.
Trini: ONE THING I SEE IN
COMMON ARE THE COCONUT BUTTONS.
THERE WAS A COCONUT BUTTON
MAKER OUT IN KALIHI OUT ON
DEMOCRAT STREET, AND THEY
HANDMADE THE BUTT ON.
THEY HAD A DELTA DRILL CREST SO
THEY CAN PUG -- PLUG THE
BUTTONS.
Trini: WHO WOULD YOU SAY
ARE THE ALOHA SHIRT AMDOERS?
FIRST WE HAD SHIRLEY TEMPLE.
AND DUKE.
DUKE KA KAHANAMOKU WAS PROBABLY OUR
BIGGEST AMBASSADOR.
HE WORE THE SHIRTS, LONG SLEEVE
BETTER PROBABLY THAN ANYBODY I
KNOW.
Trini: AND WE CAN'T FORGET
ELVIS.
ELVIS WAS HERE.
PRESIDENTS HAVE WON THEM, MICK
JAGGER HAS WORN THEN.
BRING CROSBY AND FRANK SINATRA.
Trini: WHO WOULD YOU SAY
WAS THE GREATEST MANUFACTURER?
MY FAVORITE WAS ALFRED.
THEY DID EVERYTHING BUT ROLL THE
COTTON AND WEAVE IT.
THEY HAD THEIR OWN PRINT PLANT,
THEY SHIPPED THE PRODUCT ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
THEIR PRINCIPLE IS FABULOUS.
Trini: I DID COME UP HERE
WITH OUR CW STAR, MIKEY MONIZ.
HE LOVES ALOHA SHIRTS.
I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO HIM
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
THERE'S ONE SHIRT MISSING.
SHIRT WORTH A LOT OF MONEY.
DO NOT SWEAT.
NO PRESSURE.
THANK YOU.
I LIKE IT.
I'M LOVING THE HISTORY.
IT'S AWESOME.
Trini: DALE, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR TAKING THIS TIME.
AGAIN, THE BOOK IS "THE ALOHA
SHIRT" AND YOU CAN FIND IT AT
BARNES AND NOBLE.
SURF JACK IN WAIKIKI.
COME BACK AND I'LL TELL YOU
ABOUT THAT SHIRT.
GREAT.
Trini: THIS IS ONE OF THOSE
REASONS WHY I LOVE MY JOB.
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THESE
STORIES.
DALE HOPE IS SUCH A WONDERFUL
MAN, AND I WISH I COULD HAVE
DONE A WHOLE STORY ON HIS AND
HIS BACKGROUND.
NOW HE'S GIVING BACK.
HE'S TELLING THIS WONDERFUL
STORY ABOUT THE HISTORY.
Makana: I LIKE THE STORY
THAT GOES WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL
SHIRTS.
WHO MADE THE SHIRT.
Trini: I WISH WE HAD MORE