The world’s most iconic shirt has been celebrated in 2000 with a comprehensive tome, ‘The Aloha Shirt: Spirit of the Islands’ written by Dale Hope. The book was a success and was printed in the US, England, Germany, and twice in Japan. For 2016, author Dale Hope partnered with Patagonia and founder Yvon Chouinard, author of ‘Let My People Go Surfing’, to publish a second edition. The book adds 150 pages of new content to the already impressive first edition, an updated design, new images and shirts, making this version a must-have for lovers of the original. Inside, rich colors and even more vibrant stories paint the portrait of the world’s most beloved shirt and the artists, craftsmen and passionate manufacturers who made the Hawaiian shirt the icon it is today. Gorgeous illustrations, vintage photos, and “Hawaiiana” memorabilia are joined by interviews from the 60s with collectors who regard the shirts as works of art, magazine archives, stories from the Golden Age of the Aloha Shirt which spanned from the 30s to the 50s, the world of the unseen artists, seamstresses and manufacturers, as well as insights into various details that add a local flavor to the Hawaiian shirts, such as the coconut buttons and the fine silky fabrics. The book also tells the story of the Pataloha collection, which was developed by Dale Hope for Patagonia, and features an introduction by Gerry Lopez, author of ‘Surf Is Where You Find It’. The second edition is a precious gem that will be appreciated by fans of the iconic garment, surfing, and Hawaiian culture, as well as by those who love good design and great stories. Images courtesy of Patagonia.
