Elvis, Ace Ventura, Magnum PI and lazy people with a fancy dress party to go to have all proudly sported the Hawaiian shirt and played a part in it becoming iconic, if not a little cheesy now, fashion wear but it was one man who brought them to the masses.
Alfred Shaheen, whose death at the age of 86 was announced this week, opened Shaheen's Of Honolulu in 1948 and made the garments popular through using quality materials and artistic prints. In 1961, Elvis sported a Shaheen-designed shirt on the album cover for the "Blue Hawaii" soundtrack and at one point, Shaheen was earning more than $4 million a year from the industry.
Linda Arthur, a professor of textiles and clothing at Washington State University who has written extensively about the Hawaiian fashion industry, said that, "Before Shaheen came along, there was no Hawaii garment industry. There were mom and pop stores but no real modern industry."
Shaheen died on December 22nd of complications from diabetes in Torrance, his daughter Camille Shaheen-Tunberg said.
Alfred Shaheen, whose death at the age of 86 was announced this week, opened Shaheen's Of Honolulu in 1948 and made the garments popular through using quality materials and artistic prints. In 1961, Elvis sported a Shaheen-designed shirt on the album cover for the "Blue Hawaii" soundtrack and at one point, Shaheen was earning more than $4 million a year from the industry.
Linda Arthur, a professor of textiles and clothing at Washington State University who has written extensively about the Hawaiian fashion industry, said that, "Before Shaheen came along, there was no Hawaii garment industry. There were mom and pop stores but no real modern industry."
Shaheen died on December 22nd of complications from diabetes in Torrance, his daughter Camille Shaheen-Tunberg said.
topics:
Music,
News and Politics,
Art and Style,
Fashion,
Hawaii,
Clothing,
Elvis,
Alfred Shaheen,
1 more
+ add
-
-
-
-
- richjm
- added this
- added January 06, 2009
- flag
-
It's a sad day for crap fashion sense.
Maybe the world needs a national Hawaiian shirt day in remembrance. Hell, I'd wear one.
-
Could be a great-looking funeral if all the mourners wear colourful Hawaiian shirts.
Hula!
-
Aloha my friend!
-
-
-
-
- SHAWN_RITTIMAN
- 6 months ago
-
-
no ka oi ... aloha nui loa
Login/Registration is required to add a response
