ALOHA SHIRT

Once a symbol of tropical glamour in Hollywood and long considered the pinnacle of nerdism, the Hawaiian shirt is making a comeback. And to tell us about this great success story, journalist Antoine Laguerre, passionate about Hawaii, went to Waikiki where it has become a national heritage. The island’s first economy after tourism, this shirt brings in 500 million dollars a year to the 50th American state.

In just 80 years, Hawaiian shirts have become the icon of the tropics and have established themselves as an emblem of pop culture. Inspired by Japanese kimonos and Tahitian floral prints, originally worn by surfers and beach-goers, they have conquered the world. For the past ten years, they have been coming back in force. Collectors take them out of their cases. Reflecting the cultural diversity of the Pacific Islands, the Aloha Shirt conveys the spirit of the islands.