Wear One of These Stylish Tees to Your Next University of Hawai‘i Game
Shaiyanne Dar designed her Dolkii T-shirt collection to show her love for her alma mater.
Photo: Courtesy of Dolkii
Shaiyanne Dar is a proud University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa graduate, so when the college reached out to her to participate in its Makers Market—a first-time event that features products created by UH alumni—she didn’t hesitate to say, “Hell, yeah!”
The line of shirts she designs, called Dolkii (a Pakistani word reflecting love, happiness and celebration), “are symbols of my love for the university—my entire family are UH alumni,” she says. “In fact, my parents met there years ago, and now, here I am. It was super exciting to bring this collection to life.”
Of course she drew inspiration from the college’s iconic Mānoa green hue, but she really wanted something fresh that married fun and femininity. “When I was going to UH, and attended events, I wanted to rep the school in a cool way. There was not much. I resorted to digging through my parents’ old clothing and found some cool pieces that had a retro vibe at the time.”
Her ultra-buttery tees evoke that same sensibility. They’re very retro-esque, with puffy, curvy fonts laying on humble, chill colors. Of course, the Hawai‘i style pleases alumni and non alumni alike. The other design, UH Alumni, was a super-women collaboration with Dar and Maui-based artist Tiara Kobayashi-Bautista. “I saw her work on some Keiki KauKau pieces (another local designer I adore) and instantly fell in love with her style and aesthetic. I reached out, and she created exactly what I was envisioning for the design. She’s amazing.”
Needless to say, the tees sold out, fast, at the market. Dar just dropped another haul online and that’s almost out as well. Our friends have been asking us if we know the designer, and if she’ll be replenishing the tees throughout the year. Our advice: Stalk Dolkii’s Instagram and don’t sleep on checking for restock on its website.
We can say that right before the holiday shopping madness, Dar plans to release men’s and keiki tees in the Hawai‘i print—and of course, women’s too. She herself is a mom to a beautiful 18-month-old girl (Willa) with another bun in the oven. Maybe one of her keiki, if not both, will continue the family legacy. “I hope so!” she says with a smile. “I would love that.”
Dolkii.com, $49 per tee.
