Wear Your Art on Your Sleeve
Every girl should have some great art in her home, but stuffy reproductions are too tired for your taste. Instead, begin your personal collection with these art-inspired tees by local designers.
They’ll look just as good on the hanger as they would on your wall.
Art on Sail
The hand-drawn, nautical-themed designs in Pia Kuhlemann’s SooZou line are sailing off the shelves. After making her mark in Hawaii’s fashion scene with her recycled sail canvas bags, Kuhlemann has added to the line with a series of screen printed boats, anchors, and mermaids on soft, casual T-shirts. Available at E-Town, 1164 Smith St., Chinatown, 808.225.2727 or visit www.soozou.com.
Bunny Hip
At the tender age of 20, and still a design student at HCC, Okinawan-born Remi Mead is already bringing her fine-line artwork to life on new T-shirts designed for Acid Dolls. The rough-sketch feel of her signature bunny, Sassy, has an edgy vibe that will make you feel like a bit of an alt-punk badass. Available at Acid Dolls, Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, 3rd floor, Waikiki, 808.387.9682.
Altered State
With only three designs, you can talk yourself into buying all the super-swank SugarHigh LoveStoned T-shirts. Friends Tami Dee Snodgrass–the creator of Chicks with Sticks–and Chloe Chippendale both sport regular day jobs on Maui in addition to creating great, wearable art. The line has feminine cuts and details like gold foiling and playful quotes. Available for a limited time at E-Town, 1164 Smith St., Chinatown, 808.225.2727. For more information visit www.sugarhighlovestoned.com or www.etownstudios.com.
Natural Beauty
The Organik is well-known for their soft bamboo tees and eco-conscious fabrics. But new designs by local artists Ed Fernandez and Brian Jones draw inspiration from plant textures and form, like the birds of paradise or bonsai. Jones, a graphic designer on the Big Island, incorporates block-print art and computer design together, creating a one-of-a-kind styles. Available at Guava Boutique on the North Shore, Flower Child in Kailua, and Whole Foods in Kahala. For more information visit www.theorganik.com.
