You Can Now Get Authentic Sig Zane Gear in Downtown Honolulu

Hilo designers open Honolulu store but only on Fridays.

April 8, 2016

Stacey Makiya,

Photos: Aaron Yoshino

We’ve waited for this day. For so long. Sig Zane finally has arrived on O‘ahu–well, kind of. Sig on Smith is the brainchild of Kūha‘o Zane. “I don’t want this to water down what we have in Hilo, this is a totally separate,” he says.

Located on Smith Street, the 500-square-foot shop is tucked between a travel agency and a kung fu training center. It’s small and hidden, but the line of people at the opening proves that if the Zanes build it, they will come. Tip: If you’re describing the location to friends, just say, it’s a few steps away from Scratch Kitchen & Bake Shop.

The build-out of the shop separates it from its neighbors. Sleek aluminum floating shelves with hidden LED lighting, a semi-glossy concrete floor with a painted triangle pattern, an ‘ōhi‘a wood backdrop that resembles mountain peaks, and a checkout counter that comes to a point all allude to the inspiration behind the design, a grass hut. “Smith was a preacher at Kaumakapili church, they named the street after him,” explains Kūha‘o Zane. “The original church was a grass hut, the iconic shape of Hawaiian grass huts were high-pitched triangles, so I adopted the shape as the logo for Sig on Smith.” Respectfully and creatively integrating Hawaiian culture and history–so Sig Zane, right?

Debuting first was the Fat Ulu Lehua collection. The Ulu and Lehua aloha shirts followed the same dynamic thread found throughout Sig Zane shirts: graphically charged prints inspired by the Hawaiian culture, vibrant colors, simple construction and clean lines. “Ulu means growth and abundance, so we start each design with Ulu as a start to an abundant career,” he explains. Already selling out in a few colors, their future looks very fruitful. “Our runs for Sig on Smith are very limited. Right now each capsule collection only holds 48 aloha shirts,” he says. “The difference between these shirts and Sig Zane shirts is my curation of color and prints.” In the near future, the shirts will receive a modern makeover; slimmer cuts and a few style changes are currently in the works.

Open on (aloha) Fridays, everything available at the Honolulu post is exclusive to O‘ahu, making us feel just as special as Hilo folks who always get first dibs on Sig Zane apparel. But doesn’t mean you can take your Hawaiian time snagging a SonS shirt.

And there’s more to come soon. In a few weeks the shop will be newly stocked with The Ohe Kapala Joints collection featuring bamboo stamping.

Sig on Smith is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays