Hawaii Fashion Designers Like Manaola and LexBreezy Are Taking Aloha to the World

Hawaii fashion is no longer just for beach days and backyard luaus. A new wave of up-and-coming Hawaiian fashion designers is reimagining traditional island aesthetics for a global audience—without sacrificing the cultural richness behind each stitch. Names like Manaola Yap, Breezy Pennington of LexBreezy, and Keoni and Koa Payes of Ola Hou are leading a fashion movement that blends Native Hawaiian heritage with contemporary design. And the world is taking notice, from the streets of Honolulu to the catwalks of New York Fashion Week.

These modern Hawaiian designs honor tradition while embracing innovation, offering a fresh look at what Aloha wear means today. Rooted in ancestral patterns, native stories, and cultural responsibility, this new generation is transforming Hawaiian fashion into an artistic expression of identity, resilience, and pride.

Manaola Yap: From Hula to Haute Couture

Arguably the most internationally recognized name in modern Hawaiian fashion, Manaola Yap grew up immersed in Native Hawaiian traditions. A trained hula practitioner and cultural storyteller, Yap channels the sacred meanings of kapala (Hawaiian stamping) into his textile designs. His eponymous line, MANAOLA, made history as the first Native Hawaiian fashion house to be featured at New York Fashion Week in 2017.

Each piece in the MANAOLA collection is more than stylish—it's spiritual. Patterns are hand-carved and stamped onto fabric using traditional symbols representing elements like water, wind, and genealogy. By doing so, Manaola bridges the past with the present, allowing wearers to literally embody Hawaiian values through fashion.

What sets Manaola apart is his dedication to cultural integrity. “Fashion is a medium through which I can share our Hawaiian heritage with the world,” he has said. For Manaola, Hawaii fashion is not just about looking good—it’s about living Aloha through every thread.

LexBreezy: Empowering Wahine Through Everyday Aloha

Breezy Pennington, the designer behind LexBreezy Hawaii, is reshaping Aloha wear with bold femininity and unapologetic pride in Hawaiian culture. Daughter of famed designer Iolani Sportswear’s Linda Iki, Pennington brings a multigenerational flair to her work. Her designs are flirty, functional, and meant to be worn daily—empowering women to carry their culture into classrooms, boardrooms, and beyond.

Her collections often include flowy wrap dresses, modern muʻumuʻu, and jumpsuits adorned with vibrant island prints. What makes LexBreezy distinct is its accessibility and relatability—it’s Hawaiian fashion made for real life, not just resort vacations.

In 2023, LexBreezy also joined New York Fashion Week, debuting her “E Kūpaʻa Kākou” collection, which focused on unity, strength, and the Native Hawaiian struggle for identity and visibility. Her work is helping elevate everyday Hawaii designs to the world stage while reclaiming space for Pacific Islander narratives in fashion.

Ola Hou: Father-Son Duo Redefines Cultural Fashion

Hailing from Waimea on the Big Island, the father-and-son team behind Ola Hou Designs, Keoni and Koa Payes, are crafting garments that speak to the soul of Hawaiian resilience. “Ola Hou” means “new life,” and the brand lives up to its name by breathing fresh energy into classic Hawaiian attire. Their collections showcase elegant tailoring paired with traditional motifs, proving that Aloha wear can be both dignified and daring.

Ola Hou's presence at New York Fashion Week in 2022 turned heads with its blend of fashion-forward cuts and ancestral inspiration. The brand's unique identity lies in how it honors the strength of Hawaiian people—many pieces carry messages of survival, growth, and connection to land and family. With their rise, Ola Hou has helped ensure that Hawaiian culture is not just preserved but celebrated on the global runway.

Why Hawaii Fashion Is Having a Global Moment

The rise of these designers is more than a trend—it’s a movement. For decades, Hawaiian fashion was misrepresented or commercialized in kitschy floral shirts and touristy clichés. Today’s creators are reclaiming the narrative and redefining what it means to wear “Aloha.”

Global fashion events like New York Fashion Week and LA Fashion Week have become key platforms for these Native designers to tell their stories and showcase their art to audiences far beyond the islands. Their growing presence overseas signals a shift in how the world sees and values Indigenous fashion.

And it’s not just runway glamor—these designers are creating economic opportunities for local artisans, promoting sustainable practices, and inspiring the next generation of Hawaiian creatives. Through intentional storytelling and inclusive branding, they’re making Hawaiian designs not just a style, but a statement.

From Local Roots to International Runways

Whether it's Manaola's spiritually infused prints, LexBreezy's everyday empowerment, or Ola Hou's tailored tributes to heritage, each designer contributes a unique voice to the global Hawaii fashion conversation. Together, they are crafting a new definition of style that is rooted in land, legacy, and Aloha.

As their influence grows, so does the demand for authentic Hawaiian culture in the world of fashion. What once was considered niche is now celebrated as visionary. The message is clear: Hawaiian fashion is no longer on the sidelines—it’s at the center stage, and it’s here to stay.

Keywords:
Hawaii fashion, Hawaiian culture, Aloha wear, Manaola, LexBreezy, Ola Hou, Hawaiian fashion designers, Hawaiian designs, Hawaiian fashion week