Authentic American

This article is our third in a series about local fashion, where it started and where it’s going.

If you grew up in Hawaii, the name “Reyn Spooner” instantly brings to mind the classic reverse print aloha shirt that  remains the “uniform” for Honolulu’s financial district. But in today’s evolve or die economy, the brand that belonged to our fathers and grandfathers is reinventing itself for a new generation. So why do we care? Because unlike many of Hawaii’s gentlemen’s clothiers of the 1960s – 1980s—such as Kramer’s (their Big & Tall shop is still open), Liberty House, McInerny and Sato Clothiers—Reyn’s (the men’s store) and Reyn Spooner (the clothing line) have survived. And frankly, they’re pretty cool.

So how does an “older” aloha icon become new again? The transition seemed to take place in summer 2010 when Reyn Spooner was approached by Stussy for a collaboration. Stussy was searching for an authentic American look that represented the West Coast (vs the East Coast Americana of Polo and Tommy Hilfiger). They found it in one of the oldest reversed out classic prints designed by Reyn Spooner. The result: a 19-piece collection called Stussy Deluxe x Reyn Spooner Traditionals.

2011 marked Reyn Spooner’s collaboration with New York City’s trendsetting Opening Ceremony. And here we are in 2012, with a new Reyn Spooner store at Ala Moana Center.

Connecting the generations is no easy task. But in the way that Rock Band has both 50- and 20-somethings jamming with Jimmy Hendrix, the brand that invented “business aloha”  with their wide-cut, reversed print “banker” shirts is also the brand for a new line of slim-fitting “American style.” Think J. Crew. Banana Republic. Reyn Spooner. It could happen.