Shortly after the conclusion of WWII a movement was beginning on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. While Honolulu drew in first-time vacationers, around the corner in the town of Makaha, surfing, both as a sport and a culture, was coming into its own. Leading the way with what many…
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The quiet history behind Hawaii’s bespoke Makaha Drowners
Anyone who’s surfed Makaha knows the waves there are as rough as the locals who run the beach they crash on. Located about 40 miles west of Waikiki, this Oahu outpost is the birthplace of big wave surfing, a phenomenon that began in the 1930s and gained full speed shortly after the end of WWII. While today the area is notoriously ruled by territorial Hawaiians, Makaha’s status as a legendary big wave surf spot is mostly due to a collective of Californians who created the Hot Curl board to handle the waves and a surfing contest to name a champion of the newly modified “sport of kings”.
When the waves got the better of their board shorts, the surfers went to a little ramshackle shop in nearby Waianae to have them stitched up. The tailor, who went by M.Nii, began making twill shorts for the guys that were as durable and “bombproof” as the cutoff sailor pants many of them sported, but fitted for surfing. These are what became known as M.Nii’s Makaha Drowners, a style and moniker coveted by this California crew during the ’50s. The history surrounding the tailor and his distinct shorts is somewhat vague, but surf industry veterans Randy Hild and John Moore are changing that by bringing M.Nii back to life.
“We’ve gone through obituaries, ancestral searches, we’re still really trying to find out if there are any heirs. All we know is this oral story from these guys that surfed,” Hild recently told Cool Hunting. M.Nii’s biography may still be somewhat unclear, but a few pairs of the original Drowners live on and Hild and Moore have recreated the pair of “Polynesian bespoke” shorts to obsessive detail. “We mimicked the original as close as possible,” explains Hild. “This is a really heavy fabric, it feels great surfing in it but it takes a long time to dry, we’re so used to lightweight shorts.” Both modeled after Levi’s 501 construction, the new version—which Hild rigorously put to the test on a surf trip to Mexico—is also cut from heavy cotton twill with the same button-fly front, follows the same style of tight stitching and has identical button flap back pockets.
Currently M.Nii shorts come in only one length that hit mid-thigh, which Hild describes as “the right length, the same as the original”. Next season they will add a longer option, as well as new colors and styles with stripes in homage to M.Nii’s extensive fabric and trimmings options—a selection that inspired Greg Noll “Da Bull” to create his notorious black-and-white “jailhouse” shorts. This season’s collection pays tribute to the Windansea Surf Club—a group of California surfers who would travel to Makaha to charge the massive waves—with a surf club jacket that heralds this coming-of-age era of surfing. There’s also a Hang Ten-inspired striped tee as a salute to founder Duke Boyd, who was a huge fan of M.Nii, and modeled the Hang Ten trunks after the Makaha Drowners.
Makaha Drowners were not only popular for their long-lasting construction. They also became a status symbol of hardcore surfing, and wearing a pair back on the beaches of California meant you had tackled Hawaii’s monstrous waves and met with M.Nii. Because the Drowners were never sold commercially, the shorts are rare and belong to a particular crowd and time. Hild has tasked vintage dealers with finding the shorts and found that they’re not really around today. “We only own three pairs in our collection,” he explains. “And they all came from guys that had them originally.” The dormant label is so obscure, he adds, “if you’re under the age of 70 and surfing, you kind of don’t know about it.”
Made entirely in LA, the newly resurrected M.Nii sells from Ron Herman in LA, Barneys New York and from their own online shop.
M.Nii tailor shop image by Tom McBride. All other black-and-white images by Grant Rohloff.
Five contemporary tops prompting good vibes and great style
Since its introduction in the 1930s, the Hawaiian shirt—or Aloha shirt as it’s known in Hawaii—stands as one of the most notorious icons of good vibes and bad fashion. Ignoring the stigma behind the infamous floral print a few brave designers took it upon themselves to rethink the ultimate party shirt for the upcoming summer season, dropping in on the turquoise wave once reserved for Midwestern dads on vacation and carefree Spicoli types everywhere. The following are five contemporary takes on the classic Hawaiian shirt sure to keep you from looking like a shoobie this summer.
After championing the flamboyant footwear market, McNasty continues to brighten up the fashion world by adding gems like this to his irreverent line of wares. Made in America, the Mark McNairy Camp Shirt looks to be an instant classic with its perfect fit and spot-on detailing. Look to Opening Ceremony where it sells for $185.
Designed by LA-based, Australian born graphic designer Jonathan Zawada in collaboration with London publication It’s Nice That, this vibrant MC Escher-esque design is topped with a buttoned throat latch closure. Made with 100% Viscose for a silky flowing feel, the far out design and clean fit make this summer shirt one of the most playfully inventive takes we’ve seen yet. ASOS has it for $72.
Inspired by the shirts wartime G.I.s were wearing in the 50s to symbolize a sense of freedom and liberty, this archival reproduction is all style. The small detailed print contrasts so nicely with the bright red backdrop, the shirt is at once mellow and bold. Available from Oki-Ni for around $200.
Perfectly on point, like nearly everything that bares the Rag & Bone label, the 3/4 Placket Shirt sports an artistic Miami Vice vibe, with Havana-inspired graphics for an ideally laid-back attitude. Plus, the slim, relaxed fit is toned down just enough to actually be a promising part of your summer wardrobe. The shirt sells directly through Rag & Bone for $175.
A no-brainer from the original purveyor and recent perfecter of surf and skate style, Vans’ breezy Casual Friday shirt features reverse printing with clever caricatures of the Hawaiian surf scene for a more playful feel. Find it at Swell for a modest $42.
A well-curated collection of local artists and their work on view daily
During a recent stay at the Four Seasons Resort at Wailea in Maui, Hawaii, we wandered through the artists showcase in the hotel’s lower lobby area. The open-air gallery rotates throughout the week, featuring six different local artists each day. It’s a great way for tourists to engage directly with the local arts community, as the artists present their work directly. Being selected to participate is considered a local honor, and the group is edited each year to keep things fresh. We were impressed with both the quality of the work (hotel lobbies don’t tend to deliver awesome art) but also with the breadth—native basket weaving, photography, sculpture, glass making, and painting. It was great to be able to speak with the artists directly about their work and process.
Of the artists we met, two stood out for their creativity and innovation. They happen to be mother (Nancy Mosely) and daughter (Lisa Widell) who share the Shepards Beads studio in the middle of a Christmas tree farm on Maui, where they create work independently and collaboratively. Nancy works with fimo, which she extrudes to different shapes using a pasta machine. She works the various strands together to make tubes of kaleidoscopic patterns, which are then cut. The sliced fimo is put around beads and glazed, which Lisa then takes and makes into all types of jewelry.
Nancy also uses the cut fimo to make colorful “fabrics” which she then transforms into miniature aloha shirts and muu’muus, many of which feature amazingly intricate fimo flower leis with very, very small petals, each made by hand. The “Aloha” shirt sculptures are then framed in Koa shadow boxes
In addition to clay, Lisa also does Italian lampwork glass beadmaking, finishing her delicate products in precious stones, gold, and swarovski crystals. The jewelry is unique, handmade and bears the distinct mark of the Maui spirit. Had we seen their work in a gallery we probably wouldn’t have given it a second look, but having the opportunity to speak with them about their art and process made us fans, and we left with several pieces. Their work is also available through the Shepards Beads online shop.
We also loved the photography of Cameron Nelson, a technical photographer who captures fleeting moments of ecological beauty. With a spirit of adventure, Nelson travels to global locales in search of original environments. In his extensive career photographing the islands, Nelson has recorded everything from the rugged Napali Coast and Hana’s bamboo forests to competitive surfers in the Banzai Pipeline. Nelson’s camera is equipped with waterproof housing for use when lying in wait for the perfect spray of sea foam.
The artist showcase at the Four Seasons Maui runs year round, with new artists added each year. The collection celebrates local craftsmanship and the aesthetic spirit of a prized Hawaiian island.
Sweets produced sustainably in Hawaii with some of the world’s rarest cacao
As the only U.S. state with the tropical conditions to cultivate cacao, Hawaii has been producing the sweet-yielding bean since the 1850s. In recent years the demand has raised chocolate production in the 50th State, bringing with it a new breed of chocolatiers focused on small-batch, sustainable processes. Central to the movement is Malie Kai Chocolates, which makes an assortment of limited-quantity bars on the North Shore of Oahu, handling each step of production from harvest to processing. The region’s richly fertile soil yields only a small quantity of cacao, making its single-estate chocolates some of the rarest in the world.
With a stock that’s constantly shifting to account for the seasonal availability of ingredients, Malie Kai Chocolates currently offers seven different bars, ranging from traditional dark chocolate to rich coffee-oriented bars with a bit of a kick. Our favorite so far has been the Kona espresso bar, with a rich coffee taste that blends nicely with the chocolate’s native, fruity flavor. Another standout is the limited-edition Cocoa with Nibs bar, made with fermented cacao pods dried in the Hawiian sun for a nice texture and added hint of flavor.
Although mostly only available in brick and mortar stores in Hawaii, some Malie Kai products can be found online through Hawaiian Bath and Body and in Japan at Hawaiian Host Japan.
The latest offering from the Four Seasons Maui takes activity planning to a new level
Surrounded by volcanic terrain, white beaches, and crystalline waters teeming with aquatic wildlife, there is little left to want for at the Four Seasons Resort Maui. The resort is ideally set up for lazy vacations lounging in the sand, at the swim-up poolside bar or in one of the spa’s thirteen treatment rooms. With a host of options to relax, revive, and recline in Maui, one wonders if there is reason to do much of anything during your stay.
However tempting that mode of vacationing is to some, the Four Seasons’ Unforgettable Events Calendar offers an array of activities for the sporty traveler looking for a focused exploration of the island while retaining the Four Seasons’ signature services. Past events include an ashtanga yoga retreat, a wine dinner hosted by napa valley vineyard Opus One, and a Stars Under the Stars event at the Maui Film Festival. Guests who opt for the package enjoy all of the resort’s extensive offerings in addition to the individualized perks of the event.
Upcoming events include the Tennis Fantasy Camp, which runs from November 16-20 and is led by tennis legends Tom Gullikson, Jose Higueras, Corina Morariu, Tracy Austin, Taylor Dent and David Nainkin. This five-day course is designed for recreational to tournament-level players looking to hone their skills with instruction from the best in the business. Pricing for the package begins at $3,195 for individuals and $2,995 for couples.
Cycling Camp Maui runs from 2-10 December 2011 and is led by legend in the field Ryder Hesjedal, who competed in both the Tour de France and the Olympics, where he represented Canada. Riders of various skill and fitness levels will be joined by Go Cycling Maui as they tour the island’s pristine and challenging terrain. After a day-long tour, riders will return to the resort, where they have full access to amenities, including the spa’s lomi pohaku or hot stone massage. Rates start at $12,500 for solo participants.
Perhaps the most enticing package on the Unforgettable Events Calendar is the one led by big wave surfer and Hawaiian native Dave Kalama. His December Surf Camp takes guests through for days of surfing and varieties including wave paddle surfing, canoe surfing, long boarding and windsurfing. Intermediate and advanced surfers will benefit from learning in one of the best pacific surf spots and from Kalama’s lifetime of experience in surfing and water sports. Participants in the December program not only benefit from escaping the cold weather, but may also have the opportunity to witness whale migration, which begins in December and runs through April. Pricing begins at $5,000.
If a sporting vacation isn’t your thing, the Four Seasons Resort Maui is worth a trip on its own accord. The seemingly endless list of amenities includes the adult-only Serenity Pool Terrace with both ocean and mountain views, underwater music and bubble loungers. Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Restaurant and Duo Restaurant are at your disposal along with Maui’s own extensive dining scene. Spa services take the form of Hawaiian, Thai, cranioacral or ayurvedic massages, and you can even enjoy something truly unique in the resort’s aquacranial massage.
Stir up your next cocktail with a cane sugar stick farmed on Oahu
On a recent trip to Hawaii we came across Hula Girl Foods‘ naturally sweetened swizzle sticks. Farmed and packaged on the island of Oahu, the thin slices of pure cane sugar are a nice addition to your favorite cocktail, but they can also be used as skewers on the grill.
The family-owned company has been producing their versatile sugar cane products for more than 25 years. All shapes and sizes of swizzle sticks—selling for between $1-$4—and other sugar cane products are available from their online shop.
Hand-harvested natural nectar and other treats straight from Kauai
Apiarist Oliver Shagnasty treats his bees like people. Originally caught in the wild, his “employees” produce an all-natural honey on his small farm on the Hawaiian island of Kauai (thankfully free of the varroa mite that plagues the bee population).
Shagnasty, though harvesting honey there since 1975 and one of the two most successful beekeepers on the island (it’s a popular hobby there), keeps his operation small with a hands-on farming approach. Extracting honey using the “brush method” yields a clean and consistent product each and every time. The upshot is a selection of raw honeys and nut honey spreads packing a seriously sweet punch, made especially unique as the only honey that we know of that’s made by bees who feed on coffee plants.
Of Shagnasty’s four honeys and spreads we tried the raw honey and the macadamia nut honey spread. The rich raw honey tastes as delicious drizzled on granola as it does sweetening up morning coffee. A glam take on peanut butter, the macadamia nut blend is a sweet-and-salty spread, deliciously at home layered thick across a crip piece of toast.
Shagnasty Honey sells throughout the island of Kauai and is available for mail order via phone or email for those not fortunate enough to call Hawaii home.
Bring some all-natural aloha to your tastebuds with this small-batch granola from Kauai
Since 1986 Anahola Granola has been handmaking granola with a focus on fresh, quality ingredients in Hawaii. Founder Becky Burns’ obsession with the region’s surplus of exotic, tropical flavors dates back even further to when she bought a one-way ticket to the islands in the summer of ’69. This affinity for the land combined with baking skills learned as a child pushed Burns to start her venture by selling granola at local fairs and farmer’s markets throughout the islands. As demand grew so did production, while the recipe stayed the same.
Standards for quality remain unchanged too; each variety of granola—original, tropical, mango ginger—ships the day after it’s made. Our personal preference leans toward the tropical granola, made with the Anahola mix of whole grain oats, seeds and local honeys, superbly accented with sun-ripened papaya, coconut and sweet pineapple.
For granola on the go, the MacaMania bars burst with the same delicious island flavors. Using Burn’s original granola as a base, the bar is studded with Hawaiian-grown macadamia nuts, flavored with sweet honey and brown sugar, and gets its crunch from puffed brown rice cereal. We may have just been hungry, but the sliced MacaMania bar disappeared seconds after we snapped these images.
Burns’ treats are now served in many of Hawaii’s upscale hotels and restaurants, and sell through a long list of health food stores, cafes, grocery stores, as well as from Anahola Granola’s online store. Each 12-ounce bag sells for $6, while the MacaMania bars go for $2.50 each.
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