Atomic Apparel

Oceania by Kava Kon





Build Your House Underground by Kava Kon




In Memory of Alfred Shaheen, who is considered to be the creator of the modern Hawaiian shirt. The floral red shirt that Elvis sports in the above pic was designed by Shaheen.

Of course he didn´t invent it. The Aloha shirt was popular in Hawaii during the 1920´s and 30s. It was often made out of left over Kimono garments, had coconut buttons and -because it was designed to be worn over the trousers- it had a straight waist cut. After WW2 many US soldiers brought the colourful garments back home and with Hawaii becoming a state of the USA, Hawaiian shirts became all the rage.


It is a pretty thin line if a man looks good or goofy in them. But despite the fashion challenge, The multi-coloured shirts are parts of museums and collectors items. Some of Shaheens designs are traded for $ 1.000,--
The price might actually increase now: Alfred Shaheen has recently died at age 86.

The author of website Vintage Hawaiian Shirt actually believes that Hawaiian shirts can bring world peace: "You just issue every soldier on both sides a beautiful, bright Hawaiian shirt. A different shirt for each soldier. Everyone would be so relaxed and contended that the killing of each other would be the last think on any of their minds."


The two music files are by Neo-Exotica outfit Kava Kon, whose album "Departure Exotica" perfectly mixes bonafide tiki-sounds with electronic chill-moods. They will release their second album "Tiki for Atomic Age" on January 13. It´s a bit like a brand new Hawaiian shirt.