University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa sophomore Lawrence Linton has secured a vendor spot at Riot Fest 2026 in Chicago—a national rock festival—less than a year after launching his own clothing line, Low Life Streetwear Company.

This achievement marks a career pivot for the 22-year-old Army veteran, who originally moved to Hawaiʻi last summer to pursue marine biology.

“There were many times when I was in my biology and chemistry lectures where I just didn’t get it,” Linton recalled. “My heart wasn’t into it. Whenever my mind would wander… I’d be thinking about design. I’d be thinking about my business.”

Linton formally switched his focus to the Fashion Design and Merchandising program within the . His entrepreneurial drive began after he struggled to find clothing that felt authentic to his identity. Dissatisfied with corporate brands, he started designing his own streetwear during his time at community college before arriving in Hawaiʻi.

Linton’s family roots also played a significant role in designing his clothing line, as his father was a graphic designer who screen-printed clothes throughout Linton’s childhood.

Low Life Streetwear Company focuses on graphic tees, hoodies and general streetwear.

Students from Maui鈥檚 Lahainaluna and Baldwin High Schools traveled to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for a hands–on immersion into the future of fashion technology in February. Hosted by the Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) program, these visits show students how traditional skills such as sewing merge with cutting-edge innovations like Computer-Aided Design and electronic textiles (e-textiles).

The events are a part of the 鈥檚 outreach strategy to introduce high school students and their teachers to educational paths and career opportunities in the fashion industry.

Tradition meets high tech

Students from Baldwin High School鈥檚 Poʻo Academy participated in intensive workshops designed to show the cycle of modern garment creation. Associate Professor Ju–Young Kang taught students about using Optitex design software to create fashion concepts, the first step in a garment鈥檚 life.

Professor Minako McCarthy expanded on this cycle by providing a design curriculum overview and how fashion collections are developed. She took students on a tour of the design and sewing labs, where they talked with current junior and senior FDM students.

“The students and their teachers were very engaged from the first sketch to the actual outfit presented at the fashion exhibition and show,” McCarthy said.

In a session with Assistant Professor Olaitan Adeleke, students from Lahainaluna High School experimented with innovative e-textile technologies, creating their own stitched LED “smiley” circuits. These students rounded out their experience with a traditional sewing workshop.

“It鈥檚 one thing to simulate things on software, but it鈥檚 another thing to really build it hands-on,” said Adeleke. “Connecting that physical integration with software is a beautiful one.”

FDM faculty work with high schools across Oʻahu and Maui as part of a broader recruitment and outreach strategy started by Professor Andy Reilly. Adeleke expects more than 40 students from other schools to participate in the coming weeks.

To celebrate Muʻumuʻu Month in January, the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 program in Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) has a special exhibition of vintage muʻumuʻu, chosen by nearly 30 Waipahu High School students who could be the future of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 fashion industry.

Housed within the (CTAHR), FDM combines Hawaiʻi鈥檚 culture and agricultural heritage with modern design. By inviting teens into the Historic Fashion Collection, CTAHR is introducing young people to potential career paths ranging from designing to entrepreneurship and retail buying to sustainable fashion.

“It is our kuleana to help students succeed and find what they want to do in life,” said Andy Reilly, professor and curator of fashion design and merchandising. “We do this through the lens of fashion. Fashion starts with ‘dirt to shirt’—from the people growing cotton to those developing new textiles from coffee beans. We want students to see that fashion isn’t just about what you wear. It’s about culture, history, and business.”

Waipahu High School fine arts teacher Alice Iraha said, “I want to expose them to the history of our state and our fashion here in Hawaiʻi. When you live here, it鈥檚 good to know the culture of the people and where they came from. The process of learning the fashion industry can help them into so many other areas, like art or starting their own business.”

From textiles to high tech

In addition to curating the Historic Fashion Collection, the students were introduced to Computer-Aided Design for fashion by Ju-Young Kang, an associate professor in FDM. This technology allows designers to create digital sketches, develop intricate textile patterns, and visualize 3D garments before a single piece of fabric is cut.

Muʻumuʻu Month, which began in 2014 when Kauaʻi designer Shannon Hiramoto challenged herself to wear a different vintage muʻumuʻu every day in January, has grown into a statewide movement to preserve the history of the garment.

The student-curated collection will be on display in Miller Hall at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 throughout January. This collaboration highlights CTAHR鈥檚 commitment to honoring Hawaiʻi鈥檚 past while providing local students with the tools to build its future.

Ten freshmen and sophomore students at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (CTAHR) have achieved a remarkable feat: their hand made, tie-dyed garment, “A Flower Bud,” premiered at the International Textile and Apparel Association showcase in St. Louis, Missouri.

The students鈥� achievement is all the more exceptional because of their grade levels; usually only junior or senior-level work is accepted.

What started as an extra credit assignment in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Professor Shu-Hwa Lin鈥檚 class grew into a semester-long learning experience for the team, led by students Livia Langmade and Ayla Alamedia.

For Langmade, the project was a lesson in garment construction from the first stitch to the last. “I鈥檝e never made a piece like this from scratch before,” she said.

Alamedia, who first joined the project to gain more experience with sewing, learned the value of precision.

“For me, it was details,” Alamedia said. “I realized how important it is to have everything to be precise and to the best you can do it while doing the entire process and how each step of the process matters”.

International student Mana Yano also gained advanced skills, learning “how to carefully sew the dress and how to make a lot of ruffled parts” despite having limited prior experience.

Lin noted that the project provided the students with an integrated design process, pushing their performance “beyond freshman [and] sophomore” expectations and covering steps usually taught in senior classes.

Two University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 students, Amelie Berg and Skylar Conley, have each been awarded a from the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE).

Berg’s project, Well Within, will be a subscription app and platform focused on helping users sustain a healthy mental and physical lifestyle. The platform will connect users and offer access to fitness classes and community events, in one easy-to-use application.

She was inspired by her experience using ClassPass in Australia, where she noticed more options, including beauty services, were available compared to the U.S. She aims for Well Within to collaborate with creators who may not have a large audience, offering activities that are free or more cost-efficient.

Conley’s project, Da Rack, is a mobile retail store that will curate and sell secondhand items, operating via pop-up events. She was inspired to create a mobile concept because many good secondhand shopping locations are not easy to get to without a car. Her goal is to “come to you,” traveling into neighborhoods, shopping malls and other areas not typically located in Honolulu. Conley also plans to source products from local small businesses that align with her brand and vision.

The two were students in the Entrepreneurship in Retail class taught by Mark Odanasan. The Fashion, Design, and Merchandising program is housed in the .

The Kalo Grant Program is a key initiative of PACE, and housed in the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 . It is designed to empower student entrepreneurs across the 东精影业 System by providing seed funding to develop and launch new business ventures.

Drawing from her undergraduate experiences at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 (CTAHR), alumna Jada Rogers is now thriving in her fashion retail career. Rogers, a Kentucky native who chose to study at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 to combine her love of fashion with her desire to live in Hawaiʻi, is now a retail buyer at Maui Divers Jewelry.

Rogers focused on fashion merchandising during her time at 东精影业, and she credits a retail buying class taught by Professor Abbie Cristi for clarifying her career aspirations.

“That class helped me realize my passion for retail buying because I love math and I love fashion, and retail buying is essentially combining both math and fashion into a career field,” Rogers said.

In addition to her coursework, Rogers participated in an internship at Mikinola, a local boutique, where she gained hands-on experience in aspects of small business operations, including working on inventory, helping with store events, assisting on the sales floor and processing online orders. Rogers expressed that working at a local company made her a “more well-rounded person” and broadened her understanding of how a business operates.

Another formative experience for Rogers was a fashion show production class, which enabled her to work with design students, help produce a fashion show in 2021 and 2022, and find a professional mentor.

“The fashion show was completely virtual [in 2021] because of the pandemic,” Rogers said. “There were a lot of trials and tribulations and figuring that out, but we worked as a team and we did it! Through that class, I got to work with fashion producer Lynne O’Neill in New York Fashion Week. I am fortunate that Lynne and I have stayed connected after graduation.”

University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 alumna Riana Kawamura returned to her alma mater to host a highly anticipated pop-up for her business, .

The small business, which she co-owns with her mother, Evangeline Kawamura, is known for their palaka-print tops and accessories.

“I noticed a gap in the market鈥攎ost palaka clothing was designed for older women,” said Riana Kawamura. “I wanted to create more modern, cute styles for younger women.”

Riana Kawamura鈥檚 classes at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补’s piqued her interest in the field of merchandising and taught her valuable skills that have come in handy as a business owner.

“I learned how to build a brand and connect with customers,” said Riana Kawamura. “Since our demographic is my age, I know what they want, which really helps with marketing and design decisions.”

Sewing success

What started out as a sewing hobby for Evangeline Kawamura and an interest in merchandising for Riana Kawamura has blossomed into a local phenomenon.

The Kawamuras are no stranger to success, with every previous pop-up selling out, and online drops that sell out in minutes. Just reaching the one-year mark, their Da Palaka Girl small business has had an overwhelmingly positive response.

“I love that it鈥檚 locally made, and the owner is an alumni, so I鈥檓 happy to support her,” said business marketing major Cherisse Henley. “The clothes are just so cute.”

Their 惭腻苍辞补 pop-up was met with a warm reception by the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 community, as a long line full of hundreds of excited customers stretched around the heart of the campus.

“I鈥檝e been looking forward to this for a long time,” said Chloe Trover, an international business and marketing major at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补.

Social media marketing spurs excitement

After experimenting with palaka and posting a few of their pieces on TikTok, demand grew quickly. Based on her experience, Riana Kawamura urges others to be bold.

“If you have an idea, just go for it鈥攅ven if it鈥檚 not perfect. If you鈥檙e hesitant or hold back, you might limit your potential,” said Riana Kawamura. “Social media is your biggest tool, so don鈥檛 be afraid to use it. Once you commit, go all in.”

Actress Te Ao o Hinepehinga, who plays Kupuohi on the Apple TV+ series Chief of War, was styled by recent graduate Kalia Ferri of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (FDM) program. Ferri鈥檚 original, hand-painted dress was featured in an exclusive shoot for .

The opportunity came through one of Ferri鈥檚 mentors, 东精影业 alumnus Matt Bruening. He invited Ferri to assist with three days of styling and press shoots for the Chief of War premiere event. On the final day, she secured a placement for her own design—a dress featuring a painted orange and red cut-out, drawing on the theme of natural decay and regrowth from shelf mushrooms.

The garment matched the photo shoot鈥檚 lava-inspired look, making it a perfect fit for the show鈥檚 visuals. Her dress debuted in the senior individual collection from FDM鈥檚 fashion exhibition in spring 2025.

Ferri credited experiences such as the fashion exhibition, her education and internship experience with providing a well-rounded skillset.

“I learned a lot from my fashion professor Minako McCarthy, who taught my design classes and encouraged my painting. And I thank my other teachers in courses for sewing, fashion forecasting, trend analysis and the business side of fashion,” Ferri said.

Her fashion journey will continue in the global fashion capital, New York City. With an impressive first placement in a major photoshoot, Ferri is one to watch as she heads to the Big Apple.

Designs that blend modern fashion with the cultural heritage of the Chin culture of Myanmar have earned a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumna a spot on the international stage. Hniang Sung will have two of her garments featured at the International Textiles and Apparel Association鈥檚 (ITAA) annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri in November.

The showcase is a major early career success for Sung, who came to the U.S. with her family as a refugee from Myanmar鈥檚 Chin State. Her designs are deeply personal, blending her journey as an immigrant and modern fashion.

“It feels like my ideas and culture come to life, and that’s what I’m truly grateful for,” Sung said. “This is a testimony of God鈥檚 grace and the support of my family.”

A recent graduate of the fashion design and merchandising program in the , Sung took inspiration from traditional items, such as bamboo baskets and Chokhleipar, the flower of the Chin culture in Myanmar.

Her senior collection, which was refined and submitted to the association by her professor and ITAA sponsor Minako McCarthy, will be one of the collections showcased. This highly competitive process has an undergraduate design acceptance rate of 36.5%–making it a milestone for students.

Sung credits her time at 东精影业 with helping her grow as a designer and gain confidence, particularly with the support of her mentor, McCarthy. For Sung, having her work accepted for the exhibition means her designs are being recognized on an international level.

“Hniang鈥檚 story is inspirational to everyone who came to the U.S. seeking more opportunities and a better life,” McCarthy said. “She overcame incredible hardships, found a community of similar spirits at 东精影业, and has a bright future ahead of her.”

From plantation fields to the modern fashion runway, the iconic checkerboard pattern known as palaka is more than a fabric; it鈥檚 a symbol of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 history, resilience and identity. According to a University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 fashion expert, the historic textile is experiencing a resurgence, solidifying its place as the “denim of Hawaiʻi.”

Andy Reilly, a professor in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program, predicted this comeback in a 2023 东精影业 News story, and has since seen the trend flourish. He attributed its revival to a deeper connection with local culture and history.

“It’s been said that palaka is the denim of Hawaiʻi. It’s ubiquitous,” Reilly said. “It crosses over ethnic lines, now it crosses over class lines, and it has a rich history in Hawaiʻi. Many of the people who live here have ancestors who probably wore palaka on the fields.”

History of palaka

The story of palaka began in the early 1800s with the arrival of sailors. The name itself is believed to be a Hawaiian transliteration of the English word “frock,” the shirt worn by sailors. The original cotton fabric likely came from New England, with a plaid called “Cranston Plaid” bearing a strong resemblance to early palaka.

By the early 20th century, the dense, durable fabric became essential during the plantation era. Its signature blue-and-white check was especially appealing to Japanese immigrant workers, reminding them of the traditional indigo-dyed fabrics in Japan.

The fabric鈥檚 transformation from simple workwear to a symbol of local pride was possibly catalyzed by the infamous Thalia Massie case in 1931. This miscarriage of justice helped unify Hawaiʻi鈥檚 diverse ethnic groups.

“After the Massie affair, people saw themselves as unified against the power structure that was here,” Reilly said. “My supposition is that’s when it really started to take off as meaning of the working people of Hawaiʻi.”

Palaka power

The fashion evolution of palaka began in the 1960s and ’70s with the introduction of new colors such as red, yellow and green. The 1980s saw the rise of the “Palaka Power” movement, a statement of pride for the descendants of Japanese plantation laborers who had achieved political and economic success.

Today, local designers such as Matt Bruening and Kini Zamora are breathing new life into the historic pattern by experimenting with different colors, playing with the scale of the print and cutting the fabric on an angle to create fresh looks. The pattern was also featured in a recent, sold-out collection of 东精影业-branded bags by ALOHA Collection.

“People always recognize the palaka fabric just from that blocky plaid design,” Reilly said. “When people think of Hawaiʻi and fashion, they usually refer to the aloha shirt… but there’s so much more about Hawaiʻi and the fashion history beyond the aloha shirt, and palaka is just one good example of that.”