Roselani Aiwohi, owner of Waiwaolani, a Maui-based clothing brand inspired by Hawaiʻi's native ecosystems, described the store opening Saturday at Kāhala Mall as “a beautiful day.”
“Four and a half years of Waiwaolani and the only way I was able to continue and persevere is because of the love I received by my ʻohana and hoaaloha (friends),” she took to Instagram. “At the end of every day and through every trial and bump in the road, it was the love I received from my family, the kako'o (support) and the kōkua (help) that pushed me along. So grateful for the sea of support and to be surrounded by such love.”
This is the brand’s first retail store on Oʻahu, which can be found on the ground floor of the mall in the former Fighting Eel space.
When Aloha State Daily spoke with Aiwohi in January, she teased about moving into a permanent space on Oʻahu “soon.”
“I can’t really say much, but it is going to take up a lot of my time, and then, I’m under that lease and unable to do as many pop-ups on Oʻahu as I used to,” she said at the time.
In 2024 alone, Waiwaolani was at 20 pop-ups across the Islands. Earlier this month on Oʻahu, the biz was a vendor at Hoʻomau Market. It is also participating in the Made in Hawai'i Festival, which will be held from Aug. 20 to 23, at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. (ASD will be there, too! Stop by our booth for free merch.)
Born on Molokaʻi and raised on Maui, Aiwohi said that the business, which launched in November 2021, “happened by accident,” after she befriended a family in Bali in need of work. They later became her team of seamstresses, while she designed prints at home that share stories of Hawaiʻi's native plants. Waiwaolani’s various giveback programs focus on conservation, mālama ʻāina and local youth development.
“Through our locally designed clothing and products, we hope to inspire people to learn about and appreciate Hawaii's native ecosystems, while supporting the organizations working to protect them,” Aiwohi said in a Tuesday statement.
Aiwohi adds that the new location will “allow Waiwaolani to connect with new customers, expand its reach across the Islands and build relationships with community organizations, while continuing to support the Native Hawaiian community.”
“Kahala Mall is delighted to be the first Oʻahu location for Waiwaolani,” said Kāhala Mall Marketing Director Jessi Everett, in a statement. “We look forward to introducing our customers to this unique Maui-based brand and supporting its continued growth in Hawaiʻi.”
Waiwaolani is looking to partner with other Native Hawaiian groups and organizations statewide for its Kāhala Mall store. Interested? Email aloha@waiwaolani.com.
Shop online at waiwaolani.com.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
