MY TIME AT SIG ZANE DESIGNS

I spent the better part of five years, more than three of them full-time, working at Sig Zane Designs under the tutelage of Sigmund and Kūhaʻo Zane. During that time, I learned a great deal about the inner workings of Hawaiʻi's fashion industry, but even more about the responsibility we carry as artists. I came to understand that our work can serve a purpose beyond aesthetics or simply making something beautiful. As artists, we have an opportunity, and perhaps an obligation, to educate, preserve, and perpetuate through our art. The stories we choose to tell, the imagery we work with, and the way we communicate those ideas all contribute to how our culture is understood and carried forward.

Those years helped shape the way I approach design and creative work today. They taught me to look beyond the finished product and consider the knowledge, intention, and responsibility behind it. More than anything, my time there gave me a deeper appreciation for the role that art and design can play in keeping our stories alive and making sure they continue to be shared.

I spent most of my time at SZD using Uncle Sig’s art to design aloha shirts and a few of the other products that came out of Kaiao space. To see some of those projects, inquire within.