This short-sleeved aloha shirt by Hookano is nod toward the Asian-inspired prints and fabrics that were popular in the ’30s, when tourism to Hawai‘i was booming. The patterns of these shirts depicted many different Asian symbols, from pine trees that represented long life to bamboo that symbolized strength with flexibility. This shirt features a Bengal tiger, one of the most revered symbols in Chinese culture. Throughout Chinese history, the tiger has incited both a sense of awe and admiration. It has come to represent courage, strength and power. Here, the tiger is captured prowling among bamboo trees growing near a cascading waterfall. His ferocity is tempered by a quiet beauty that makes this shirt both stunning and haunting.
