KEONI OF HAWAII “SOUTH PACIFIC SEA” by TROPICANA JOE

Product Name: “SOUTH PACIFIC SEA”
Artist: TROPICANA JOE
Material: Rayon Fujiette
Print: Discharge Print
Design Pattern: All-Over Pattern
Buttons: Coconut Buttons

Tropicana Joe is known for his signature style, characterized by a Panama hat, high-waisted pants, a tucked-in tropical shirt, and a pencil-thin mustache. Based in Texas, he is a leading artist in the music scene influenced by tiki culture from around the world. Recognized globally as a true ambassador of exotica sound—drawing inspiration from Africa and Latin America—he has played a crucial role in shining a light on this niche genre. Utilizing 45rpm records from the 1950s and early 1960s, he covers various music genres. He has served as a DJ at numerous festivals across America, Europe, and South America and has released several tracks under Chicago's Wax Trax! Records. In 2024, he was honored with the title of Best DJ at the Austin Music Awards.

Alongside his music career, he also engages in design. He envisioned and illustrated motifs for Keoni of Hawaii, which were then transformed into textile designs by SanSunSurf, culminating in this masterpiece. Each motif used in this work is inspired by the exotica sounds he has pursued over many years.

KEONI OF HAWAII

In 1996, we learned that the legendary textile designer “John Meigus,” who left a mark on Hawaiian fashion history, was still alive. He had unpublished works from the 1940s, which SanSunSurf used as the basis to create products under the “Keoni of Hawaii” label. John Meigus continued to support the brand by resuming aloha shirt design. However, due to his advancing age, it became increasingly burdensome, and after 2001, other artists who resonated with his vision began taking on the design. The history of aloha shirts as art, established by John Meigus, is now honored by contemporary artists releasing aloha shirts imbued with their artistic expression.