University of Hawai’i

at Manoa

Historic Costume Exhibition

October 30 through

November 10, 1994

It is the intent of this exhibit to trace the design evolution of a noble garment, the Hawaiian holoku, and in doing so, to illustrate how clothing provides a window into the study of cultural adaptation and change. As cultures intermingled in Hawai'i in the early nineteenth century, numerous changes in Hawaiian material culture occurred; the holoku is a visible representation of cultural adaptation.

The culmination of two years of research, this exhibit examines the evolution of the holoku from its origin in the 1820s to its current use today. The nineteenth century design evolution of the holoku is traced through historic photographs. Twelve holoku dated from the turn of the century to the present are displayed as we chronicle the development of a classic Hawaiian garment -- the holoku.

CREDITS

Dr. Linda Arthur Exhibit Curator, and Curator CTAHR Costume Collection

Ms. Alda Kaye Exhibit co-curator

Ms. Carol D'Angelo Exhibit co-curator

Mr. Tom Klobe Gallery Director, Art Department, University of Hawai’i

Textiles and Clothing Classes: TxCl 499: Directed Research

TxCl 310: Costumes of the Western World

TxCl 318: Advanced Fashion Illustration

TxCl 201: Fashion Promotion

According to our records, this gown was made in 1949 as a replica of a holoku worn in the 1890s. The original trims and buttons were used on the reproduction garment. Fabric chosen for the reproduction garment (a burgundy figured taffeta) was similar in design to the original fabric. The leg-o-mutton sleeves were characteristic of the 1890s.

1900 HOLOKU
Worn on the Parker ranch at the turn of the century, this black silk crepe holoku is characteristic of both traditional holoku and Western dress of the period. The use of bertha styled collars of figured lace and fringe with a straight silhouette is common for the first decade of the twentieth century. The wearer of this holoku is said to have belonged to the Ka’ahumanu society.

Donor: Mrs. R.L. Miller; Accession: H.82.17.1

1905 HOLOKU
This lingerie style holoku is made of cotton dimity; it is decorated with hand tatting and a yoke ruffle. Under this ruffle, on the wearer's left side, is a small watch pocket hidden in the seam. The long sleeves end in a "V" shaped cuff. In 1907, the holoku was described as the "Hawaiian modification of the European tea gown". (Holoku- Origins and Evolutions. 1907).

1915 HOLOKU
Greatly resembling the European tea gown, this holoku is made of a fine white muslin in a dobby weave. The yoke, mandarin collar, sleeves and hem are decorated with fine pin tucks. This holoku is loose fitting, with a ruffled yoke. The bodice openings may have been created to accommodate a nursing mother. Worn by Annie Akamu Kai in 1915.

1920s HOLOKU
A recent acquisition (10/3/94), this lavender holoku was extensively remodeled in the 1920s. Design details reflect Western costume of the time. This holoku is said to have been worn by both Queen Emma and Princess Kamaikoopoikowekinokalani. Historical research has not substantiated this, however. Textile testing has confirmed that the fabric is rayon, which came into common use a decade after Queen Emma's death. Research into the provenience of this holoku is ongoing.

Gift of Los Angeles County Museum of Art who acquired the costume from Mrs. Olive C. Grifffith: Accession: H.94.8.1

1933 HOLOKU
This is the oldest holoku made of Hawaiian fabric in the CTAHR collection. It has a matching lei collar, a common Hawaiian design element. Following Western styles of the 1930s, it is closely fitted to the body. This holoku was made to wear to a meeting for which Hawaiian wear was requested. The dress is made of a cotton Hawaiian print with a bamboo motif. Princess lines, darts and a side zipper are used to achieve the close fit.

1945 HOLOKU
Custom tailored by Toshimi of Waikiki, this holoku was made in 1945 of green brocaded silk, and lined in red. The design is nearly identical to those from the early nineteenth century; it has a high collar, a yoke and long sleeves. Notice that the sleeves are cut in two-piece curved style of the nineteenth century. Buttons resemble marquesite.

                    Donor: Mrs. Betty Ho: Accession: H.87.11.1

1947 HOLOKU
Hawaiian prints were commonly found on holoku from the 1940s. Made of rayon kabe crepe with Japanese motifs in the post-war period, this holoku sports a very long train. Estimated to have been made in 1947 by a custom dressmaker in McCully Square (Honolulu) for $40.00, this unique holoku has a very long train, tiers of ruffles at the sleeves and hem, and is fitted closely to the body. This holoku is of a type commonly worn by musicians in Waikiki during this period.

                    Donor: Ms. Erma Boyen: Accession: H. 76.39.4

1969 HOLOKU
This holoku was designed by Joanne Izutsu using elements from an 1890 holoku. The designer used leg-o-mutton sleeves and shirring in the bodice and sleeve. The princess line fitted the dress closely to the body. The train was attached at the back, rather than being incorporated into the skirt, as is more common for holoku. The fabric is a synthetic brocade.

                    Purchased from: Joanne lzutsu: Accession: H.74.7.3 SD

1986 HOLOKU
White cotton voile, sheer sleeve ruffles and a close fit using princess lines show the designer's inspiration from the Middle Ages. This gown is from a collection of samples donate to the CTAHR Costume Collections by Violet Ferrell, former owner of Kamehameha Garment Company.

                    Donor: Mrs. Violet Ferrell: Accession: H.94.7.4

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DESIGN EVOLUTION

OF THE HAWAIIAN HOLOKU

by Linda Boynton Arthur, 1994

Although it originated in Hawaii in the 1820s as a loose gown without a waistline or train and was worn for everyday wear, the holoku today is a long formal gown with a train. The holoku adopted selected elements of Western fashion, and now is generally closely fitted to the body, though it continues to have no waistline.

The holoku originated after the missionaries arrived in Hawaii, and was accompanied by a chemise referred to as a mu’umu’u. While both garments continue to be very important in Hawaii, it is the mu’umu’u that is regarded by most of the world as Hawaiian dress and the holoku that is practically unknown outside of Hawai’i. For formal events, and other celebrations related to Hawaiian culture and ethnicity, the holoku is the quintessential Hawaiian gown.

Surprisingly little research has been conducted on Hawaiian apparel. A review of scholarly literature uncovered only one academic article on Hawaiian costume (Furer, 1983), although several newspaper and magazine articles have been written. No books on Hawaiian dress (other than one on aloha shirts) have been produced, although a good monograph on the Hawaiian garment manufacturing industry was written nearly thirty years ago (Fundaburke, 1965).

In order to explore the design evolution of this important Hawaiian gown, research using primary sources was undertaken from 1993 to 1994. Primary research involved a historical analysis of traveler's accounts and the diaries of missionary women who lived in Hawai’i in the 19th Century. In addition, all of the 19th and 20th Century photos of Hawaiian women in both the state archives and the Bishop Museum were examined using content analysis to determine costume designs and style features. The twentieth century newspaper collection on Hawaiian fashion in the CTAHR Costume Collections was also examined for data concerning the evolution of the holoku. Garment analysis of twelve holoku (20th Century) from the University of Hawaii's Hawaiian Costume Collection was undertaken to analyze style features throughout the past century. Twelve of these holoku are included in the exhibit. Illustrations and information on these gowns are presented in the following section of this brochure.

HISTORY OF HOLOKU DESIGN

Prior to the arrival of the missionaries in 1820, the indigenous Hawaiians wore five layers of tapa cloth, about four yards long and three or four feet wide, passing several times around the waist and extending below the knee (Wills, 1913). However, as a result of foreign trade, the ali'i (Hawaiian royalty) eagerly acquired and wore items of Western dress and traded for fabric; the queens had amassed a large store of yardage prior to the arrival of the Christian missionaries in 1820. When the ship Thaddeus arrived, the missionary women were wearing the Western fashion of the day -- dresses with a short waist, narrow skirt and long, tight sleeves. Queen Kamamalu and her retinue were enchanted and immediately requested that dresses be sewn for them. The queens brought out their stores of brocades, silks and chintz, and the decks of the Thaddeus were immediately transformed into a sewing school (Hawaiian Gazette, 1907).

The missionaries adapted their highwaisted style to fit the size of the women, and to adapt to the hot, humid environment (Fundaburke, 1965; Hawaiian Gazette, 1907). Diaries of the missionaries report that the Ali'i were people of "noble stature". While the commoners varied in size, the queens reportedly weighed 300 pounds. In order to produce a more becoming line, the missionary women replaced the high waistline of Western fashion with an above the bust yoke (Furer, 1983; Fundaburke, 1965). The end result was a basic design (referred to as a "Mother Hubbard") which was simply a full, straight skirt attached to a yoke with a high neck and tight sleeves.

The holoku was quickly adopted, due in large part, to its comfort. The missionaries established women's societies that advanced the notion of modesty. The diaries of missionary women report that Hawaiian women who had been Christianized adopted the holoku as daily dress by 1822 (Thurston, 1882) and it became standard dress of all Hawaiian women as early as 1838 (Thurston, 1842).

Various tales place the naming of the garment very early in its creation. The term holoku was created from two Hawaiian words, holo meaning to go, and ku meaning to stop. Wearing the garment for the first time, the Hawaiian women are reported to have said "Holo! Ku!" Very roughly translated, this means "We can run in it -- we can stand!" (Development of the Holoku, 1950).

The more commonly cited explanation for the term comes from the following legend which relies on a more exact translation of the Hawaiian words. Native seamstresses, when sewing their dresses, would say "holo!" (run) as they turned the wheel to operate the sewing machine, and "ku" (stop) when they wished to stop at the end of a seam. Consequently, these two words were connected and the term is explained (Hussey, 1940).

The comfort of the holoku was note by Isabella Lucy Bird, who traveled through the Hawaiian Islands in 1873. She described the holoku in great detail, praised its beauty, simplicity and comfort. In contrast to the confinement of Western fashion, Bird noted that "if we white women always wore holoku of one shape, we should have fewer gloomy moments." (1882, p.150).

After the mid 1800's, The royal courts of Kings Kamehameha III and IV and their queens, Kalama and Emma were intimately connected to European royalty, and that influence was seen in the fashions worn by the ali’i. For court functions, Hawaiian queens and princesses wore the height of European fashions, created by the noted couturiers of the day. However, for informal occasions, queens and princesses wore holoku.

From 1820 to 1890, the holoku, previously referred to as a Mother Hubbard, was the dominant style, but due to the influence of European styles after 1850, the holoku began to lose some of its fullness. By 1873, the holoku was considered "native dress", and worn by nearly all Hawaiian women. European fashion was worn by haoles (foreigners) (Bird, 1873).

The loose Mother Hubbard style, both plain and with assorted trimmings and trains continued to be the dominant style until 1890, at which time it became a secondary, traditional style. (It continues to be worn today). In the 1890s, a new style which I refer to as the "fashion holoku" emerged. This holoku reflected prevailing trends in Western fashion. In particular, it utilized the princess line to become closer fitting, and incorporated a variety of sleeves and sweeping trains. Laces, eyelets, ruffles and trims were added, and lower necklines were introduced.

From 1900 through 1920, the Mother Hubbard continued to be worn with no significant change, while the fashion holoku had a great deal more detail; it greatly resembled the European tea gown. Both types were full rather than fitted. These holoku were made in lawn, batiste and dimity, and had a straighter silhouette than previously. Trains lengthened, and the use of lace, eyelet, pin tucks and ruffles at the sleeves, yokes and hems increased significantly.

Until the 1920s, holoku were generally long dresses with a yoke, long sleeves and a train; they were either very full and plain (Mother Hubbard style) or slender fitting with a great deal of embellishment (fashion holoku). However, from the 1920s to the 1930s, there were dramatic changes in the fashion holoku. Using the princess line and bias cuts (and zippers by 1933) the holoku became very fitted, and often eliminated yokes. Necklines were lowered, trains became quite long (up to six feet) and sleeves were shortened or eliminated altogether. Ruffles, especially those resembling a lei, were dominant.

From the mid 1930s through the 1950s, the design of the fashion holoku continued to be fitted, with a long train. The use of very bold Hawaiian prints became common, in response to the importance of tourism and the Hawaiian garment industry.

Fabric used in the holoku became more sedate after the 1960s and prints have become uncommon. Typically, laces, satins, velvets, silks and other formal dress fabrics are used, and the holoku has continually become more fitted while trains have reduced to a negligible size.

At present, the fashion holoku continues to be fitted to the body, with design details closely following Western fashion. Trains vary in length, depending on the formality of the occasion. While the fashion holoku is dominant, the more traditional holoku continues to be worn, often by more traditional, mature women. As long as the holoku is associated with Hawaiian tradition, it will continue to be worn as a symbol of the wearer's commitment to Hawaiian culture.

REFERENCES CITED

Bird, I.A. (1882). Six Months in the Sandwich Islands. New York. Putnam.

Development of the Holoku. (1950). Paradise of the Pacific. 12-13.

Fundaburke, E. (1965). The Garment Manufacturing Industry of Hawaii. Economic

Research Center, Honolulu, HI.

Furer, G. (1983). Designs of Hawaiian wear. ACPTC COMBINED PROCEEDINGS.

13-20.

Holoku -- its origin and evolution. (1907). Picturesque Honolulu. 44-45.

Hussey, W. K. (1940, June 9). Holoku: Hawaii's glamour gown. Honolulu Advertiser. Magazine Section. 1.

Thurston, L. G. (1842). The Missionary's Daughter or Memoirs of Lucy Goodale

Thurston of the Sandwich Islands. New York. Dayton & Newman.

Thurston, L. G. (1882). Life and times of Mrs. Lucy G. Thurston. Ann Arbor.

Wills, F. H. (1913, May). The story of the holoku. Mid Pacific Magazine. 465-467.

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