The Kamehameha Garment Company was set up by Herbert Briner (said to be the founder of Hawaiian ready-to-wear) in 1936 and was run from a garment production facility that had previously produced uniforms. After Herb Briner’s death in 1966, the company was owned by his wife Millie Briner and his sons. In the 1970s Richard Goodwin was the designer of the company’s lines.
The company was sold to Crown Corporation, though Millie Briner stayed with the company as president until the mid-1970s. In 1990 the company was acquired by Brad Walker.
The name comes from King Kamehameha I who was responsible for uniting Hawaii’s islands. The company is particularly famous for its Aloha shirts, as well as its tropical flower-patterned cotton clothing (featuring sarongs, full skirted dresses, sun and swimsuits) for women.
Written by artisannes
from a 1940s shirt
Courtesy of pinky-a-gogo
from a 1950s cheongsam dress
Courtesy of TBonitaStyle
from a 1950s dress
Courtesy of artisannes
from a late 1950s shirt
Courtesy of pinky-a-gogo
from a 1960s pake muu
Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage
from a 1960s shift
Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage
from a 1960s shift
Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage
from an early 1970s bathing suit (hang tag)
Courtesy of pinky-a-gogo
from a 1970s caftan dress
Courtesy of EBTH
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