Business Monday: Official Merrie Monarch apparel designed and made by local company

Lee Mori, at Creative Arts Hawai‘i, was tasked with designing the artwork that is printed on about 15,000 official shirts, tanks and pullover sweaters of the 63rd Merrie Monarch Festival.

Mori and the team at Creative Arts, a locally owned and operated custom apparel business on the Big Island for more than 50 years, have been designing the festival apparel since 1989.

Mori worked on the designs with the late Dottie Thompson, the executive director of the festival from 1968 to 2010, and now the current leader of the festival, Thompson’s daughter, Aunty Luana Kawelu. Both wanted the official clothing to feature the namesake of the festival, King David Kalākaua, who was known as the “Merrie Monarch.”

For the 2026 festival, Kawelu also wanted the apparel to highlight the kane (men) since it is the 50th anniversary of them competing in the world famous hula competition. The front of the shirt has a bearded male dancer, and the back features an image of the king at the top, and below him a pahu drummer between two kane dancers.

“I love the design,” Kawelu said of this year’s shirt that is in army-green. “Lee is such a good artist. I just tell him my idea and he draws it out.”

The Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo kicked off Sunday and continues throughout this week, culminating in a three-day hula competition where 19 groups will showcase kahiko (ancient) and ‘auana (modern) hula starting Thursday with the solo performances for Miss Aloha Hula.

The festival was named after Hawai‘i’s last reigning king, David Kalākaua, who was a patron of the arts, especially music and dance.

“For many decades under Christian missionary teachings, Hawaiian beliefs and traditions were suppressed. Kalākaua did not support such teachings…” according to the Merrie Monarch website. “He advocated for a renewed sense of pride in all things Hawaiian such as the arts, medicine, music and hula.”

In the early years of the festival, Kumu Hula Etua Lopes recalled events such as a Kalākaua lookalike contest, a beard contest and a barbershop quartet contest. The hula contest, he added, was a way to honor the monarch who revived the art form.

Over the years, the official festival apparel has featured many colors and paid homage to the different elements of hula with lei prints that encircled the collar. In 2024, hula instruments were showcased, including drums, puili (split bamboo sticks that are whacked together) and uliuli (made with feathers and a ball that rattle when shaken).

The official apparel purchased by locals and vistors from around the world during festivals isn’t just a good way to remember the experience. It also supports the cultural event.

Kawelu wouldn’t disclose the amount raised in apparel sales, saying the festival is about heart, not money.

But she did say most of the profits go toward production of the event, such as paying for food vendors and giving some money to the festival volunteers.

Kawelu likes to give whatever is left to the halau (hula groups), which can spend $75,000 to $100,000 in flights, other transportation and costumes to compete in the invitational competition.

Through the years, Mori has been part of creating more than 30 designs of festival shirts.

“We appreciate all that Merrie Monarch brings to Hilo as it involves a lot of businesses,” Mori said. “We appreciate the fact that Aunty Luana and the whole Merrie Monarch community trust us to do the shirts every year.”

From the bright island colors of red, pink, orange, yellow, purple, green, white and gray, to the lei that encircled the shirt collar, Mori said the shirts go through a transformation based on feedback and what leaders at the festival want to feature.

Mori said designing the next Merrie Monarch shirt begins shortly after the previous festival ends. The first step usually is a meeting with Kawelu to discuss the color.

After a fabric is chosen, the team discusses theme ideas and design. In 2025, it was instruments used in hula and the year before it was kapa patterns featured, Mori said.

Mori said Kawelu usually consults with halau and advisors and the design is modified or approved.

“It gets harder and harder every year to try to beat the year’s past looks,” Mori said.

Six items are available. Check out the shirts here.

• Adult t-shirt: $24 to $29
• Women’s t-shirt: $25 to $29
• Hoodie: $37 to $40
• Long-sleeve: $26 to $30
• Tank top: $20 to $22
• Youth t-shirt: $15

The apparel is being sold in Hilo at the Merrie Monarch office at 865 Piʻilani St. and at the Merrie Monarch Craft Fair at the Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium and Butler Buildings.

Merchandise will be sold throughout the week at Grand Naniloa Hotel and Hilo Hawaiian Hotel from April 6-10 during noonday hula shows.

There will be a Merrie Monarch booth at the Prince Kūhiō Plaza and shirts will be available at the stadium during Ho‘ike and the competition nights.