The Friends of ʻIolani Palace marks 60th anniversary with with Aloha De Mele collaboration

The Friends of ʻIolani Palace is marking 60 years of stewardship with a special-edition Aloha de Mele collaboration by Native Hawaiian artist JT Ojerio honoring Queen Liliʻuokalani and her beloved pua kalaunu, or crown flower.

The Pua Kalaunu Collection will debut Sept. 13 during Kamaʻāina Sunday at ʻIolani Palace, with a portion of profits supporting ongoing restoration and preservation of the Palace.

Ojerio’s signature hand-drawn original artwork features strands of pua kalaunu, with The Friends of ʻIolani Palace logo incorporated throughout the collection.

“Part of our kuleana is finding thoughtful ways to share ʻIolani Palace and its history with people today while remaining true to the significance of this place,” said Paula Akana, president and CEO of The Friends of ʻIolani Palace. “JT approached this collaboration with great care and respect, and her work reflects the thoughtfulness we wanted in a collection carrying the ʻIolani Palace name.”

“Creating this collection in honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani carries deep meaning for me as a Native Hawaiian artist,” Ojerio said. “I wanted the artwork to reflect her strength and aloha through the pua kalaunu while honoring ʻIolani Palace and the history it carries for our people.”

This special edition collection was created in collaboration with ALOHA Collection and features three bag styles showcasing Ojerio’s artwork: a Pua Kalaunu Holo Holo reversible tote, Pua Kalaunu Small Pouch and commemorative ʻIolani Palace Mini Pouch.

The commemorative ʻIolani Palace Mini Pouch, available exclusively through ʻIolani Palace, features an illustration of the Palace and the words “E ʻonipaʻa i ka ʻimi naʻauao,” attributed to Liliʻuokalani and translated as “Be steadfast in the seeking of knowledge.” The Pua Kalaunu Holo Holo is $68, the Pua Kalaunu Small Pouch is $36 and the commemorative ʻIolani Palace Mini Pouch is $26.

Each piece also includes a commemorative insert sharing the history of ʻIolani Palace, The Friends’ stewardship and the inspiration behind the collection. Following the Sept. 13 Palace debut, Aloha de Mele will release the collection online Sept. 22 at alohademele.com.

Founded in 1966, The Friends of ʻIolani Palace has spent six decades restoring, preserving and caring for the Palace and its collections while sharing the history of the Hawaiian monarchy through tours, educational programs and exhibits.

For more information, visit iolanipalace.org.