Artist Profile: Rocket Ahuna Weaves Aloha Into Couture

“If you are Kanaka, whatever you make is Kanaka art,” said fashion designer Rocket Ahuna in an interview with The Crimson.

Dedication to artistic excellence takes a rare kind of courage, but Kanaka Maoli — or Native Hawaiian — Ahuna has never played it safe. From collegiate volleyball player to Fashion Institute of Technology student, and now an independent designer, Ahuna has established a fashion career defined by bold pivots and an unshakeable belief in the beauty of his own voice. This fearless approach has carried his sculptural designs to major audiences — dressing UFC champion Max Holloway in custom walkout gear and styling stars such as Luciane Buchanan, Mainei Kinimaka, and professional surfer Maluhia Kinimaka. Crafting pieces at the intersection of heritage and contemporary innovation, the Kauaʻi native is redefining the boundaries of Hawaiian fashion on his own terms.

Long before his silhouettes hit the runway, Ahuna found his creative roots in community and the practice of hula. Guided by his kumu hula — a master teacher in the art of hula whom he likens to a “creative director” — he learned to tell stories using evocative adornment, transforming lei and regalia into sensory experiences through dance.

“All these little details that make up this big thing of hula were all the things that I really loved,” Ahuna said.

Through hula, he learned to build an immersive narrative incorporating hand-crafted garments, lei, and regalia tailored to the specific places he danced about, using his senses to tell a story.

That creative drive eventually propelled Ahuna away from Hawaiʻi to pursue fashion design at FIT. Yet, the distance only deepened his bond with the ʻāina, or the land and sea; returning home between semesters, he viewed the land with a fresh adoration.

“It took being there to actually come home a couple times and truly look at the dirt and be like, ‘What am I doing?’” Ahuna said. “I actually love and appreciate this place so much.”

Equipped with the technical skills of couture, Ahuna returned home to launch his label while caring for his grandmother. Her bold taste and caring spirit became pillars of his design philosophy, inspiring the thematic silhouettes he’s known for today.

“She was never afraid to push a look, and she’s definitely more bold — [she’d wear] a lot of those more bolder silhouettes and prints, brighter colors,” Ahuna said. “She was never afraid to really push Hawaiʻi.”

For Ahuna, design extends beyond stitching garment patterns or promoting surface-level cultural references into a deep commitment to the land and its people.

“If you’re going to do something, you better do it right,” Ahuna said.

This mindset shapes his label through purposeful partnerships and initiatives. He’s currently working with a conservationist to raise awareness of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death — a fungal disease that kills ʻōhiʻa trees — by actively planting these trees. Simultaneously, he continues to partner with Holloway, designing attire in support of athletic camps across the islands.

“Culture is the future,” Ahuna said. That philosophy is woven into every aspect of his design process and sustainability efforts. By grounding his work in the ancestral knowledge of his kupuna — his grandmother — Ahuna creates designs that balance innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

Ahuna’s latest collection, “MĀNOA” spring/summer 2027, marks a bold departure from his signature botanical prints. Drawing on his family’s athletic legacy, he turns his attention to the University of Hawaiʻi’s sports teams — affectionately known as the “Bows.”

“In Hawaiʻi, you don’t have an NFL sports team — you have the Bows,” Ahuna said.

In a state without a major-league sports team, the Bows serve as symbols of local pride and unity across the islands. This collection reinterprets their athletic garments as high fashion, with color-blocked green and orange jerseys, asymmetrical button plackets, and varsity tailoring as a nod to a pillar of local culture.

Ahuna is preparing to return to the runway on Nov. 13, channeling the energy of game day into the collection’s debut. The designer’s ambitions stretch beyond the islands. Rather than viewing a major global stage like New York Fashion Week as a potential one-time milestone, he envisions it as a recurring platform for continuous cultural exchange.

“I hope to participate and bring aloha to those spaces, take Hawaiʻi with me there, and also bring them back,” he said.

With this approach, he hopes to carry on the legacy of cultural exchange practiced by his kupuna.

Anchored in intention, Rocket Ahuna is shaping a new era of Hawaiian design — one where tradition doesn’t restrict innovation but serves as the foundation for what’s next.