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It is not often that a corporate
history can be told as a love story,
but the roots of "Go Barefoot"
manufacturing are founded on true
love and affection. . . . In 1946,
World War II had come to a close, and
Isamu Takabuki of Hawaii formed
Iolani Sportswear and began
manufacturing Hawaiian "Aloha"
garments. He also purchased the Aloha
Boeki screenprinting company in
Kyoto, Japan to print his fabric with
designs by Hawaiian
artists.
His daughter Alice, fell in love with
Clarence Hara, and our love story begins.
In 1954, the lovers eloped to Southern
California, and in the process deeply hurt
Isamu. Three years later, Craig Hara (now
president) was born and soon peace was made
within the family. Isamu, the grandfather,
sold his Hawaii businesses and moved to
California. In 1957, Clarence and Isamu
formed a new company and incorporated Fuji
Import Company, Inc. They wholesaled
imported Hawaiian shirts and robes from
Japan made from silk, rayon, and cottons.
Today these garments are highly prized
collectors items.
As the business grew, Clarence decided to
expand and he applied for membership in
MAGIC. Refused on the grounds that garments
(at that time) were required to be made in
the U.S.A. and preferably in California,
Clarence immediately hired sewing
contractors and started manufacturing in
the Los Angeles garment district. At the
same time, realizing that "Fuji Import Co."
was not a viable name to merchandise
Hawaiian sportswear, or to be accepted for
membership in MAGIC, he selected Mr. Hawaii
Inc. as the new company name. Upon
acceptance into MAGIC, Clarence volunteered
his time and services and became very
active in the MAGIC organization. He served
as chairman of various show committees and
served on the Board of Directors for 27
years, and was president of MAGIC from 1988
through
1989.
He also recognized the need for a
new product label; a "handle" for his
ultimate customer to grasp. On one of
his trips to Hawaii to develop
designs for his Hawaiian shirts,
Clarence met with his old friend
Sterling Mossman, a well known
nightclub entertainer at Waikiki's
Queen's Surf and the famous Barefoot
Bar. From his friend, he received
legal approval to use the "Barefoot"
which was the decor of the Barefoot
Bar, with footprints on the walls and
steps leading to the Bar and
entertainment. The new label then
became "Go Barefoot in Paradise"
(also the name of Sterling's Waikiki
show) and later was shortened to "Go
Barefoot". Note: The footprint logo
was sold to Hang Ten in the early
1970's.
CELEBRATING 51 YEARS
1957 - 2008
Craig Hara
soon found his place along side his
father, and is now the president of Mr.
Hawaii, Inc. For the past 50 years, Mr.
Hawaii, Inc. has been designing and
producing the finest quality Hawaiian
shirts. These garments reflect the
beauty and aloha that is found in only
one place on our planet -The islands of
Hawaii. Craig and Clarence still travel
back and forth to Hawaii to work with
their artists and to develop
contemporary authentic Hawaiian prints
with the same fabric company they
started with in the early
fifties.
The Entire Go Barefoot
Shirt
Collection
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