Behind the Print

Welcome to Behind the Print, where Alyssa Kauanoe, the creative behind ALAUA, offers candid insight into how some of the brand's prints were conceptualized and designed.
Inazuma Towel
Inazuma Towel
I've been researching Hawaiian and Polynesian Kapa Patterns a lot. I was really curious about what each motif represented. Unfortunately, I have found no central resource for kapa patterns, their... Read more...
Mo'o Ichimatsu Towel
Mo'o Ichimatsu Towel
My fascination with tessellations began when I saw the green mo'o (gecko) mural on McCully. At this point I was already making seamless textile patterns as a hobby. Each time... Read more...
'Ulu Palaka Towel
'Ulu Palaka Towel
I knew I wanted to create a towel featuring a Hawaiian quilt design. I’ve always loved the clean, two-color contrast of the symmetrical patterns. They feel so traditional yet modern... Read more...
Angler's Fishing Towel
Angler's Fishing Towel
Back when I was first conceptualizing ALAUA, I texted my sis-in-law to bounce around some ideas. I love brainstorming with her because she often has a completely new perspective... one... Read more...
Hawai'i Volcanoes Towel
Hawai'i Volcanoes Towel
I have such wonderful memories of visiting Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park with my family. My husband first took me there back when we were dating. We were on a quest... Read more...
Haleakalā Towel
Haleakalā Towel
Sunrise at Haleakalā will forever be a cherished memory of mine. It is where my now husband proposed to me. He had taken me there a year or two before,... Read more...