Josh Feldman
Nathalie Walker photo
Guests recently gathered at a private residence in Nuuanu to honor actress Mariska Hargitay during a “resort chic” picnic dinner celebrating Joyful Heart Foundation’s 10th anniversary. The only caveat: In keeping with the night’s theme, and as an ode to one of its sponsors, those in attendance were encouraged to arrive wearing new or vintage Tori Richard attire.
The result was not only a colorful lookbook of Tori Richard styles past and present, but a reflection of the company’s transcendence as a lifestyle resort brand since it first began nearly 60 years ago.
Today, Tori Richard has multiple locations on Oahu, as well as on Hawaii island, Maui and Kauai. In June, the company opened its first Mainland stores in Cape Cod and Myrtle Beach,with plans to expand to Florida next year.
“We’re so much more diverse today than we’ve ever been, but the common thread is we still — we’re a resort apparel company,” says Tori Richard president and CEO Josh Feldman. “That’s probably the only thing that’s constant — what we fundamentally are never changes.”
Since Feldman appeared on MidWeek‘s Oct. 18, 2006, cover, he says Tori Richard also has renewed its commitment to manufacturing its clothing in Hawaii.
“By unit volume, over half of our production last year was actually cut and sewn in Hawaii,” he says.
In stores, shoppers will soon begin to find items from its holiday collection. Avid fans can expect to see new items every month, as Feldman says the company likes to offer something different on a regular basis.
As a reflection of its timeless wearability, Tori Richards often will bring back past patterns and designs — not a difficult task considering the company’s archives house close to 30,000 prints.
Current styles and trends are married seamlessly with each revived print, making each design relevant despite its vintage roots.
“We don’t call a lot of attention to it, we want it to stand on its own merits, not as a novelty,” says Feldman.
In his office, Feldman embodies the Tori Richard brand, complete with furniture and decor that create an ambiance similar to what shoppers experience entering any of the company’s stores.
Though he is coy about what’s in store for Tori Richard’s future, Feldman is certain the company will continue to expand its women’s line. It’s especially exciting, he says, because the company began as a women’s clothing company.
“A whole generation has grown up here thinking Tori Richard in Hawaii is an aloha shirt company,” he says. “That’s a huge part of what we do, but it’s never been what we’re about.
“But we’re obviously proud to make aloha shirts,” he adds.
For more information, visit toririchard.com.
