What started as a joyful side project quickly became a full-time career for Julie Leiko Lopez, founder of the Hanalei boutique Leiko. “I’ve always loved vintage cars and had a craving for those bright vintage colors,” says Lopez. That passion, paired with a deep love for old Hawaiian textiles and the playful work of a few inspiring artists, sparked the birth of Leiko — a line of handmade, upcycled vintage aloha products with a distinct sense of place and personality. A self-described “simple local girl,” Lopez grew up in Hanapēpē on Kaua‘i’s West Side and now calls Kīlauea home. She never set out to be a designer — she simply fell in love with fashion and art, and started Leiko with a line of clutches made from vintage Hawaiian fabrics she has collected since childhood. Her long-handled bags, featuring tortoiseshell closures and vivid floral prints, quickly found an audience and remain best-sellers. The collection has since grown to include shell jewelry, patchwork aloha-print children’s clothing, and denim shorts, jackets, and bell-bottom jeans customized with patchwork vintage fabrics — each piece reimagined with her signature bright, nostalgic touch.

Leiko; 4489 Aku Rd., Ste. 2, Hanalei; (808) 635-0295; @leikokauai