One of the flagship surf brands is PIKO. What kind of image do readers have of the brand PIKO?
Depending on the generation, the image of PIKO might vary, but one thing in common is that the brand "PIKO" had a huge breakout from the late 90s to the early 2000s.
Even if you were not into surfing, PIKO’s impactful logo made it popular across generations. Recently, artist Aimyon wearing it has brought the brand back into the spotlight.
However, surprisingly few people are aware of the original message that the brand PIKO carries. Having sparked a massive boom in the Heisei era and garnering attention once again in recent years, what kind of brand is PIKO really?
This time, we interviewed the people from KAIENTAI Co., Ltd., who have been involved in PIKO's license business for over 20 years.
Unraveling the History & Brand Message of PIKO Once Again
PIKO was born in 1994.
Photographer Kevin Kamakura and his friend, graphic designer Wade Morisato, launched PIKO as a brand to convey the charm of Hawaii.
Kevin’s passion for PIKO wasn't just another surf brand; it was about letting more people know about Hawaiian culture. He dedicated that sentiment to PIKO.
Using motifs like taro, Hawaii’s soul food, ancient petroglyphs, and canoes used for transportation, they expanded their designs while also researching traditional Hawaiian tapa fabrics.
The symbol of PIKO, the logo, means "belly button."
"The logo has a conceptual meaning of connecting to Hawaiian ancestors through the 'belly button.' Much like the umbilical cord that connects you to your parents, it symbolically connects to Hawaiian ancestors. That’s why the brand name is PIKO, which means 'belly button' in Hawaiian.
"Therefore, the original PIKO infuses graphics with a message of coexisting with Hawaii and nature."
The Diminishing Original Mindset of PIKO from the Late 90s to the 2000s
PIKO was created to convey the allure of Hawaii’s nature and culture, but as it broke out in Japan in the late 90s, it began to be recognized as a popular surf brand there.Many might recall the PIKO boom in Japan. At the time, PIKO was the trend, and just wearing a PIKO logo T-shirt meant you were in vogue.
"Kevin and Wade live in Hawaii, in a natural environment. Their name and logo for PIKO came from their inner inspirations.
"Initially, they started by producing items in Hawaii and displaying them in shops, but the brand quickly secured a licensing contract in Japan."
Back then, a different company mainly managed PIKO’s licensing rights as the official agent.
In the late 90s in Japan, surfing once again captured attention as a trend. Surfing had been a popular sport since the 80s, but in the late 90s, the surfing boom was reignited when famous artist Takuya Kimura picked it up as a hobby.
At the same time, magazines like "Fine," which featured surfer fashion, gained popularity, and PIKO's recognition skyrocketed.
The surfing boom, Hawaiian boom, and hibiscus motifs favored by Kogal during the late 90s—PIKO matched perfectly with these trends in Japan.
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