Blogs by Allison

My grandmother was a very fashionable woman. When I look at photos of her from before, I’m reminded of a time when things seemed a bit more glamorous and refined. Even as she aged and eventually came to live with us on O’ahu, she still had distinctive taste in clothing. Buying her a “simple top” was a bigger feat than you would think. She was meticulous and wanted things a certain way . . . but as she got older, finding pieces that fit her the right way became harder and harder. She was constantly on the search for a top that wasn’t a “crewneck” t-shirt, but with a neckline that wasn’t so big it would show her heart surgery scar. Small details that were important to her. Details that made her feel good about herself. When I think about my own journey and how I got here, I’m always reminded of those who came before me . . . my grandma, my mom, my sister. The women who shaped me in so many ways. From before I can even remember, I would join my mother in dressing rooms. She’d be trying on clothing, and maybe I was somehow intuitively picking up on all of the frustrations she was experiencing. Sitting on her bedroom floor watching her get dressed, piles of clothing on the floor . . . it’s a memory that is embedded into who I am, and who I’ve become. The collective frustration of women, I guess . . . even from a young age, I understood it. It’s the single thread that connects us all. It connects me to my grandmother, to my mom, even to my sister. My sister was always a taller, longer version of me. Her 5'6" frame always looked better in my clothing than my own 5'2" frame did. But she struggled too. Her wider hips made her proportions difficult, and even though to me she looked amazing, I could always sense her frustration as well. You could say it was my calling from an early age . . . to know the frustrations of women. To see them, feel them, and then to experience them for myself. It’s what binds me to you and this community in a deeper way. It’s the single thread woven throughout our experiences. But it shouldn’t be a frustration . . . what if the single thread that connects all of us could be one of joy, ease and freedom? What if the single thread that connects all of us is a sense of acceptance, a positive relationship with our clothing and our bodies? This is my hope, my dream to one day achieve. To replace the thread of frustration with a sense of relief, of acceptance, of coming home to a body that finally feels good. Intuitively, I knew when my grandma found the perfect shirt (which she would, of course, buy at least two of) or when my mom found the pants that made her feel amazing. That sigh of relief and comfort . . . I felt it then and I understand it now. It’s why I continue to do what I do, in a way that few have tried before. This is what these last couple of months of 2026 are all about for me. Finally accepting and finding the thread. Allowing myself to follow it all the way back to my ancestors, and then bringing it forward into moments with my own daughter. The stories, the struggles, the pain and the healing . . . it’s what binds us all together, because none of us are alone in it. So this Black Friday, I went back into the archives. I brought a few styles back into the present and mixed them with pieces of the moment, and of the future of Allison Izu. Styles that could bring joy not only to my family and friends, but to yours as well. We’ve been working to bring a full assortment of fabrics, styles and colors to make this our best Black Friday event ever. Call it a culmination of all of my learning over the years, not only as a designer and entrepreneur, but as a daughter, granddaughter, sister and friend. Because it’s the communities and relationships we build that make us whole and complete . . . and the most important of these relationships is the one we create with ourselves. I’m excited to share these next few collections with you . . . to honor the single thread that connects all of us. This thread of frustration that can finally lead us to acceptance. -Allison

Have you ever sat back and observed how the Universe truly works in mysterious ways? In the small and minute movements that happen to allow for a bigger moment to happen? That's how I've been feeling about this collection. Before I can go forward, let me go back for a moment. This brand has been in existence for almost 18 years . . . I go back and forth on which year I actually "started" because I was supposed to launch in 2007, but ended up delaying the launch till the following year due to manufacturing mishaps. So, from now on, I'll keep 2008 as my first year in business. That means this year marks our 18th anniversary. And if you remember when we used to have a retail store in Ala Moana, we lovingly named this time of year "Alliversary" and it kinda stuck. So this year is our 18th Alliversary. And who knows where my head was last September because it just came and went. We didn't have a chance to celebrate Alliversary, so when this June rolled around I knew I wanted to work to bring the celebration back. But with fashion — timing is everything! So many pieces and moving parts go into putting a collection together and I wanted this one to be special. I wanted to launch a print. It's been more than a year since we launched a print design and there's a lot that goes into making one. First, I have to draw the print . . . but let me stop you there so I can preface that I am NOT a print designer. I didn't go to school for it or anything. But when it comes to print designing for clothing, I know I have a particular point of view and an understanding of what I want clothes to do for our bodies. I use the same philosophy . . . will this print make me look good (and feel good?) For me, that means a level of understated elegance or effortlessness — basically, "looking good without trying too hard." So when I started thinking about a print for this Alliversary, I wanted it to embody this feeling. I also didn't have a lot of time and needed to create something fast, so I went into my archives and found a print that I still LOVE. A simple and understated "branch" print that we launched many years ago. When I first designed this print, it was inspired by the Japanese sakura tree, in its dormant stage, with no flowers or blooms. To give it new life, I started making small tweaks to the original, changing the size of the print to be a bit larger than the last time. And as I was going through the process, I remembered why I created this print in the first place. The significance of the period right before the sakura blooms — it's still cold, but the season begins to shift to the right environment. The tree's perseverance to withstand the changes in weather, its ability to flourish even in hardships. Remembering this sparked something in me and I knew I had to make this happen for Alliversary. If you've been following along, you know we made a big business decision to move our fulfillment to the mainland U.S. And along with many other changes and delays, our Alliversary collection is slowly but surely coming together. We were able to secure two styles ahead of time so we can already share our new print with you. That means we're starting our anniversary celebration now and it'll continue on into October. This Alliversary Collection is about the perseverance of the branches before the blooms, the small shifts and minute movements that make a bloom possible. I felt it with bringing this collection together and I can see how something like a bare branch can become the clean slate needed for the Universe to create the blooms. This collection, the timing of this warehouse move, and the transition I'm feeling inside of myself for this business is all the necessary and beautiful alignment needed for me to fully realize my true purpose and path in this lifetime . . . So very excited for you to see this collection, to welcome its energy into your life. I hope it'll inspire you to appreciate all of the small shifts and minute movements in your own life that allow your beautiful life to unfold in ways you never expected. -Allison 

We're officially moving our warehouse and fulfillment out of Hawaii, and to be honest, I'm feeling a lot of emotions about it." -Allison, Founder In this video, Allison shares a honest, behind-the-scenes look at the next big step for Allison Izu. Change can be scary, and letting go of the physical process of packing your orders in-house has brought up a lot of fears about losing that close connection to our community. Keep watching to hear Allison redefine what connection means with this change.

I've always considered myself a "small brand" with dreams of being a bigger one and it's a mindset that I struggle with daily. I even told myself not to use the phrase, "small brand" to describe the business anymore (even if it's just a rule I hold only in my head). The other way I tend to describe my business is to call it a "local brand", describing the fact that most of our operations are based in Hawaii (the place I was born and raised). I have a deep sense of pride being able to do this. But one fact is true, it's expensive to grow a business here in Hawaii. And one of the big reasons is shipping costs. It's something none of us can overcome as it's just part of living on a beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. And when I started to focus on growing our customer base to other women throughout the U.S., we quickly saw the percentages of Hawaii-based customers vs mainland customers shift. This came as a surprise to the team and I. And with the shift, a new set of challenges arose and one that we can't ignore anymore is shipping . . . again. We take the biggest hit when everything is done, ready to sell, and we need to get it in our hands from our California factories to Hawaii – I know, it's painful. The second shipping cost is from finding a large enough space to hold the clothing in Hawaii where we can organize, pack, and fulfill all your orders. And then the third comes from the shipping costs a large portion of you have to endured to get your order to your doorstep. Those who pay the most are on the continental U.S. because now we're shipping everything from Hawaii back to the mainland. And many of you have commented on the high cost of shipping - so much so that it became a bigger issue that needed to be addressed. It's been a thought that I've been wrestling with for over a year now. And after talking to numerous fulfillment centers, I've finally found one that I feel like I can trust and who'll take care of fulfilling your orders with as much care and concern as we do. Don't worry - we'll still be on the other side of the line for your emails, direct messages and phone calls. And as we sit in meetings to discuss these changes, I promise to keep you in the loop as much as possible. My team and I have considered all of it, even the fact that our Hawaii customers may now have to pay more in shipping. But don't fear, we're working through a possibility of taking a bit of a "hit" on the shipping from our new mainland facility to Hawaii, and offering a flat rate to our long time Hawaii friends. I know that it's through your support and kindness that we get to do this job everyday! So I ask for your help one more time . . . This week, we're doing a "Clear the Warehouse Sale" – as we attempt to let go of as much inventory as we can. This is to avoid having to pay shipping one more time to get the older inventory back to the mainland to be warehoused. We ask that you help us "lighten our load" by buying what you've had your eye on for a while or getting that second pair of pants you love. This may be the last time you see these sale styles, in these colors. Thank you ahead of time for your support and for being here as I battle challenges of running this business. So many changes and each one is not made lightly. I see it all as a win-win situation . . . with gratitude, Allison

Part 2 I recently got back from a seminar our E-commerce coaches held in California. The best part about it was being around other entrepreneurs, makers, and creatives. During some down time in my hotel room, it hit me: "being from Hawaii" is my superpower. I used to think it was a hurdle to overcome. Cause to run a business in Hawaii is to consciously choose to run it from one of the most expensive places in the US. It's not the most logical, financially beneficial decision to make as a business owner. The cost to live here, the cost of retail or commercial space, the ridiculous cost to ship goods in and out — crazy! But living here isn't about crunching the numbers and finding a more cost-effective decision — it's a non-negotiable for me. The mana, the energy of the people, the special place we have the opportunity to live in — this is the superpower. What I realized about myself and this newfound superpower is that we live the true meaning of Aloha through and through. It's in the small things — letting someone into your lane, throwing a shaka to say thanks, opening a door for someone at Zippy's, or smiling at a stranger as you pass them on the street. It's talking story with neighbors and giving extra bananas from your tree. Even listing it right here and now doesn't quite begin to scratch the surface of what the aloha spirit means — but it's felt... you get it, I know you understand. It took being in a room with so many entrepreneurs from other parts of the U.S. for me to realize that being from Hawaii makes me unique in the stories I can tell. It's given me a depth of spirit and culture I can't explain to anyone — you just know... (my pidgin comes out from time to time, lol). The deep care we have for one another, the way we expand our ohana to include more than just blood relatives — it's the deep respect for not only this land, but the people and the spirit that lives here. That was my realization and why being Made in Hawaii means so much more to me than where the actual garment was sewn. It's the energy, the intention and love we put into every design, every color choice and print, every email, every story, every post or video — this is what weaves us to this place and gives us our unique identity. We don't make decisions because of the bottom line, because of some P&L spreadsheet — we do it because it's the right thing to do. To offer high-quality fabrics, to source the best craftspeople to sew your garments, and to reasonably price our pieces so we can offer them to more people while still maintaining the business. It's because I see each of you as part of my ohana, because you have helped to malama me in ways I feel deeply every day. The love you share with me, the support, the quiet championing of me, this brand, this team. The way you show up for us every time we need you, and the way your love is felt in every purchase, every email — we feel it deeply, and we are humbled by it. This is why I chose to come back here to start my career and business. This is the place I'm grateful I can raise my children and run this business, because I knew you — this community — would send so much love and aloha to us. So thank you... it is felt, it surrounds me every day from my small office on Oahu. We could not do this without you!  -Allison

While there is intention behind each collection — colors, designs, outfits — I don't always get to plan ahead about the meaning behind each collection and when it’ll be launched. In this case, the styles we had planned to come out in August faced some delays with the factory and shipping too. And we’re launching it much later than expected. So the alignment of this collection's drop with this week's lunar eclipse is interesting, and it's given me a moment to pause and observe a bit more. This collection was initially meant to be a sort of palette cleanser—going back to basics, less color, more intentional about outfit pairing and styling, plus a couple of new designs. I wanted the silhouettes to speak for themselves, especially with two new pieces launching: a new top, Rebecca, and a new pant, Rowan. And I went out on a limb with this collection and pushed to launch a darker charcoal fabric (which in the past never really did well, so my team pushed back on it during planning meetings), but I insisted, because it was personally something I wanted in my closet, and something I thought could be so sophisticated for all of us to wear. In moments like that, where I feel pulled to stand my ground, I usually try to be “reasonable” and “give in.” Because I don’t like being an unreasonable person and all the past analytics told us this color is a “bad idea.” But something pulled me . . . and this feeling of being pulled, I now realize, is my intuition.  And this eclipse season has spotlighted my conditioning to be the “good girl,” to go along with the group, the overall reasoning, being rational. Most people would say it’s the smart thing to do - list to the group, to the data . . . so it feels uncomfortable for me to push back against the things that my mind categorizes as reasonable.  I’ve been working with something called Human Design - it’s basically astrology on steroids, and it has recently helped me start to own my true self over my conditioned self. And the reason I bring up Human Design is that I’m a Manifestor and my authority is Splenic (basically being ruled by my intuition). Even though I’ve known for a while that my authority is my intuition, only recently have I given myself the “permission” to live in this way.  This decision to choose the Dark Heather Charcoal fabric was one of the small but powerful decisions I’ve recently made to own my authority. I realize running a business means I need to listen to analytics, my team of experts, and my customers - but this eclipse season is also asking me to not just listen to my intuition, but to act on it, to be pulled by it. This collection is one of the first where I went with something that felt uncomfortable, a little unreasonable and even now, as we launch it, I still stand firm in my decision to choose these colors, these fabrics, these designs. I think the point of life is to listen to that inner voice and have the courage to see where it leads you. I'm calling this collection The August Reset — because that's what this really is. Not just new styles, but a reset closer to my true self, the one underneath all the conditioning to be reasonable, to go along with the group. After our last two collections Into the Garden and Infinite Bloom, this one is asking me to root before I can bloom again. Grounded in what I actually wanted — I hope it gives you permission to reset toward whatever feels true for you too. -Allison 

Part 1 When I decided to close our Showroom in Manoa a couple of years ago, I signed myself up to be a part of an E-commerce coaching platform. It's been one of the best decisions I've made for my business and has given me a new perspective on what I can do with and through this business. Being a 4th generation Japanese girl who was born and raised in Hawaii, I have a deep respect for the local culture and it's embedded into my soul. I never really knew how magical this place is until I decided to go away for college. As I packed up my bag and landed in NYC, I thought I would never return to Hawaii — I pictured myself in the fast-paced city of New York, wearing all black, stomping in my boots across 7th Avenue, then drinking cosmos at night with my fabulous friends in Soho (for all my SATC girlies out there!) But was I spent more time living there, I realized I was so homesick. As much as I loved the fast pace and amazing fashion the city had to offer, I missed the culture of Hawaii — the people, the food, and the overall heartbeat of what makes this place so special. Even if you asked me today, I can't point to one specific thing — it's the energy, it's the vibe... nothing beats living in Hawaii. It's the ideal place to live, but not the most ideal place to run a business. As an entrepreneur, I've had my fair share of difficult learning moments where I needed to be honest with myself, make hard decisions, and do the "right thing" for the brand, even though it pained me to do it. The first thing was moving my manufacturing from Hawaii to California. I'm a maker deep within my heart — I loved visiting the local factories and picking up and dropping off bolts of fabric to the cutter — but it didn't make any sense for the business as I grew. Quality started to slip, capacity was limited, deadlines were delayed, and our seamstresses were getting older and retiring. I couldn't see a situation where this got better for me or the brand. This change made me feel less like a Hawaii brand, and it affected me more than I allowed myself to realize. And then I chose to close my Showroom, something I struggled with for a long time. My one physical connection point to you needed to be closed. The cost of a retail space, along with the rising cost of staffing, became too much to bear — at the end of the day, we weren't making a profit, struggling to make ends meet. And BOOM — my second connection point to Hawaii was gone . . .  Now, as I make the decision to move our fulfillment (where we pack and ship our orders) out of Hawaii — blame it on the ridiculously high cost to ship goods from California — another connection point to my home will be sadly taken away from me and the team. But through all of this sadness, I had one clear moment of gratitude, my light at the end of the tunnel: myself, the team, and the heart of the business still remain here on Oahu. And I don't see that changing in the near future. I returned to Hawaii to give myself the opportunity to live in this beautiful and magical place — to raise my kids here, for them to be surrounded by this culture, this beauty, and their friends and family. And when I look back at what I've been able to build here with this talented team, it's allowed me to see that we've built a community of amazing women who not only support us — you champion for us. It's because of your love, your energy and your aloha spirit that I've been given the ability, along with the team, to live our dreams. This feeling, the mana (spiritual power) that surrounds me every day, is what allows me to continue in my darkest moments — from you and every single person who lives within these islands, keeping me supported every day. So I hope you understand that this brand, this team, and I are still deeply rooted in honoring this place that has supported and raised us all these years. It is because of our deep respect for Hawaii that we will continue to honor what the aloha spirit truly means. Thank you for supporting Allison Izu, thank you for supporting local, and for allowing makers like myself the opportunity to share our stories with you. Sending you lots of love, aloha, and light from all of us here... Mahalo — Allison

What started as nerves over a necessary change turned into an outpouring of support that caught the whole team off guard — in the best way. That response has created a new kind of challenge, one Allison's genuinely happy to have. She talks about what's coming next, why she's more excited than ever about where things are headed, and how the community's trust keeps reminding her why she started this in the first place. Shop styles available for Pre-Sale

Allison opens up about a recent shift in mindset around goals and self-belief. Watching other women succeed has always felt inspiring, but she realized her own business goals were being set from that same admiration for others, rather than a real conviction in her own ability to get there. A recent seminar helped her name the real issue: not a lack of ambition, but a lack of faith in herself. Moving forward means turning that belief inward instead of projecting it onto others.