Friday, March 29, 2024

Window Shopping: No Ka’Oi

by Cristina

I’m absolutely in love with this new brand called No Ka’Oi I spotted on Instagram yesterday, but I’m going to have to save my pretty pennies for it. Maybe I’ll make owning one of these items a fitness goal of mine and pay myself at the end of three months of going to the gym 4-5 days per week, or maybe I need to add an additional fitness goal to that. No! Being kind to myself – 4-5 days a week of physical activity is my goal. I noticed this brand a few months ago but the last season of items I wasn’t as crazy about. This new season of No Ka’oi items is obviously a hit because it was stocked a few days ago and already many pieces (even at the higher price range) are sold out.

The ruffles and colors on these pieces remind me of Lululemon 2013 and how excited I felt when I walked into the store and saw gorgeous vibrant and inspiring colors and prints and designs on technically elegant and functional fitness apparel.

No Ka’Oi Spring 2018

I just love the ruffles on these first two pieces, and the red, white and pink color blocking.


No Ka'Oi Nalu Kela
No Ka'Oi Nalu Kela

No Ka'Oi Nalu Moe Tank Top

I love this sweater and would wear this with jeans and white sandals in the spring for sure, or to the gym as a to/from item.

No Ka'Oi Nalu Long SleeveNo Ka'Oi Lala Medium Support Sport BraNo Ka'Oi Nele Vest Mutlicolor

I would wear this hoodie daily to the gym.

No Ka'oi Nele Sweatshirt

Metallics done right. Metallics in fitness apparel has been such a trend lately but it’s not always done right. Here it is a really nice, truly metallic finish without being extremely flashy or garish. I love that it’s got a sporty adidasesque stripe down the side.

No Ka'oi Kala Leggings

No Ka'oi Kea Ola in Multicolor

No Ka'Oi Noelani Long Sleeve Tee

Shop the No Ka’oi Spring release here:

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3042446″]

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21 comments

Rise and Shine February 26, 2018 - 2:28 pm

I love the top with the metallic stripe, but $545 is way too rich for my blood. Too many other things I’d rather do with my money.

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Cristina February 26, 2018 - 3:18 pm

Yes, this is window shopping for sure. I’ll be stalking the markdown section for that sweater.

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SharonV February 26, 2018 - 2:56 pm

I like the colour blocking but I really dislike ruffles especially on work out wear. I’m definitely more of a minimalist! Thanks for bring this brand to my attention. A lot of the stuff is really pretty!

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Lizzie February 26, 2018 - 3:44 pm

no. just no.

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Kira February 26, 2018 - 5:08 pm

I’m with you. I don’t get it at all

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Stacy February 26, 2018 - 5:21 pm

I love the first two pieces. So pretty and feminine. The colors are lovely! It does remind me of some of the cuter Lulu pieces from several years ago.

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Gymmie February 26, 2018 - 6:47 pm

Oh gosh the stuff is cute…the colours are great. I like the colour blocked tights and bra…and ruffles. I like the cold shoulder top but for casual wear…the metallics are cute too. Thx for sharing…. Even if i cant buy i do like seeing.

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Jil February 26, 2018 - 9:09 pm

This brand is so hit or miss…I either love or hate their stuff. (It is all way to expensive for me)

These almost sold out. https://www.carbon38.com/product/kei-leggings-multicolor-85-42416

Check out the brand website http://shopnokaoi.com/bottoms.html and you really see the styling that Carbon38 does.

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Runrunyogi February 27, 2018 - 12:06 pm

Wow, that first pair/link look like clown pants! I’m horrified they’re almost sold out!

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Amy February 27, 2018 - 4:55 am

A bit clown-ish for my taste.

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anonymous February 27, 2018 - 10:39 am

So much no to all of this. It’s all ugly, but to each their own.

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Mrs. O February 27, 2018 - 12:25 pm

Not sure how I feel about this brand. I do like the more streamlined pieces. I’ve never been a ruffle person and not drawn to it for fitness gear. Although I’d probably see it on someone and think it was cute. Eeeks! Even the sale prices at 50% off are extremely high. I’d love it if one day I could purchase something in this price range for workout gear just because I can. LOL . . . but not now!

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Ciambella February 27, 2018 - 9:56 pm

I’m very confused by the brand name, style names, and their general aesthetic! I live in Hawaii and if they’re trying to name themselves after the Hawaiian saying “Nō Ka ʻOi,” they’ve definitely misspelled it. I don’t know enough Hawaiian to know if they’re using genuine Hawaiian words for their style names or if they’re just making things up but I’m highly suspicious it’s more the latter (“lama”??). Also tiny ruffles and gold and silver foil in athletic stripes generally does not feature in Hawaiian art so I’m just very confused why they claim to be channeling “Hawaiian energy” or whatever they say they’re doing on their About Us page. No surprise it’s an Italian company, not Hawaiian, but still. I thought the fashion industry has generally become more aware of and thoughtful about the problems of cultural appropriation, yet this is a pretty modern example that it is still an issue.

Anyway, thanks for bringing new Activewear lines to your readers’ attentions–I do appreciate you sharing! The styles aren’t really my style personally, but the weird naming and fairly blatant slapping of a so-called “Hawaiian” aesthetic on top of that makes me unlikely to purchase anything from this company.

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Cristina February 27, 2018 - 10:11 pm

Thank you for bringing that to my attention! I didn’t realize it was an Italian company fronting as Hawaiian. That is absolutely problematic.

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Ciambella February 27, 2018 - 11:57 pm

Oh, no problem! Thank you for listening! I think the most amusing thing to me is that they could have named the brand and its styles almost anything else–there is nothing special about the styles, styling, color schemes, or source that conveys “Hawaii” in particular. It’s like they came up with designs for a new line of activewear, were stumped what to name it, and then said “well, let’s go with a Hawaii theme because no one else has done it before and we need to stand out from all of the other Italian activewear brands somehow.” Then they glanced at Google and put together some vaguely Hawaiian-ish sounding words and made a website (also, since my initial comment, a friend of a friend has confirmed that it’s all gibberish). It’s such a transparent appropriation of the Hawaiian language that it would be great as a poster child for what appropriation looks like. No thought, no research, no respect–just use what you like, divorced from sense, to try to make money. I have to laugh at how ridiculous it is!

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Mrs. O February 28, 2018 - 12:52 pm

My initial reaction was that it didn’t seem very Hawaiian. I have many friends from Hawaii and the aesthetics just don’t fit what I know Hawaiian culture to be. Then when I went on the website, I noticed it was an Italian company, which made more sense. I feel like it’s trying too hard. Hawaii is definitely more laid back and its style/culture is apparent without trying too hard.

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Ciambella February 28, 2018 - 7:25 pm

Yes, I had the same reaction!

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Mrs. O February 28, 2018 - 12:52 pm

What does the proper Hawaiian saying mean?

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Ciambella February 28, 2018 - 7:28 pm

It basically means “the best”/number one–often you’ll see it used as “____ nō ka ʻoi,” as in “____ is the best.”

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Anon February 28, 2018 - 8:11 pm

This horrible and so over the top. I don’t like ruffles on workout clothes.

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Anonymous March 3, 2018 - 7:36 pm

No, just no.

I think somebody already posted that comment but I felt like plagiary was warranted in this case.

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