Aloha!My name is Mikael Pono.
I am a New York–based fashion designer originally from Hawaiʻi and a graduate of Parsons School of Design. With experience at Who Decides War, Diesel, Maison Margiela, and Jil Sander, my practice spans womenswear, couture, and material innovation.
Rooted in storytelling and environmental stewardship, my work explores the relationship between fashion and the natural world through natural fibers, botanical dyes, and reclaimed materials.
Guided by the Hawaiian word “pono” — meaning righteousness, balance, and harmony — I approach design with a commitment to craftsmanship, sustainability, and creating in partnership with the land.
- Countries lived in
- Brazil, Japan, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, USA
- Currently listening to
- Rosalía, Enya, Ethel Cain, Schwefelgelb, 01099
- Currently browsing
- Alphonse Mucha’s Slav Epic, Persuasion by Jane Austen, Brazilian racial and geopolitics, Hawaiian quilting techniques
- Most recent trip
- Prokletije, Montenegro: following sheep herds through the mountains where Balkan identity was born
- Next trip
- Jaipur, India: to indulge in all things pink, or Hornstrandir, Iceland: to relive the Nordic sagas
- Designers that excite me
- Daniel Roseberry, Simon Porte Jacquemus, Charles James
- Past lives
- Mormon missionary, professional ballet dancer, Eagle Scout
