The Okanui Hibiscus

As a boy, Dick Ash had fallen in love with the
image of the South Seas islands and its people.

After studying islands art symbols for many years,
he soon realised that the various island groups
throughout the Pacific had a multitude of styles.

The portrayal of the hibiscus flower for example
had been interpreted in many different ways:
from simple block designs on Fijian tapa cloth,
to elaborate multi-coloured Hawaiian shirts.

Dick realized he had to design a very simple
and distinctive hibiscus flower for himself.

And this is how the now famous
Okanui hibiscus flower started…