Tori Richard
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Apparel, Fashion |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Mortimer Feldman, Janice Moody, Mitsue Aka |
| Headquarters | Honolulu , United States |
Key people | Joshua Feldman (CEO), Jessica Burgess (Head of Women's Division) |
| Products | Resort wear, sport shirts, Aloha shirts, tropical dresses, swimwear, handbags, home décor accents, lifestyle accessories |
Tori Richard is a Honolulu-based enterprise specializing in resort wear for both men and women. Established in 1956 by Mortimer Feldman, Janice Moody, and Mitsue Aka, the brand originally focused solely on women's fashion, gaining recognition in prominent magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Over time, it expanded its offerings to include luxury resort apparel like sport shirts, Aloha shirts, tropical dresses, swimwear, handbags, home décor accents, and lifestyle accessories. The collections cater to clients who value art, travel, and a sophisticated yet relaxed lifestyle, with new lines debuting twice yearly in showrooms located on the east and west coasts.
The founder, Mort Feldman, brought his enthusiasm for Japanese antiques and folding screens into the brand’s DNA, inspiring the unique East-West fabric patterns that have become synonymous with Tori Richard’s aesthetic.
Now under the leadership of CEO Joshua Feldman, Mort’s son, this family-run business has maintained over six decades of operation with an international reach. Tori Richard’s merchandise is available through 10 retail outlets, an online store, and roughly 2,500 wholesale partners spanning all 50 U.S. states as well as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Caribbean. The latest concept boutiques primarily emphasize women's apparel and are situated at Honolulu’s Kahala Hotel & Resort and Mashpee Cape Cod in Massachusetts. More than 80% of the company’s revenue originates from the U.S. mainland market.
Prints
Developing each new print involves up to 100 hours of work at Tori Richard. The company continuously acquires conceptual art from artists, studios, trade fairs, and private collections throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States. An internal design team based at the Honolulu headquarters crafts original resort prints with careful attention to scale, visual harmony, and innovation. Every completed print is copyrighted and remains exclusive to the brand. Each year approximately 400 fresh prints are introduced into a vast archive exceeding 25,000 designs.
The complexity of prints varies depending on fabric choice; silk patterns may require as many as 22 color screens while viscose designs typically use up to 17. Repeat patterns generally measure between 24 and 30 inches; however, larger “engineered” prints can cover panels up to 60 inches wide. Designs range from dense patterns to expansive artistic motifs and include both printed and embroidered elements on men's Hawaiian shirts. Factors such as color palette and composition play critical roles in final print approval.
The motifs encompass an array of bold geometric shapes alongside botanical and lifestyle-inspired imagery. Themes also incorporate maps, ocean sports scenes, animals, paisleys, and traditional tapa designs. Occasionally, favored vintage prints are reissued. Japanese influences are strongly represented through stylized waves, cranes, fans, chrysanthemum petals, bamboo textures, and brushstroke effects.
The vintage-inspired 56 series aims at a younger audience by featuring signature themes with specific fabrications and a tapered silhouette. This line includes cotton treated to achieve a vintage-washed look. The broader Tori Richard collection showcases seasonal themes crafted from premium fabrics with embroidered details and engineered patterns rendered in heavyweight silks.
Tori Richard was a trailblazer in introducing matched pockets and shirt fronts—a practice now widely adopted across the industry—ensuring seamless continuity of print designs at garment seams.
Fabrics and Designs
Tori Richard's fabric selection encompasses silks, silk blends, Pima cotton, cotton blends, linen and linen blends, Tencel©, cotton jacquard, spun viscose, as well as a unique Egyptian cotton variant known as cotton lawn, which offers a distinctive texture exclusive to the brand. Premium silks, such as silk jacquard, are utilized in striking embroidered designs within the upscale segment of the men's collection. Certain textiles are imported from Japan, an uncommon practice among modern apparel retailers.
Craftsmanship and Features
Shirts by Tori Richard are distinguished by laser-engraved mother-of-pearl buttons, French seams that conceal raw edges, precisely matched pockets, and collars reinforced with interlining to enhance structure and longevity.
Women's Apparel
The women's collection features an array of garments including dresses, capris, tops, tunics, peplum tanks, beach cover-ups, sarong-inspired and asymmetrical skirts, shorts, and reimagined caftans adorned with exotic prints and casual geometric patterns. The color schemes are influenced by elements such as the dunes of Marrakech, African deserts, northeastern autumnal tones, natural landscapes, and deep oceanic shades. This resort wear effortlessly adapts from daytime to evening settings and from beach outings to dinner events.
Designs vary from off-the-shoulder and spaghetti-strap dresses to a variety of tops paired with slim-fit pants in modern silhouettes. The fabrics comprise cotton crepe, rayon, jersey knit blends, cotton-spandex piqué, and silk blends selected for their drape and comfort. Prints include tapa-inspired tribal motifs, botanical elements, abstract geometric patterns, and artful designs aimed at the international resort market.
Jessica Burgess—formerly associated with Lilly Pulitzer and Shoshanna—heads the women's division, providing strategic direction to broaden the brand’s market presence.
Company Background
Originally specializing in women's apparel, Tori Richard has since become synonymous with resort wear and aloha shirts. The company was founded in 1956 by Mort Feldman, a Chicago-based apparel manufacturer who relocated to Hawaii in 1953 intending to retire. He partnered with Janice Moody—a former Catalina sportswear designer—and Mitsue Aka, Moody’s pattern maker. The brand name combines Moody’s daughter Victoria (Tori) and Feldman’s son Richard. The enterprise started modestly with limited funds and a single sewing machine.
The initial office was situated at Pier 7 in Honolulu before relocating multiple times—including a Quonset hut—and eventually settling in the Primo Brewery building. This location served as headquarters for 17 years after reconstruction following a 1973 fire.
Shortly after its inception, Tori Richard gained nationwide attention for its vibrant colors and bold prints in women's resort wear such as dresses, culottes, and caftans crafted primarily from imported European fabrics. Expansion into major U.S. markets like New York, California, Florida, Dallas, and Chicago followed, attracting prestigious retailers including Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Tori Richard was prominently featured in Fifth Avenue storefronts and leading fashion publications. Capitalizing on Hawaii’s leisure lifestyle trend with sleek designs that contrasted traditional aloha attire, the brand developed a clientele ranging from celebrities like Lucille Ball to international dignitaries such as the King of Morocco.
In 1966, Feldman played a key role in establishing “Aloha Friday” as an official state practice encouraging aloha attire within Hawaii’s corporate culture. Amid Hawaii’s post-statehood tourism surge and the rise of jet travel, fashion emerged as the state’s third-largest export industry with Tori Richard as a major contributor.
Responding to Liberty House’s request in 1969, Tori Richard launched its men’s shirt line utilizing prints originally designed for women’s wear. By the mid-1970s menswear had become a substantial part of the business; today Tori Richard’s shirts and resort apparel enjoy nationwide distribution. The introduction of cotton lawn fabric featuring a proprietary finish during the 1970s became foundational for the men’s collection.
By the 1980s menswear had surpassed women’s within the company. Mort Feldman retired to New Zealand in 1983 but returned three years later. His son Joshua Feldman—an alumnus of Punahou School and UC San Diego holding degrees in art and political science—joined the firm in 1994 after deciding against pursuing law school. Under Joshua's strategic guidance, Tori Richard experienced growth exceeding 600%.
Joshua Feldman reinvigorated both print development and product lines by reintroducing engineered prints in 1995 while positioning Tori Richard as a brand centered on print innovation. The women’s collection was relaunched in 2002 followed by opening the inaugural retail store at Hyatt Regency Waikīkī in 2003. Presently, Tori Richard maintains retail locations at Ala Moana Center, The Shops at Wailea, Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Hilton Hawaiian Village, and Whaler's Village.
Marking its 50th anniversary in 2006, Tori Richard was honored with “Resort Retailer of the Year” by Retail Merchants Hawaii. In 2012 it received recognition as “Best of the Best” aloha shirt brand according to readers of Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Appearances
Under the guidance of CEO Josh Feldman, the company earned acclaim for supplying shirts worn by George Clooney in the 2012 Academy Award-winning movie The Descendants, in partnership with costume designer Wendy Chuck. Tori Richard continues its tradition of outfitting actors such as Alex O’Loughlin and Daniel Dae Kim in the television series Hawaii Five-0, a lineage that traces back to outfitting Jack Lord in the original series from 1968 to 1980.
Prominent musicians including Sammy Hagar and Jimmy Buffett have prominently showcased Tori Richard shirts during concerts and on album covers, further solidifying the brand’s influence within popular culture.
In 2011, Tori Richard crafted exclusive signature shirts for more than 2,000 volunteers and staff members at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Honolulu, hosted by President Barack Obama. The company also produced custom aloha shirts for President Obama and 21 global leaders, featuring limited edition prints and hand-sewn craftsmanship in Hawaii, demonstrating its expertise in delivering bespoke apparel for distinguished events.
Company Environmental Conservation Efforts
Exemplifying a forward-thinking approach to sustainability, Tori Richard invested $1.1 million in 2008 to implement a 154-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system at its headquarters and warehouse facilities in Honolulu. This pioneering effort placed the company among the earliest manufacturers and retailers worldwide to operate primarily on solar energy, generating 94% of its electricity onsite. In 2011, an additional 105-kilowatt solar installation was completed on adjacent property, enabling the company to fully neutralize its carbon emissions—underscoring its dedication to environmental stewardship within its business operations.