Marqet

block away from the big name designer boutiques lining the hotel strip of Waikiki Beach, steps away from Fendi, Ferragamo, and Boss, you’ll find a small boutique that’s a huge hit with the hip set from Japan.

Marqet (pronounced MAR-ket) is one of the darlings of Japanese media. The store gets such great coverage in magazines overseas, that Japanese visitors to Honolulu make sure that Marqet is a stop on their personal shopping tours.

Marqet is locally owned and carries mostly Honolulu and Japan-based labels for both men and women, ages 20-40ish. 85% of Marqet’s business is from Japanese tourists, 10% from locals, and 5% from the Mainland U.S.

The store’s main draws are the caps, as well as the tees – both long and short sleeve (and more variations) – with messages that communicate an attitude: urban, hip, forward-thinking and carefree, but at the same time, responsible.

You’ll see lots of symbolic, natural imagery, such as peacock feathers, elephants, and more, a shout-out to the earth and its creatures that need our care. No crass sayings, either; everything is uplifting without preaching. For example, you might come across: “Free Your Life” or “Party Along” on a tee.

The tees are made with natural fibers. One line is called “Marqet Green”, made from 100% organic cotton.

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