Aloha

Le Carre Hermes > Fall - Winter 2000 / 2001

The word is made up of two parts: Alo apparently means "nose-to-nose" and refers to the Pacific Islanders' kissing habits. Ha signifies "breath of life", which is obviously closely linked. The "kiss of life" for us has connotations of miraculously saving people by means of a gesture, at once intimate and familiar. In any event, the two syllables in Hawaii, when joined together, form a word of kind welcome on your arrival, matched with a garland of flowers, and it also lightens the sadness of your farewells, when you depart from Waikiki Beach.

H Carre Hermes Paris > Spring - Summer 2000

Word of greeting, pledge of love, and, equally, vow of continuation, aloha summerises the welcome offered by the natives of Hawaii to their dark-lensed visitors, who are as likely to come from the neighbouring state of California as from the high Tyrol. On the beach of Waikiki, the distant descendant of Captain Cook will be offered an intoxicating garland, which puts his whole epidermis in harmony with Polynesian luxuriance, blossoming with hibiscus and passion flowers, and dominated by the sacred Banyan tree.