banGo

In 1868, a British sailing ship departed Yokohama for Hawai‘i, carrying the first group of Japanese immigrants later known as the Issei. Upon arrival, they were assigned numbers—bango—as their names were difficult to pronounce, and these numbers came to define their lives on the plantations.

banGo is inspired by this history and the complex identity of the Issei—existing between Japan and Hawai‘i, past and present. Through contemporary design, the brand explores this in-between space, weaving together memory, culture, and modern everyday wear.