MORE THAN A BRAND. A LEGACY.
KEPAKIANO is a family-island rooted lifestyle brand built on faith, grounded in culture, and created with future generations in mind. Everything we create carries a piece of who we are, where we come from, and what we hope to leave behind.
BEHIND THE NAME
The name Kepakiano came before the brand.
After years of dedication within hālau , accepting the blessing of promotion and stepping into the responsibility of a Kiaʻi, Anthony (Akoni) was gifted the name Kepakiano by our Kumu, Malou Heleimakamaekamailekapilipoli "Kamaile" Smith. Understanding the significance of giving a name, Kumu Kamaile consulted Uncle Manly Bush for cultural insight, translation, and final confirmation.
Kepakiano meaning “God’s Gift.”
While Anthony and Kristen have been talking, planning and dreaming of creating and designing for some time before and even after receiving the role or the name, the clarity, the connection and alignment all came to fruition in God's timing. The name reflects qualities that reach far beyond clothing: humility, strength, vision, service, protection, and the responsibility/kuleana to care for what has been entrusted to us. It became part of Anthony’s journey, but its meaning also spoke deeply to our family and the legacy we are building together.
BUILT BY ʻOHANA
We are Anthony Kepakiano and Kristen Maluhia — a "husband-and-wife" team, raising a blended family of seven, sharing a mix of Hawaiian, Chamorro, Portuguese & Filipino roots.
KEPAKIANO grew from our real life: Faith, Family, Hālau, Culture, Creativity, Hard Work, and the desire to pass on and instill strong values and culture, build something meaningful for our children. So they can pass these same values and perpetuate the culture to their children someday. This brand represents more than what we make or wear. It represents the values we are teaching, the stories we are preserving, and the example we hope to leave behind for the generations to come. Kristen's grandma Mary told her as a young girl, "If we do not live it and share it, it will be lost"
FAITH • FAMILY • CULTURE
Faith is our foundation.
Family is our reason.
Culture keeps us grounded.
These are not simply words beneath our logo. They guide how we create, how we serve, and how we grow. We believe what we build should honor those who came before us while creating something meaningful for those who will come after us.
ROOTED IN LEGACY
Our mission is to create intentional pieces that carry identity, meaning, and story—pieces made to be lived in, passed down, and remembered.
KEPAKIANO is rooted in legacy, but legacy is not only about what we leave behind. It is also about how we live, love, serve, protect, and show up today.
LEGACY IN ACTION
Our hope is for KEPAKIANO to grow into more than a successful Lifestyle Brand. We want it to become a vessel for service - one that allows us to give back to local families, support island communities, partner with nonprofit and grassroots organizations, and help those already doing meaningful work to strengthen families, preserve culture and meet real needs.
We believe that whatever God allows us to build should reach beyond our own family. As KEPAKIANO grows, we want our ability to serve and give to grow with it.
To us, legacy is not measured only by what we create or leave behind. It is also measured by what we pour back into others and how we use what has been entrusted to us.
This is the beginning of our story, and we are grateful you are here to grow with us.