California Apparel News

David Rochlen Sr., who founded longtime aloha-shirt labels Surf Line Hawaii Ltd. and Jams World, died of cancer April 13 at his home in Honolulu. He was 78.

Rochlen is responsible for pioneering some early boardshort styles, according to friends and colleagues in the apparel and surfwear industries.

Toward the end of his career, Rochlen stayed as active as ever despite his ongoing battle with the disease.

“He tried to stay active because he loved the business, but his dream was to get on a motorcycle and ride around the U.S.,” said Nate Norfleet, vice president of men’s design at Ocean Pacific in Irvine, Calif.

Besides his love of his wife and children, his passions were beach lifestyle and travel. His family and friends described him as a Renaissance man because of his stylized fabric and apparel designs, enthusiasm for motorcycles and surfing, and sometimes-eccentric philosophies.

Raised in Santa Monica, Calif., Rochlen spent his late teens and early 20s surfing in Malibu. He worked briefly as a Santa Monica lifeguard before he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in World War II. Later, he received a degree in clinical and industrial psychology from the University of California at Los Angeles.

After the war, he returned to the beach, where he spent most of his afternoons surfing. When he wasn’t showing off on his surfboard, his friends could find him hobnobbing on the sand with celebrities such as Peter Lawford and Marilyn Monroe. He even befriended surf diva Kathy Kohner Zuckerman, the inspiration for the television show “Gidget” and for a future wave of female surfers. Some say his outgoing personality helped him land a bit part in the 1954 film “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”

Even though Rochlen was an avid California surfer, he loved Hawaiian lifestyle. Rochlen met his wife, Keanuenue, during a trip to Oahu in 1946. Almost two decades later, he moved there for good. For a time, he operated a surfboard store, Surf Line Hawaii, and—because he felt the industry lacked colorful, stylish apparel—he began designing his own surfwear called Jams World, a resortwear collection that was durable and cutting-edge for the times.

“He was a print master with great taste and a good sense of humor,” said Norfleet, who fondly remembers how Rochlen wore Jams under his pants at tradeshows. “He was also a great friend. When buyers would come, he would just drop his pants and expose his Jams.”

Walter Hoffman, owner of textile firm Hoffman California Fabric, hung out with Rochlen during his Malibu surfing days.

“He was probably the first surfer to become the first real designer in the surfwear industry,” Hoffman said.

“Rochlen was the best print designer to come along and revolutionize Hawaiian prints,” said Hoffman, who specializes in Hawaiian prints and textiles at his Mission Viejo, Calif.–based facility. “He brought back Hawaiian prints, but with lots of color. Boardshorts, printed pajama-style pants, reversible shirts, women’s bowling shirts and retro summer dresses—he’s done it all as far as designing goes. And, he gave all those looks to the surf industry.”

At his request, Rochlen’s ashes were scattered by the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium.

Rochlen is survived by his wife, Keanuenue; sons Mark Alika and Pua; daughters Nani, Mapuana “Kootchie” and Nohea; and grandchildren Travis, Waipua, Shay, Mauna Kea and David Rochlen III.