It all started with an intense love of aloha-style shirts.
For Tim Dineen and Natalia Ippolito, Kaua‘i natives and the founders of Divineisland Enterprises, their passion for the patterned apparel has been ongoing for many years.
So the duo decided to start their own Internet business six months ago to sell their own custom-style shirts for island residents as well as shoppers throughout the world.
Right around June, Dineen and Ippolito started divineisland.com a website in which the duo offer custom-made aloha shirts and t-shirts.
“We have always had a love for aloha shirts,” said Dineen. “But we couldn’t find shirts that we liked. So we decided to start up our own business.
“Divineisland.com is more than a website, it’s a stepping-stone.”
Interested shoppers can custom order sizes for the shirts which come in 100 percent cotton, rayon and a rayon-cotton blend.
One of the main goals for the duo initially was to offer diverse patterns.
“We try and find unique patterns and fabrics and then let Jacqueline put them together for us,” said Dineen.
Jacqueline Vienna designs, manufactures and then wholesales the shirts for the website.
Vienna also owns her own business, “Jacqueline on Kaua‘i” in Hanapepe.
One of the biggest factors that Dineen and Ippolito believe makes divineisland.com successful has been an effective web design.
“We tried to make it as easy as possible for people,” said Dineen. “Everything is a click away so people don’t have to go back and forth from page to page. We had a very good designer.”
Stillwater Media in Kalaheo was responsible for the design of the site.
In the future, Dineen and Ippolito plan on offering crafts, local art as well as a new fabric.
“In about a month, we plan on offering Bali fabric, a hand-block print that is very unique,” Dineen said.
“I think initially, we just tried to get the word out. But, our goal by the middle of 2004 is to market three or four dozen aloha-pattern shirts.”
For more information about the website, contact Dineen or Ippolito at 652-0602.
