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Roark’s Macaw Collection Reflects Oaxaca’s Colorful Culture

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Each season, Roark showcases new destinations. It explores locations from around the world to tell stories of adventure through the lens of a community of surfers, skateboarders, snowboarders, climbers and so on. Roark designs clothing for adventurers, inspired by the cultures and climates of destinations around the world. They produce two collections per year of clothing, luggage, and trinkets. Each collection tells a story through artful design and high-quality fabrications. Each piece is designed to take the wearer from casual wear to high-action sports, to the elements and back again.

Colorful scenes from a Oaxacan parade.

This season, Roark visited the beautiful Oaxaca region in the southwest corner of Mexico. Stretching from the mountains to the sea, Oaxaca is known for its bedrock of indigenous culture and its arts and crafts. Sites include Hierve el Agua, the untouched beaches of Zipolite, and the pre-Hispanic ruins at Yagul. Oaxaca is a hotbed of culture, including ancient indigenous ruins, beach yoga opportunities, and a thriving arts and crafts scene. Whether you want to surf waves, spot dolphins, or browse the best arts and crafts in Mexico, you can do it in Oaxaca.

While visiting, the Roark team skated through the streets of Oaxaca City, where they found the famous skateboarder, Jamie Thomas, in the middle of a bizarre competition: he was weaving in and out of stores, dodging vendors as they tried to sell him goods.

A clothes market in the center of Oaxaca, Mexico.

As a result of this experience, Roark created a the Macaw Collection that reflected Jamie’s visit to Oaxaca and its colorful culture. The result of this collaboration is Roark’s Macaw Collection, which is part of their Journey Series. A line of men’s clothing that has casual styling that is perfect for hot, casual climates like Oaxaca.

Macaws parrots are the inspiration for the collection. Macaws and their feathers have attracted the attention of people for centuries, most notably in pre-Columbian civilizations such as the Inca, Wari’, and Nazca. Macaw feathers were highly desired for their bright colors and acquired through hunting and trade.

Macaw Journey Button Up Shirt by Jamie Thomas

Macaw Journey Button Up Shirt. Photo by Roark.

This button-up shirt is part of Roark’s Macaw Collection for Jamie Thomas.

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Shorey Boardshorts 16″ by Jamie Thomas

Photo by Roark.

The Shorey Series of boardshorts are Roark’s elastic waist, above the knee, ultimate kick back trunks, made for ideal comfort from a recycled polyester/hemp blend. The Shorey Macaw is part of Roark’s Macaw Collection for Jamie Thomas, inspired by the time spent in the historic squares of Oaxaca and beyond the city limits, getting lost while amongst the local flora and fauna.

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Ofrenda Long Sleeve Premium Tee by Jamie Thomas

Ofrenda Long Sleeve Premium Tee by Jamie Thomas. Photo by Roark.

Part of Roark’s Macaw Collection for Jamie Thomas, the Ofrenda Long Sleeve draws it’s name from the celebrated spirit animals or alebrijes, that are placed upon celebratory altars, ‘ofrendas’, to welcome the spirits of our ancestors back during Dia de los Muertos.

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Macaw Bucket Hat by Jamie Thomas

Macaw Bucket Hat by Jamie Thomas. Photo by Roark.

The Macaw Bucket was inspired by Jamie’s time spent skating the cobblestone jungle of Oaxaca City. It’s a packable bucket hat made from our boardshort fabric so take it wherever your journey may lead you.

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About Macaws

Macaws and their feathers have attracted the attention of people throughout history, most notably in pre-Columbian civilizations.

Macaws are a group of New World parrots that are long-tailed and often very colorful. Macaws and their feathers have attracted the attention of people throughout history, most notably in pre-Columbian civilizations such as the Inca, Wari’, and Nazca. Macaw feathers were highly desired for their bright colors and acquired through hunting and trade. Feathers were often used as adornment and were found at both ceremonial and burial sites. South American weavers have used their feathers to create a number of textiles, most notably feathered panels and tabards.

About Jamie Thomas

Jamie Thomas is an American professional skateboarder and skateboard industry entrepreneur. Thomas is the owner and founder of Zero Skateboards. Thomas’ nickname in the skateboard industry is “The Chief”.

About Roark

Roark is a modern adventure lifestyle brand crafting apparel inspired by the journey. Founded by Ryan Hitzel and Ryan Sirianni, each season Roark is found in a different part of the world, telling stories of exploration through the lens of its group of surfers, skateboarders, snowboarders, climbers, adventurers, and creators.

The chase for Roark began out of a desire to tell stories born of adventure and discovery in the form of a man – he’s the shadowy adventurer that disappears into Mexico for six months camping, only to surface in Paris drinking Bordeaux with a diplomat. Each season these adventurers find Roark in a different part of the world, telling stories of exploration within their products. Inspired by the culture and climate of Roark’s destination, they produce two collections per year of clothing, luggage and trinkets – the artifacts of adventure. The product and stories they create empower people to discover self through authentic, youthful, modern and purposeful adventure on the road less traveled.



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