Akalei Designs is Hawaii's premier designer of handcrafted Kumihimo beaded glass Hawaiian Lei and the world's original Designer of Hawaiian Glass Beaded Forever Lei. Recently featured in Maui on HI Now (Dec 14, 2023) with POP-Up Mãkeke and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. With hundreds of unique designs all our collections are handcrafted on Maui from beads we've sourced from around the globe. Akalei is unique in that we incorporate aspects of floral lei into modern "forever lei" using glass beads with designs normally only seen in the shell lei made famous on the island of Ni’ihau (The Forbidden Island). Please come by to visit our Studio located at the residential condos of Kai Makani. Please text, call or email to schedule with at least 4 hours notice.
These Hawaiian Lei incorporate tiny rice shaped, mini-dagger or long drop glass beads into a design similar to the tiny seeds inside a Lilikoi (Passion Fruit) - imagine threading over a thousand grains of rice and that is what is similar when weaving the variety of glass beads into our unique designs. Akalei Designs blends Japanese Kumihimo braiding techniques with tropical Hawaiian flower lei to reimagine the world of jewelry at an affordable price. Many of these can be made at a length you desire.
Inspiration for our lei come through flowers, coral, reef fish, ocean life and luscious landscapes of the Hawaiian islands. Lei can be made for any occasion, including Weddings, Graduations, Baby Showers, Birthdays, & Anniversaries. Matching earrings can be custom order on many of the Hawaiian Island items. Please send an inquiry to info@akaleidesigns.com.