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Continue ShoppingAkalei Designs is Hawaii's only designer of handcrafted Kumihimo beaded Hawaiian Lei. With over 100 unique designs we were recently awarded “Best Beaded Lanyard” from The American Kumihimo Society (2023) for our complex braid structures. In addition our silk Hawaiian necklace is being showcased in a commercial for the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement Pop-Up Makēkē Market. And another positive compliment was three of our designs were selected in a juried art exhibit in Oahu by The Hawaiian Handweavers Hui. This public recognition reflects how our unique and high quality necklace lei are gaining attention. All our designs are handcrafted on Maui. We are unique in that we are able to 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’iHua (The Forbidden Island).
Gold & Blue Beaded Hawaiian Haku Lei Mini (5 Clusters) with Lamp Work Beads - 24"
The radiant blue Unicorne Lamp Work beads are a wonderful combination of blue & blue green colors, which when assembled with the Copper (Gold) Picasso showcase these two colors. The brown Picasso seed beads continue the lei look and a silver toned metallic magnet completes this design - the magnet uses two grooves inside it to secure on your neck and with a twist it comes off easily.
These necklaces feel wonderful to wear and require little to almost no care by using a clean dry towel every few months to keep dust free and bright.
There are 5 clusters in this mini bead combination of the 10" focal section. Like many other Akalei designs this will be your forever art jewelry so expect to receive many compliments. These necklace lei drape gently to compliment the contours of the neck and chest. This new design pops and you (and the necklace lei) will be the conversation at any event you attend.
The Haku Mini Necklace Lei are designed with differing numbers of focal clusters and are therefore a bit lighter than the original Haku launched in 2020. This latest design captures the essence of Aloha - and makes a perfect gift for a friend or loved one! As a beautiful glass beaded necklace lei each necklace is handcrafted on Maui and involves meticulous attention to detail while braiding. The beads make patterns to look like flowers, but these lei will endure forever.
Akalei is Hawaiian for "bead reflections" which describes this unique necklace lei design style made only here on Maui. We reinterpret traditional Hawaiian Lei using a vast assortment of glass and natural beads, Japanese silk and synthetic fibers, and a wide variety of braiding techniques and inspirations from across the globe.
This beautiful handcrafted necklace lei was made using hundreds of glass Japanese seed beads on multiple cords that are woven together on a wooden marudai stand. The necklace lei is created using an ancient Japanese braiding technique called Kumihimo, a Japanese word for “gathered threads." All Haku mini are hand braided by Randy Spicocchi, and the pattern was originally developed by Rebecca Ann Combs of DesignandAdorn.com.
Kumihimo is an art form that goes back hundreds of years as braids were made for use in armor for Japanese samurai warriors. In modern times these braids are designed as belts (obijime) that are worn as a belt with a kimono.
It is my goal to provide you with a long lasting, beautiful piece of jewelry that you will enjoy wearing for years to come. I take great care in the construction of my pieces to ensure just that. Please note: colors may slightly differ from their appearance on your display, as it depends on your monitor settings.
Please send me a message with questions or comments.
Thanks for stopping by!
Aloha
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