Chapeaux Emi

Welcome

2011-06-16T20:10:00.001-07:00

Emi Hats are handmade and hand-dyed on slopes of Haleakala on the island of Maui. Materials come from all over the world and are dyed, hand sculpted or blocked and made into one of a kind art pieces.

Emi Hats are a vehicle to allow a woman's INNER BEAUTY to shine through, not overwhelm her. They have graced royalty, first ladies, actors, writers and more, including: Barbara Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Her Royal Highnesses the Princesses of Saudi Arabia, Barbie Benton, Ozzie Osbourne, Mrs. Arnold Palmer, Mrs. Israel Kamakawiwaole, Mrs. Joe Montana, Mrs. Rodney Dangerfield, and the founder of JUICY COUTURE.

I invite you to come see my hats and look forward to serving you!

All hat designs and photos are copyrighted to protect the artists.

Goddess Pele Cocktail Hat

2011-06-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Hawaii's volcano goddess, Pele, this hat was created out of horsehair with a traditional Hawaiian feather lei, lei hulu. Traditionally, birds were caught with a sticky substance rubbed on trees, few feathers plucked, then let go. When enough feathers were gathered, a lei was sewn one feather at a time. This lei was shared by an antique dealer in Hilo and was probably made of chicken feathers. I refurbished it and added lehua blossoms(in like) which is the flower associated with Pele and her sister, Hiiaka. Each feather was clipped and sewn individually on to a base. The artist of the lei hulu is unknown.

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Art Maui 2011

2011-04-01T22:25:00.000-07:00


Tribute to KapoLaka, dual forest deity venerated by hula students.. Made with shibori dyed woven cactus, pleated. Wili lei made of vintage velvet German and Japanese leaves, dyed banana fiber, and feathers. Entered into and accepted in 2011 ART MAUI

Emi wearing ART MAUI entry at MAUI ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER SCHAEFFER GALLERYAdd caption

Contact Emi

2008-12-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

Phone: (808) 572-1617

Email: hatsbyemi@gmail.com

Address: 1163 A Freitas Place, Makawao, HI 96768

All hat designs and photos are copyrighted to protect the artists.

About Emi

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The eyes and hands that design each hat are result of the inspiration provided by special people in my life:

As a child of 6, my great-grandmother took me to an all women Buddhist temple. Every weekend, we would change a whole wall of flower arrangements, replacing them with fresh fragrant blossoms from neighborhood gardens.

From Hawaiian Kumu Hula (masters of Hula), I learned the deeper meaning of flowers to adorn: entering the forest humbly in chant, grateful for the ferns we picked and plaited into head lei, taking only what was needed and leaving the plant enough to replenish.

"Taking tea" - the simple act of whisking a cup of thick, green tea for guests encouraged mindfulness of every deliberate act, taking time to admire the colors and textures of the tea bowl, the hanging scroll with poem and seasonal flower arrangement. Okusan (Honorable Wife), my tea teacher would invite me after for a small meal, and everywhere in her kitchen were tiny jars of flowers - leftover from boutiques.

My oil painting teacher has taught me color mixing to exact "livelier" or more muted colors: red and green for a lively grey, rather than a dead grey from a tube. I incorporate this into dying my straws.

How do great-grandmother's temple, hula, tea ceremony, and
painting weave into my hat designs?

Come and see the magic of these blessings unfold
and transform who you think you are.

All hat designs and photos are copyrighted to protect the artists.