The necklace is finished with a powerful gold tone magnetic clasp for an overall length of 26”.
The Orchid Lei was modeled after the beautiful Hawaiian island flower lei; the necklace and kumihimo pattern are available exclusively at Akalei Designs. These are typically made from flower leaves, feathers, or natural fibers, resulting in vivid color combinations.
This beautiful hand-crafted style lei was made using hundreds of glass rose petal beads and Japanese seed beads that are meticulously loaded onto multiple cords that are woven then together on a Japanese marudai braiding stand.
The necklace is created using an ancient Japanese braiding technique called Kumihimo, a Japanese word for “gathered threads." This art form goes back hundreds of years, as braids were made for Japanese samurai warriors to use in armor. In modern times, these braids are designed as belts (obijime) that are worn as a belt with a kimono.
