The Abbreviated Version!

Puchi : Japanese for Petite

Maiko: Japanese for "Dancing Girl". Also an apprentice geisha.

The name PuchiMaiko was chosen as not only did I want a name that tied in with my popular research website, www.immortalgeisha.com…but, also a name that accurately reflected the items made – hence PuchiMaiko – small accessories inspired by the art of geisha, maiko and traditional Japan.

My passion for Japanese costume and textile arts derives from the many years I have spent researching geisha. The years of research have lead me to not only have a deep appreciation of hand crafted items over mass produced commercial items but to also take a deeper appreciation of nature.

The uniqueness of traditional Japanese textiles not only looks fantastic with traditional clothing – but also looks stunning mixed in with contemporary wear. This is evident in the revival of traditional clothing both in Japan and abroad along with its innovative mix with contemporary clothing. It is my hope with PuchiMaiko to not only educate a broad audience about the unique textile history of Japan, but to also teach us all to appreciate hand crafted items whilst having fun with unique and fun accessories to wear!

All items on PuchiMaiko are lovingly hand crafted by myself using gorgeous recycled kimono, haori and juban fabric. Not only do I take an unreasonable amount of time in selecting fabric for just one item, I put an awful lot of thought behind the production, along with immense care in the actual construction of each individual item. I pride myself on my strict attention to detail, and I believe that is what makes PuchiMaiko items stand out.

One last thing – due to my never ending thirst for knowledge – I couldn’t be happy about the PuchiMaiko website unless it was educational as well! If you would like to learn more about various Japanese textiles, patterns, etc – be sure to read through product descriptions carefully…if there is something unique about that item – you can be sure I’ll be putting a "What is …. ?" paragraph in there! I love knowing the history behind unique items I purchased, I am sure many of you do too!

What? You want more?
How about PuchiMaiko - the Long History Lesson!

PuchiMaiko developed slowly over the years as a creative outlet for when I needed to take a break from researching and working on my popular geisha website: www.immortalgeisha.com. When I look back at it now, I realize that it was just a natural progression that my life long passion for textile arts and alternative fashion, coupled with my 6+ years of researching Japanese geisha would eventually draw me to the unique, elegant beauty of traditional Japanese textile art.

I suppose I can say that through the course of my geisha research, I developed a deep affection for traditional Japanese clothing – namely kimono. There was just something so elegant and feminine about the kimono, whilst at the same time no matter how garishly patterned the kimono and accessories may have been…it still had a beautiful, elegant silhouette.

I was also fascinated by the fact that at a glance, based on the patterns on the kimono, the placement of the collar at the hollow of the neck, how the obi was tied, how long and rounded the sleeves were, where the obi-jime was placed on the obi, that one could tell so much about the individual dressed from: their age, marital status, social status, family group, profession, etc. In addition, it wasn’t just the kimono that gave all this information away though – it was the accessories and hairstyles that also helped. Not only could you tell personal information about the wearer – you could also correctly state the season, month, holiday, festival, etc based on the patterns and colours. Really, there truly is a fascinating culture behind the wearing of kimono.

In addition to kimono as a textile art – are the amazing komono (small accessories) and chirimen zaiku (chirimen silk crafts). Because kimono fabrics are so well loved and the time and effort put into creating the fabric is deeply respected – nothing was wasted. When making kimono – cuts to the fabric were made in as few places as possible. If the kimono was too big – the seamstress wouldn’t cut the fabric to make it smaller, but rather, she would take the fabric in at the sides, and create tucks to ensure a correct fit.

If a kimono was damaged to the point of being unwearable – the owner never threw the kimono away, but rather lovingly recycled it by carefully taking the kimono panels apart and made new items with it. Often, first, the fabric would be put to use in creating new clothing such as haori, or a juban with various different fabrics. If there was not enough fabric for clothing articles – small bags, toys and kimono would be made. If after constant recycling, there was only a small piece of fabric less than 1 inch square – still, that was no cause for throwing out the fabric – that little piece of fabric would be incorporated into patchwork of some sort, perhaps, a tiny patchwork pin cushion or a thimble.

The love, craftsmanship and dedication put into creating these items really moved and inspired me. In a day and age where we have grown up in a world of mass production and conveniences which come at a low price to us, but a high cost to the people in sweatshop like conditions – we have forgotten about the sheer beauty, individually and technical skills involved in the creation of traditional hand crafts.

Rather than the items being impersonal – handcrafted items carry a special aura around them. Most craftsmen and women are extremely passionate about their art with a lot of thought and attention put to them. Often, the more time put into making the items, the more exquisite and well made the end product is. While, this does tend to involve a higher price tag, the passion behind the creation along with the thought and consideration put into creating the item often leaves you with an item that is unique and that can be handed down generations.

In addition to teaching me to appreciate crafted items…the study of the patterns used in kimono has taught me to appreciate nature. Where previously – I would have just walked blindly though life – thinking that the flowers underfoot were going to ruin my shoes…this Spring – everything is just so magical and amazing. For the first time in my life, I cannot help but to stop and admire the intricate beauty of the blossoms on the trees or to watch fauna interact. Just the other week, I was deeply admiring the shadow silhouette of leaves on an old wooden plank fence that was falling apart. The shape of it was so clear and so beautiful, I would have loved to screen printed it on fabric. This new appreciation for nature and her beauty has really made me feel more alive and productive than I ever was.

So, where does this all lead to? I guess this is where PuchiMaiko comes into the picture!

Puchi : Japanese for "Petite"

Maiko : Japanese for "Dancing Girl". Also an apprentice geisha.

The name PuchiMaiko was chosen as I wanted a name that tied in with the Immortal Geisha website…but, also a name that accurately reflected the items made – hence PuchiMaiko – small accessories inspired by the art of geisha, maiko and traditional Japan.

PuchiMaiko is just one girls’ small effort to bring back beauty in a modern day world, along with educating about traditional techniques in the hope to help keep traditions alive. All of the items on PuchiMaiko are hand crafted lovingly by myself, often based on traditional techniques and patterns, recycling pre-loved kimono, haori and juban fabric. I put a lot of thought behind fabric combinations – all the way down to whether traditionally, do the patterns on different fabrics match correctly according to seasonal rules! Of course, when it comes to contemporary items – there is always a little bit of give and take – but with traditional items, I do my best to put to work my knowledge of correct usage. It feels wrong, otherwise. Whilst I do use a sewing machine for certain items – there are many small accessories on the website that are hand sewn and embellished. Sure – it does take me longer to make certain things – but, that extra little touch I think is well worth the effort.

With the revival and popularity of traditional Japanese costume in both Japan and abroad more people are once again paying attention to the beauty of traditional textiles and learning the meaning and rules behind it all. Not only the revival just in relation to traditional style clothing – it also reaches over into the contemporary world with innovative ways of incorporating the beautiful textiles into modern day life. I can only hope that my PuchiMaiko items will help people to appreciate hand crafted items again, and to take the time in this busy, rush-rush world, to appreciate the smaller things in life.