Maile Bingham’s vibrant floral jewelry, Mai Mai Made, has caught the eye of the islands’ most fashionable set. Working in Fimo polymer clay, Bingham combines bright colors and shapes them into tropical flowers like hibiscus, plumeria, and anthurium. The blooms are oven-baked at a low temperature until hardened and durable, then transformed into striking earrings and necklaces, with some coated in an extra layer of resin for added sheen.

Bingham’s mother used to make a batch of play dough on the stove before leaving for work, so the Maui-born designer grew up with the hand-brain coordination to shape clay. Later, she was looking for a creative outlet after taking up painting and decided to return to polymer clay. Blending colors seamlessly opened up the medium for her.

“Color, manipulated correctly, is very emotional, and it’s been wonderful to connect with so many people through such an art,” she says. “Some customers recognize the plumeria from their grandma’s yard or the flowers on the beach on their wedding day.” Local Hawai‘i style inspires her, as does the nature of the islands. “The way we wear color and shape is so fundamental to personal identity,” says Bingham. “In Hawai‘i, we love fashion, and it continues to inspire me to create cohesive pieces that pair well.”

Mai Mai Made; maimaimade.com