Mai Ohana Is Weaving
Her
Own Path
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Mai Ohana has always had a creative eye, but finding the medium that spoke to her took time. Ultimately, she fell in love with weaving and rug making. Here, step inside her studio and find out how she stays comfortable during long days with help from Duluth Trading Company.
Meet Mai
Like many artists before her, Mai Ohana, a New York City native, tried and tested many different mediums before landing on the one that felt right. While working at a paper making studio after graduating college, she discovered textile art as a hobby, which quickly grew into her primary passion.
What started as experimenting with embroidery turned into an interest in weaving and eventually rug making in the summer of 2019. “Rug making is where I felt like I was really able to develop my own style as a textile designer and a pattern designer,” she explains.
Finding Inspiration
For Ohana, inspiration can come from anywhere, though she specifically cites an exhibition featuring a Memphis-based designer that helped her realize interior design doesn’t always have to be quiet or minimalistic. “The exhibition really introduced me to art that blurs the lines between art, homeware, and design,” she says. “It kind of flipped my understanding of what we could make our homes look like and feel like.”
Like the fashion industry, the home decor world cycles through trends. “Recently, there has been this shift in home decor that involves more colors and patterns and is a lot more playful,” Ohana says. “I think that comes from the fact that we’re all staying at home and people want to make their homes fun.” Fittingly, she’s known for creating bold, geometric patterns and playful color combinations.
Ohana’s Studio Style
When it comes to getting dressed for work, Ohana is a fan of Duluth Trading Company workwear. “I love the functionality of their clothes and that they’re something I’m comfortable wearing in my studio,” she says. “If my clothes are high quality like I feel my rugs are, then I’m able to produce my best work.”
Making a rug by hand is laborious and can take many hours, meaning Ohana often clocks long days in her studio. In order to complete the tufting process for large-scale frames, she has to climb ladders, bend down, and move around her workspace. Because of this, one of her go-to wardrobe staples from Duluth Trading Company is a pair of the Shop Square Overalls.
When I put on my overalls I am a worker—someone who is ready for the day,” she says. “Putting on the outfit gets you in the mindset.”
“When I put on my overalls I am a worker—someone who is ready for the day,” she says. “Putting on the outfit gets you in the mindset.” The weightless yet durable material of the overalls makes them a no-brainer choice for the work day, especially when paired with a printed bandana and comfortable boots.
