Designing Wahine Emporium is an absolute treasure and super cute shop in the heart of Makawao. It is an absolutely beautiful store, well merchandised and very nicely organized. The shop is filled with a beautiful selection of historic, local, and functional art, and lovely household goods that capture the spirit of Maui. They have jam-packed their store with high quality and well-curated items, ranging from baby outfits and toys to candles, Christmas ornaments, and Aloha-themed clothing. It’s a great place to shop for a present if you want to be inspired. The employees are nice, very helpful and accommodating. One note of caution is that the smell or perfuming inside can be very strong and overwhelming. Also, while they stock many local products, it is about 50/50 with items from mainland brands, so check tags if shopping specifically for local goods. Prices are fair, and you can sometimes snag a great deal on the sale rack.
What a nice find on Maui! Loads of things that make perfect gifts. I was so glad to find this place with one-of-a-kind gifts. This is a must see!
September 2025
Most of the ladies in the shop were kind. I can confirm that there was one shop attendant that did follow me around the store even though we clearly had items picked out to purchase sitting on the counter. Unfortunately, it does seem like a trend among many different shoppers at this store. Sad to see — hope they... read full comment
January 2024
Super cute shop with Historic, local and functional art and household goods. Olfactory sensitive caution! The smell or perfuming inside was so strong that it was overwhelming and gave me a headache.
