Periphery Items Now Available at The Silk Road by NAAAP-KC
KANSAS CITY, MO – Periphery, Kansas City’s only hand-crafted Chinese accessory brand founded by local artist, writer, curator, and organizer Xiao Faria daCunha now sells its one-of-a-kind hair sticks, hair combs, and beaded earrings at Silk Road by NAAAP-KC at 201 Westport Road in Kansas City.
Incorporating traditional chanhua and ronghua (silk flower) techniques, as well as modern alternatives including resin dipping, shrinky dink, and clay sculpting, Periphery is the colorful, whimsical girl version of owner daCunha’s identity and a tribute to the Chinese culture she’s always valued deeply.
“I first started making haristicks when I was in high school. It was trendy during that time. But back then I didn’t really understand why hair sticks are often related to a woman’s dignity and were used as a rite of passage for girls entering adulthood,” daCunha said. “It wasn’t until after I came to the US that I realized how much traditional garments and accessories meant to me and how I saw myself.“
Unlike mass-produced or even small-batch jewelry, daCunha insists on drawing each motif by hand, forgoing the popular practice of using a crinket machine/vinyl cutter on her shrink sheets.
“There are no two flowers that are identical, and botanical and natural life is at the core of what I make. So I wanted to replicate the whimsical uncertainty of plants and flowers as much as possible,“ said daCunha.
Inspired by nature, traditional Chinese poetry, historical artifacts, and flower language, each handmade Chinese hair stick and hair comb is one of a kind and cannot be fully replicated. Most hairsticks use a mixture of natural stone, glass, and acrylic beads and rely on hypoallergenic metal foundations. Together, they ensure the pieces weigh, look, and feel like quality.
“Hairsticks are meant to last and grow with you. That’s why in ancient China, they were used to bestow gifts to manifest undying love. I want what I make to last while remaining affordable in terms of pricing,” said daCunha.
Periphery hair sticks and other accessories can be found at The Silk Road by NAAAP-KC. Other retail locations include Leedy Voulkos Gallery and Buon Ban Mercantile.