Long before Maura Ò Paì's artisanal brassieres gained a following in North America, her work found great acceptance and support abroad, particularly in Japan. Collectors, galleries, clothiers favoured her work: Ò Paì was considered the equal of designers such as Westwood, Hamnett, Rykiel, Kawakubo, Johnson, Prada and Furstenberg. Japanese collectors were notable for their persistence -- and success -- in securing originals of Ò Paì's brassieres, and also design drawings, something she was notoriously reluctant to part with. The following images come from the collection in the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum. They are purchases and gifts from the original collectors, acquired during the tenure of Yoko Tanaka. Tanaka was an avid admirer of Ò Paì's work and brought a relentless dedication to building a collection of Ò Paì's drawings for the museum.
Other significant collections of Ò Paì's work in Japan are held by the POLA Corporation, the Bridgestone Museum, Daimaru, and the Kawamura Museum.
The Ministry of Culture wishes to thank the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum for their kind use of the following imagery, and in particular Taeko Higashiyama, archivest, for access to the collection.
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| The Sunflower Brassiere with matching panties and hoodie |
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The Yolk of Oppression Brassiere
with matching toast-point panties
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| The Pirate's Daughter Brassiere |
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The Marlow Woodcarver's Brassiere
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