Who is your favourite fashion designer? I discovered the Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen on Instagram. Her designs are sublime, very detailed and simply brilliant.
TO BE REALLY HONEST, I NEVER WAS INTERESTED IN FASHION. BUT SOMEHOW, ONCE I STARTED TO EXPLORE BOTANICAL COUTURE AND FLOWERS WERE INVOLVED, EVERYTHING CHANGED
Please describe your work in three words. Detailed, textural, nature-inspired. Which plants do you prefer to work with? My preference always goes towards locally grown flowers and plants, whether they are grown in the fields or in greenhouses.
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PHOTO JONI SHIMABUKURO
Do you have a favourite flower? It depends on the season, but these are at the top of the list: Hellebore, Fritillaria Meleagris and poppies. And I love succulents, seedpods, green blackberries and blueberries.
You are also an author of a book on healing plants. Do you have a specialist education or is the book based on your personal experience? Timber Press, the publisher, contacted me two years ago to illustrate a journal on medicinal plants with my designs. I honestly knew nothing about healing plants. I did a lot of research and, to my amazement, discovered that almost every single plant, shrub and tree has medicinal qualities. The great news was that I could use just about any plant I wanted to for this fun project, where the publisher gave me total creative license. The book is a journal, where people can write recipes, or write how, when and where they grow medicinal plants. Besides the introduction, there is no text in the journal.
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