Weird science

From her studio in Los Angeles, floral designer Sophia Moreno-Bunge has an unusual take on an age-old tradition

- PIET SMEDY

Although I haven’t formally studied ikebana, I feel my work aligns with many of the practices of ikebana, such as mindfulness and consideration, which are a big part of my process,’ says Sophia Moreno-Bunge, the Buenos Aires-born, Los Angeles-based floral designer whose weird, whimsical arrangements are redefining an age-old craft. ‘Attention to the materials and their provenance, the space within which we are working, the person we are designing for, the season we are in, the landscape around us – these are all important elements that I think about. What I love about ikebana is the attention to detail, to history, to harmony, and to technicality. What results is a poetry that I hope to also find in my work.’