Preparation
Every time she starts an arrangement, floral designer Sophia Moreno-Bunge of ISA ISA draws from the sunny optimism and distinct plant-scape of Los Angeles. “It’s Mediterranean meets tropical meets desert,” she says of her hometown. Her bold bouquets capture it all: the ocean’s cool palette of shells, rocks, and seaweed; and the coast’s vivid collage of fuchsia bougainvillea, silvery palms, and scrubby green manzanita trees. Moreno-Bunge studied photography and sculpture at Barnard College, in New York City, then landed a job with Emily Thompson, the celebrated New York City floral designer known for her otherworldly installations.
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Like her mentor (who also trained as a sculptor), Moreno-Bunge champions local flora, incorporating produce from the farmers’ market and clippings from the hundreds of potted plants in her home garden. She makes these “wild, playful” arrangements for clients like fashion designer Rachel Comey and the Kelly Wearstler-designed Proper hotel. “I love all colors, from acid green to geranium red. I don’t discriminate,” she says of her ebullient personal style. “My goal is to create work that makes you wonder, to open your eyes to what’s possible and beautiful.”
