Page 47 - S/ Spring 2022

Strangelove Flowers
A private studio in Toronto’s Little Portugal neighbourhood houses the creative and curious floral practice of Mimosa Haque. The Bangladesh-born graphic designer turned floral artist launched the brand under the moniker Strangelove in 2019, inspired by what she calls “nature’s original accessory.” Her moody arrangements evoke feelings of surrender and wonder, highlighting the subtleties and nuances of flowers even as they inevitably wilt and die. Through expressive installations and styling, Haque creates a sensory experience for anyone who encounters one of her
arrangements. Similar to her preferred medium, Haque’s creative process is characterized by growth and evolution. “The pandemic has especially changed my understanding of what my contribution to the world of flowers could look like,” she
says. “It has become a cathartic experience and meditative practice that I deeply benefit from and feel grateful to share.”
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Succulent Slut
When floral artist Emma
Muncaster started her Instagram
page in 2017, she initially used
Succulent Slut as an effort of
anonymity. Since then, the brand
has evolved into a full-fledged
business and platform for self-
expression. “The name was born
out of a personal battle with
self-image, to reclaim a socially
taboo word,” she says. “The mission was to collaborate with
my clients in meaningful ways. It’s of course much more than that now—it’s also a platform to express my personal style with and without flowers.” When asked what she hopes her work will provide her customers, she responds “Whatever they might need in the moment, in the form of visual therapy, the ephemeral quality of florals, I think, heightens their emotional impact as an art form.” Like fashion and fine art, Muncaster considers flowers to be timeless. “Flowers have their own predetermined seasonality which offers evolving creative opportunities throughout the year.”
Mimosa Haque: photographed by Sevan Ichkhanian. Strangelove Flowers: photographed by Kristina Ruddick. Succulent Slut’s Emma Muncaster: photographed by Luis Mora.
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