Nunzia Guerino

Flower designer | Santeramo in Colle, Italy

Winds of change

Nunzia is the third generation of a family of florists
She trained in Holland, Paris and Vienna
She has developed an innovative style

Nunzia Guerino was just 18 when she arrived in Paris at Gilles Pothier’s renowned flower atelier. Washing the stairs was the first task she was given, but after a few days, Mr Pothier, who she considers her greatest teacher, saw her handling flowers and took her under his wing. Young as she could seem back then, Nunzia was all but inexperienced. Her grandfather was a florist and her mother owns a flower shop, where she has helped since childhood. Yet, running the family business was not her cup of tea. She has lived in Holland, Paris and Vienna for several years, working as a flower assistant. Recently, she decided to go back to Apulia and do her own thing.

Interview

©Nunzia Guerino

Is your style influenced by your experiences abroad?: Definitely. In Holland I learned to let the flowers express themselves, without forcing them into unnatural arrangements. From France, I borrowed a sort of stylistic smoothness. And in Vienna I immersed myself in art, that has since become one of my major sources of inspiration.
Why did you go back to your little hometown in Apulia?: Not only is it an inspiring place, where you’re surrounded by nature and the sea. There’s also plenty to do in floristry with regards to innovation. Training abroad has given me the opportunity to come back and breath new life into a very old-style environment.
What’s your signature style?: The bold use of colour. Combining hues is the easiest thing for me and the one that I do best. I am not afraid of breaking the monotony of tradition: as white and pink are the obvious choices for a wedding, for example, they are precisely the ones that I’d rather avoid.
How do you obtain the “wow factor” in your arrangements?: I play with contrasts and use species that cannot go unnoticed, with remarkable sizes, sharp edges or strange leaves, like sterlitzia, Vanda orchid and monstera. Spray paint is an option, too, and design vases always help. What is important is setting no limits to creativity.

Nunzia Guerino is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2014