Arranging Inspiration

Asked to create an exclusive editorial feature for MODERN’s Creativity Issue, Luis Alvarez challenged emerging Aquage artists Lala Todorovic and Chris Vandehey to work with mentors Ann Bray and Eric Fisher to create a purely artistic collection.

As a team, they developed a creative concept based on the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging called Ikebana. After researching and pitching ideas and sketches to Alvarez, they created nine detailed style sculptures, each inspired by nine key Rikka positions.

Alvarez, who is VP Creative and co-founder of Aquage, explains that Rikka is the most elaborate practice of Ikebana, based on a tight group of elements rising in an idealized formation from the middle of a vase opening. He says while Ikebana is a classic art discipline, it is not “fixed.”

“Just as in music, where the same composition can be performed and interpreted by different generations of musicians, in Ikebana there is always room for personal expression. That is the secret,” he says.

Personalizing the art form and converting it to hair pieces is laborintensive, however.

“It took our team days to complete each design,” he says. Shot during our Aquage MasterClass Academy and on location during America’s Beauty Show, this project required a delicate touch, flawlessly executed technique and the ideal marriage of products.”

To see the inspiring results, see the Ikebana Collection.