June sees us diving into nature and salsa with the beautiful Francesca Munizaga, talented island florist and founder of The Floral Studio and The Farm Ibiza.
What do you do to feel motivated creatively or otherwise?
Nature is my inspiration, when I don’t feel motivated I go on a walk at the farm. Sunrise is my favourite, when everything is still and the kids are yet to wake. The sound of the birds, the animal, the colours .…it’s a kind of meditation and a moment to be present. After this I always feel connected with myself and very grateful.
What’s making you tick right now, is there something new you’ve discovered you can tell us about?
The power of sleep is huge and now I really care about the quality of my sleep time. Kids change your life in so many ways; I have twins, so I didn’t sleep well for so many years! My body started to not function in the same way - I was always hungry and my skin suffered. I tried many diets, sports etc… before I realised that I was just very tired and needed to sleep more. Now, I make sure I have a healthy sleeping routine and since then everything has changed for the better. My favourite thing is listening to a good podcast - it works just like like a sleeping pill for me.
How do you start your day, what does your morning routine look like?
When I can I wake up before the rest of the house, I walk the dog around the farm and try to be present. No thinking of my to do list, just a kind of morning meditation. I’m find it hard to sit in stillness, I need movement to disconnect properly. In the summer I cut flowers after the walk, as they need to be cut before the sun is too strong. In winter I jump in cold water (my swimming pool), yes - I’m one of those Wim Hof lovers ... I’m not a morning person - so this makes me feel awake in 1 min. After, I drink my matcha before taking the kids to school. Then it’s time for exercise, and for me, this is non-negotiable. I love to move; it makes me feel relaxed and happy and keeps me young. I do primal moves with Nick Brewer to sweat everything out or yoga with my favourite yoga teacher @virivi Then I work. Of course, sometimes I wake up and go straight into work, but I always leave 5 min to be present and just breathe because I have realised that the day goes much better when I do this.
What’s your favourite thing about your job? Who or what inspired you to do what you do?
This will sound like a cliche but to work surrounded by natural beauty; the colours, the smells, it really is a gift. The natural beauty of flowers caught my attention and after that I started planting them. Little by little in the field, putting my hands in the soil was a big part of my job and the part that makes me feel the most connected. I realised that being more rooted was something that I was missing in my life. To see your flowers, grow from seed, to follow the process until they end up in a beautiful arrangement – is just magic.
I always say that my kids and their father gave me the gift of the flowers; they root me so deep that I was able to bloom
What’s most exciting you about the upcoming year?
Every year little by little my studio grows. This year I made a terrace and have planted and designed a garden. I’m trying to grow different flowers so it is forever a work in progress and I am loving learning and growing with the process. I enjoy it so much .
Work wise I’m doing more and more creative projects, which allow me to create beautiful things. I am also learning to say no to things that I don’t feel, which feels good.
Song that never fails to lift your mood?
I’m very Latin if I hear salsa I will always dance.
What is your favourite possession and the story behind it?
In this house we are collectors of everything :) … we love flea markets, auctions etc. We love old things with history, so I have many treasures that I love.
If you could visit anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be?
Kamalaya in Ko Samui, a wellness haven. I never thought I would like something like this, I’m a traveller, not a holiday person but I went last year, and it was heaven. I don’t know if I loved it so much because I gave permission to myself to stop. After my twins, I reinvented myself totally, created and grew a new company and I realise now, that I never stop. I really needed to stop, to have time to think, to reconnect with myself and to feel. Important information come to me in this time. This palace was the perfect environment for this to happen, pure self-love all day long.
And finally...how would you style our velvet bow bag?
I love the velvet bow pouch, and the graphite is the perfect colour. It suits all seasons – but first I will use it on a hot summer night with a beautiful silk nightie – why not, in Ibiza anything goes ;)
