Young Shin Kim

For fashion-loving Korean florist Young Shin Kim, a self-described “flower hippie” from Seoul, her hand-picked arrangements are her heroines—an enduring reminder of the natural world in a neon-lit metropolis.

From her tiny Itaewon studio Oblique—a blue-tiled oasis that’s abloom with her botanical art—Kim has been quietly pushing the boundaries of floristry, one bouquet at a time. Her clustered creations have caught the eye of The New York Times, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and the Phaidon tome Blooms, where her sakura showpiece for Nike was featured alongside the icy fleurs of Azuma Makoto.

If this floral artisan gets her creative fix from nature, then the volcanic island of Jeju is her verdant muse. In this tropical paradise of tangerine groves and pearly beaches, she indulges in another passion—open water swimming. As she jets between two jarringly different worlds on a whim, Kim can’t be bothered with a time-consuming wardrobe. Her fresh, earthy style is a true reflection of the unaffected bouquets she has become famous for: imaginative yet minimalist, brimming with whimsy, and wildly beautiful.