BEHIND THE LABEL: Sage Sisters

Local love, Eva De Leon is the floral designer behind our baby flower crowns. Eva recently opened up a brick & mortar in downtown San Diego, Sage Sisters, to pursue her passion for floral design and bring joy to people through flowers on a daily basis. Aside from having stunning blooms, Sage Sisters is also committed to zero waste. Rather than throwing away day old flowers like most florists, she donates them to local non-profits throughout the community. In admiration of all the beauty Eva puts out into the world we sat down to chat with her to learn more about her noble mission as a florist.

1. How did you get started in floral arrangement and design?

I have always been an artist and went to school for Studio Arts. So, when I needed a way to make a living in-between art projects, I started doing floral work for weddings. Now, floral design has become my full-time job.

2. What inspired you to open Sage Sisters and why did you choose to open a brick & mortar location?

There is something noble about being part of a community. There are many event florists who are able to do well by working from their home or a studio but I loved the idea of being able to offer something to my community on a daily basis. My favorite part of the day is being able to connect with people. As a florist, you get to be there for their best days and worst days of their lives.

3. Aside from producing beautiful and thoughtful floral arrangements, you are also dedicated to giving back to the local community. Can you tell us more about how Sage Sisters gives back and why it is so important to you?

The dirty secret of the floral industry is the waste. All florist have to throw away perfectly good looking flowers because we don’t want to sell something that will have a short shelf life once it gets to our customer’s homes. So, I wanted to fix this dilemma by giving these blooms to people who would appreciate them even if was only for 3-4 days. Right now, we work with hospice homes as well as other non-profits who need flowers for their special events and fundraisers.

4. Your store is filled with the best non-toxic candles, paleo santo and other small items that encourage daily rituals. Do you yourself have any daily rituals that you can share with us?

I find it so important to make time for self-care. I love starting the day with 15 minutes of yoga followed by 10 minutes of meditation on my little balcony. I cannot say enough how much this helps. I feel like I am able to get my physical and mental kinks out this way. And since it’s only 25 minutes of my day,  it leaves the lazy part of my brain with very few excuses to try to get out of it.

5. Where do you find inspiration for your floral arrangements?

I’ve always loved 17th-century Dutch flower paintings. The flowers in the compositions are always so organically arranged and there is always an emphasis on texture and variety.

6. The wooden display in your shop is stunning. How did you come up with the design of your shop? Did you make it yourself or did you have everything custom built?

I’ve always loved the functionality of pegboards. You are able to create different shelve arrangements in a matter of minutes and without any tools. They are also perfect for tight little spaces, like at my shop, because you are able to utilize all the vertical space given. But, what I did not love was how familiar and customary pegboards have come. So I decided to change the scale, thus changing it into a contemporary take on something familiar.

7. How would you describe your aesthetic and the style of your arrangements?

Organic and wild

8. What flowers did you use to make our exclusive flower crowns?

Strawflowers and standard roses are the stars of the show. And along them are dusty miller, broom bloom, and canella berries.

9. Any advice for a woman who is looking to pursue her passion as a career?

This route is never easy, filled with unknowns and it always has huge highs and lows. But, when you are doing what you love it is much more fulfilling than doing something else. It’s like the reservoir of energy and strength you are able to tap into is so much bigger.

Shop our flower crowns by Eva of Sage Sisters here >