As an island of new spectacle and new style, NUSTAR Resort and Casino has brought another first in Cebu with the staging of Maia: The NUSTAR International Flower Festival on April 30 and May 1, 2023.
The first-of-its-kind event was inspired by Maia, an ancient Roman goddess of springtime, warmth, and abundance. Vibrant blooms in a kaleidoscope of colors and in spectacular installations adorned the integrated resort, transforming it into a botanical paradise.
To celebrate growth, rebirth, and magnificent flora, Maia featured local and international florists and their world-class floral designs, a floral couture fashion show with creations by internationally acclaimed local designers, and family-friendly activities including hands-on workshops and flower arrangement demos by industry elites.
The Florists
There’s more to modern floristry than arranging fresh blooms in simple or statement bouquets. NUSTAR’s guest florists from the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and the United Kingdom have earned a loyal global following by telling stories and creating experiences through their floral arrangements.
The Designers
Fourteen of Cebu’s most celebrated fashion designers took part in the Maia fashion show, which was held at The Mall | NUSTAR. Bespoke dresses were rendered in flowers and foliage for their interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ethereal looks were showcased on the runway, through the collaboration of the designers and the florists, who were in charge of creating floral accessories to complement the designers’ couture pieces.
Floral sartorial masterpieces complete with headdresses, cuffs, purses, and necklaces were produced by the following pairs:
- Floral master Keith Lin from Singapore and fashion designer Philip Rodriguez
- Kai-yun Lo from Taiwan and Dexter Alazas
- Opas Yarcammee from Thailand and Valerie Alvez
- Sandra Taslim from Indonesia and Edwin Ao
- Christina Yew from Taiwan and Hanz Coquilla
- Edward Millers Khoo from Malaysia and Protacio Empaces
- Lina Loka from Indonesia and Ronald Enrico
- Joseph Ven Dumadag from the Philippines and Jun Escario
- Michael Yu from the Philippines and Rei Escario
- Eunjeong Lee from South Korea and Oj Hofer
- Hung Shu-Yuan from Taiwan and Philipp Tampus
- Teresa Skues from the United Kingdom and Anthony Romoff
- Joohyun Lee from South Korea and Wendell Quisido
- Harijanto Setiawan from Indonesia and Cary Santiago
The Floral Installations
With colors that ranged from soft pastels to bright and saturated hues, and designs that covered everything, from minimalist installations to sculptural and experimental ones, the floral installations by NUSTAR’s guest florists wowed guests of all ages.
The 12 international guest florists created a visual feast, with the following design concepts:
Flowers of Friendship by Opas Yarcammee of Thailand and Joseph Ven Garay Dumadag of the Philippines
A wonderful artwork assembled with the use of diverse flower types that symbolize friendship among florists from all over the world who have come together to share their passion for blooms and all things lovely.
Colorful Carnival by Hungshuyuan of Taiwan
Inspired by happiness and possibilities, the colors of the flowers used in this installation are reminiscent of joy and melodious cheers ringing out.
Iridescent by Sandra Taslim and Lina Loka of Indonesia
This shows that nature and its beauty are able to inspire the imagination, and thus, there is no limit to the possible artworks that one can create. This piece dazzles from every angle.
Dancing With the Wind by Harijanto Setiawan of Singapore and Teresa Skues of the United Kingdom
This masterpiece tells a story of capturing the movements of the wind in a midsummer night’s dream.
Kaleidoscope by Christina Yew of Singapore and Edward Millers Khoo of Malaysia
A sense of youthful exuberance is depicted here, as expressed by elaborate colors and patterns—a truly immersive sight and experience.
Tropical Bonanza by Keith Lin of Singapore
This artwork celebrates the warm hospitality of the people in this tropical paradise. Bringing the outdoors in, the florist used local materials and gave them his modern translation.
Every Moment With Nature by Eunjeong Lee, Joohyun Lee, Minsook Song, and Mihyun Yang of South Korea
This installation is inspired by the beauty of nature and the changing seasons, a reminder that everything is fleeting and should be celebrated.
Those who missed Maia: The NUSTAR International Flower Festival can still see and admire the stunning floral installations up close as they are on display around the resort all month of May.