BBC Mundo January 18, 2016

Oscar Mora, the Venezuelan who designs Beyoncé's floral arrangements and other stars

Yolanda Valery BBC World  |  January 18, 2016

Mora found his career and fortune in the Big Apple.

A chain of coincidences put the Venezuelan Oscar Mora in the place indicated at the right time: in a window in New York where an assistant of a famous fashion designer would pass. Not so long ago had come from his native Caracas, barely 30 years old and an interior designer's title under his arm, a field he had jumped after checking that the "rags" (fashion design) were not his thing. And, also, very eager to settle abroad. In fact, his goal was to reach Paris. But since he had a stake in a travel agency and flights to New York were significantly cheaper, he ended up in the Big Apple . And there he found his fortune. "In Venezuela I made flowers as a hobby. When I moved to New York I needed work , and I worked on many things, among other things, flowers," he tells BBC Mundo. "I was designing flowers in a showcase and someone who passed me asked if I would be willing to help them with a project in someone's house, whom I had not told who it was, and when I went to the house, it turns out it was Donatella Versace," remember.

One thing leads to another

From then on, one celebrity took him to another. Soon she would become a floral stylist for the stars. "I managed to work with the people of Valentino, and the moment I had the ability to put my name with yours, you would not finish saying it and people would already say 'wow!' . That gave me a big boost, " he recalls. The next lucky break was the leap to the small screen of the big screen: television. "I was at the Martha Stewart show as a guest, I did very well with her: she invited me five times to her show, once, but five, it was fantastic." Not that it was difficult, but also lived very close. "The studios were right next to my house on 26th Street, which was convenient and fun." So, with the letter of introduction of Valentino and the promotion of the show of Martha Stewart began to appear the offers of the rich and famous.

The Venezuelan florist became a regular guest on Martha Stewart's show.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Beyoncé

And what's on Oscar Mora's star chart? "One of the biggest events I did in New York, which has always been a very strong reference, was the Sex and the City show . I was hired to make the flowers for the premiere party of the first movie, and then The second. That gave me enough publicity," he says.This year she made the floral arrangements for the series' lead actress, Sarah Jessica Parker, on her 50th birthday. He also names Rihanna, Mariah Carey and Whoopi Goldberg among the personalities who have received flowers from him. And as a colophon, there are "De Niro," as he calls them, and of whom he says "they are divine." But if you have to choose a name to put to the top of the list, do not hesitate for a moment: "the most important is Beyoncé," he says. "I've done the house for the last seven years.You can say that last year she took a video called 7/11 where she goes crazy dancing around a Christmas tree that I designed. Christmas for the last seven years".

Orchids are among Mora's favorites.

Flowers and challenges

According to his website, Oscar Mora " is considered with an expert in the design with tropical flowers". Yves Piaget are your favorite flowers. "It is a very popular hybrid, they have a unique fragrance, a strong pink, almost magenta, and they are unforgettable." There are also "orchids, of course". (Orchids are the "national flower" in Venezuela). Having already become an established creator, we ask him what the greatest challenge he faces. And the answer is not artistic. "It's hard to grow, it's making it difficult for me to get the right employees." This is an art. Translating it to a massive thing is not easy: you lose sight of the detail," he tells us. Perhaps because of all that he likes to define himself as "efficient, as passionate". But most of all as an artist. "It is what I am," he tells us.