Gucci handbag decorated by Joselle Faustino Castañer of Jos Curates for Vogue Philippines February 2023. Photo by BJ Pascual
From one arrangement to the next, the Jos Curates founder shares how botanicals have become her means to tell narratives without words
Before taking a career in the medical field as a radiation therapist and medical content author, Joselle Castañer’s ancestral home in the Philippines served as her first exposure to the world of botanicals. It was through her move to Australia, however, that the young practitioner set her focus on her full-time occupation, leading her to take her creative expression through home decor instead.
“I initially focused on finding the perfect vases and vessels to complement the design of my home. I would take photos of these pieces and soon people started asking where I got them and if they could buy similar pieces. That was when I first realized I might have an eye for curation,” Castañer expounds.
Everything returned to its normal routine later on, yet keeping a gifted floral arrangement on her dining table unintentionally led the budding creative to take notice of the flower’s change into muted, earth-tone colors. “I decided to deconstruct and reassemble them in some of the vessels I had curated with additional floral elements I got from the market,” she adds. In sharing her work on social media, the home designer then found both the motivation and her signature design element that would later turn her hobby into the brand it is now.
With the help of her husband David Castañer, the creation of Jos Curates became the very means for the young florist to develop her passions into a career, and to share such creations with those who also find meaning within the perennials themselves. “There’s a contrast between the two, but I find that the balance between them fuels my creativity and drives my desire to make a meaningful difference in both my patients’ and clients’ lives,” the founder shares.
Throughout her creative process, Castañer sought to integrate as much of her client’s narratives into each aspect of her bespoke arrangements, allowing her to create relationships that would last even after the work had been done. Apart from this, the business owner also takes note of the world around her for inspiration, citing cues and building connections from her travels as well as her immediate surroundings in the land down under.
“I immerse myself in these environments, drawing inspiration from the textures, colors, and moods they evoke.”
“I’m constantly attuned to shifts in design and artistic expression, allowing these influences to inspire and shape my work in fresh and meaningful ways; not as a way to replicate, but to spark new ideas,” she adds.
Though Jos Curates focuses on creating smaller-scale arrangements for more intimate or personal events, Castañer took to reference the creative challenge that collaborating with Vogue Philippines encouraged her to take on. In celebration of the Voices of Mindanao issue for May 2024, the botanist shared, “Our aim was to create florals that subtly enhanced the Goldenberg Mansion’s inherent beauty. The venue itself was already so stunning, so I chose designs that didn’t compete with its grandeur but rather complemented its elegance.”
Through the connections she fostered with her team of freelance florists and vendors in the Dangwa flower markets of central Manila, whom she refers to as her “angels,” the floral designer was also able to find her confidant as she was based in Australia at the time. “Even though I wasn’t there in person, the process felt deeply immersive, and I truly felt connected to every aspect of the event,” the founder shares.
With each chapter in her career as both a botanist and business owner, Joselle Castañer attributes her journey with Jos Curates to that of the Cattleya Orchid. “This orchid embodies versatility, collaboration, and growth, all of which are central to Jos Curates,” she explains.
She also expresses that her brand’s success was not hers alone. With the continued support and effort from her team, family, and husband, the florist acknowledges that their contributions aided in shaping the brand into what it is today.
In looking ahead, the founder sees hope in the expansion of the brand, giving new opportunities for her teams to style events across the world, and to create workshops that share the creative inspiration within floral arrangements.
Castañer also wishes to make her return to the Philippines to learn and build connections with local growers in order to represent the country’s native flora to a greater audience. “Just like the Cattleya, Jos Curates will keep evolving, flourishing, and reaching new heights through collaboration, resilience, and a shared vision.”
