Singaporean illustrator Grace Ciao only started experimenting with flowers about two years ago, but her work suggests someone with years of experience. Using fresh petals to create dreamy dresses, Ciao (who studied business and marketing in college) adds a soft, fragrant texture to her watercolor paintings that makes them dance off the paper. Her adventure into botanical couture began one day while she was working on an illustration and noticed the rose on her desk had begun to wilt. Wanting to preserve its beauty, she started manipulating the petals and incorporating them into her sketch. Ciao draws inspiration from both nature and the international runways and has amassed a huge following on Instagram along with an equally smitten group of clients including Chanel, Saks, Fendi, and Dior. She hopes to one day launch her own flower-inspired dress collection.
All images via GraceCiao.com and Grace Ciao on Instagram