Meet Asuki Karimai | Flower Architect, Fashion Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Asuki Karimai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Asuki, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was born and raised in the Harajuku area of Tokyo, Japan which is like a mix of Miami’s Design District & Wynwood, with its fashion and creative atmosphere. My grandmother and father were masters of traditional Japanese flower arrangements, while my mother graduated from a dressmaking school and sold accessories and clothes while raising us. With such parents and environment, I thought it was natural for me to become an artist. However, after graduating from university, I built a career in retail and wholesale sales for fashion companies, which also made me love business and numbers.

Since moving out to Miami in 2020, I have considered starting my own business as a dream and a second chapter of my life. I want to become a bridge between cultures and countries, as there are few places in Miami where you can feel the culture and traditions of Asia and Japan. I hope to introduce my culture and products to everyone, find everyone’s styles in Miami, and enjoy expressing their beauty.

What should our readers know about your business?
Growing up in a family of artists, the concept of working for a company was not something that existed in our household.
My mother, out of concern for me, would constantly urge me to work hard and become independent (saying things like “You need to work hard and become independent because you cost a lot! lol.”). After graduating from university, she begged me to find a job.
In Japanese society, there are various customs for young women, including behavior, way of speaking, and how to work, all of which have their own rules.
My bosses were all top-level people, very strict, and in my twenties, I was constantly being scolded.
Thanks to that, I developed a sense of purpose when working, goals, and the effort to achieve results, and I also witnessed firsthand how people connect in business.
Through changing jobs multiple times, I believe I have come to understand both universal and ever-changing aspects in my way.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
My sense and style have also been cultivated through the trial and error of living life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
PAAM Museum – Art and Architectures
Wynwood -Area, Miami Art, Cultures.
Little Habana-Area
Versailles Restaurant- Cuban foods, Iconic
Dante,1800Lucky, Koyo Tacos in Wynwood – Music
Dale Zine- bookstore
Andrew Miami- Local brand
Design District – Area
South Beach, Miami Beach – beach day, also Art Deco architecture drive.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shelby Slayden- Miami local artist.
Admari tea – Miami local Asian Tea spot/brand
Jojo tea- Miami local Asian Tea brand/ Community
Dante – Vynal bar in Wynwood
DJ Rich Mendina
DJ Jarobi
DJ Tillery James
DJ Kenske (from Japan)
The book of Tea / Okakura Kenzo
Osamu Tezuka
Hayao Miyazaki
Shohei Ohtani (JP baseball player)
Hiroyuki Sanada (Emmy awarded JP actor)
Ami Yuasa (2024 Paris Olympic Female Breakdance gold medalist )
Yuto Horigane (2024 Paris Olympic Skateboard Gold medalist)
Coco Yoshizawa & Liz Akama (2024 Paris Olympic Skateboard Gold & Silver medalist)
Rei Kawakubo ( Designer)
Andy Warhol (Artist)
Yoshio Karimai ( my father )

Website: https://sookiebloom.com/

Instagram: Sookiebloom

Linkedin: Asuki Karimai

Image Credits
Motty, Kenya Ishikawa, Seohee