Luxury Floristry as an Art Form
What does the term ‘luxury’ mean in the world of flowers and can luxury floristry be seen as an art form?
These were the questions posed to the creative team at Veevers Carter.
Before we dive into the discussions that evolved from the topic, we took a look online at what the Internet qualified a brand to be termed ‘luxury’ and this was our findings:
Exceptional Quality
Luxury brands are known for their superior craftsmanship and their use of the finest materials
Iconic Design
Iconic and timeless designs are often recognisable and associated with the brand itself, making them highly desirable.
Heritage and History
Many luxury brands have a long and storied history, this legacy adds to their prestige and credibility.
Customisation and Personalisation
Luxury brands frequently offer customisation and personalisation options, this creates a unique and personal experience.
Impeccable Service
The service experience associated with luxury brands is typically impeccable.
From attentive customer service to personalised assistance, luxury brands prioritise the customer's experience.
Artistry and Innovation
Luxury brands invest in creativity and innovation, pushing the boundaries of design and craftsmanship.
They are known for creating cutting-edge products and pushing the envelope in their respective industries.
Attention to Detail
Every aspect of a luxury product, from packaging to finishing touches, is executed with precision and attention to detail.
Social and Environmental Responsibility
In recent years, many luxury brands have also started to emphasise their commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
This includes ethical sourcing, sustainable practices, and philanthropic efforts.
We asked Head of Creative Styling, Marita Wai -
Can you provide examples of floral arrangements and styles of arranging that you would consider to be luxury?
In the past, a bouquet of 300 roses might have been seen as a symbol of luxury, but nowadays, I genuinely believe that luxury in floristry lies in flowers grown here in England, locally sourced, where you can truly trace the origins of your blooms. People really do care more now than ever about our environment and in the context of luxury floristry this means creating floral designs that are not just beautiful but also serve as a source of inspiration for sustainable practices. Aspirational floristry is its own niche! I think florists and floral designers who practice aspirational floristry use their work to challenge conventions and experiment with new ideas, and this in turn really elevates the art of floral design.
We asked Head of Events, Penny Lindeque -
How important is personal creativity and artistic interpretation when designing luxury floral arrangements?
Now that’s a glass of wine conversation!
I suppose being a floral designer in its nature asks for us to call on our personal creativity and artistic interpretation, our own background, in whichever industry it may be, will influence our designs in every way. My background is in Interior design and whilst there are a number of inspirations I will consider when designing floral arrangements, above all, I’m motivated by the environment where the flowers will be placed. At Veevers Carter we are super lucky to work within the walls of London’s biggest art galleries, thus my floral designs are often inspired by paintings and sculpture - colour, form and shape are really important to me.
We asked Managing Director, Joanna Rhodes -
What challenges do you believe luxury florists face when attempting to elevate their work to an art form?
Creating artistic floral arrangements often involves more time and resources. Managing costs and delivering a premium product can be a delicate balancing act. Similar with quality and materials, luxury florists consistently source and work with the finest, seasonal flowers, ensuring the best quality. This can be particularly demanding and costly.
One of the biggest challenges we face is striking a balance between creating opulent floral designs and adhering to sustainable practices and ethical sourcing, this challenge is a team effort and one that we are all deeply passionate about.
We asked Floral Event Designer, Natalie Best -
Do you think there are instances where floral design has had a significant impact or influence on art movements? If so, which ones and why?
Most definitely! Art and floral design have historically gone hand in hand, The Dutch Masters, were inspired by the beauty of flower arrangements and in turn there are many contemporary florists that are inspired by the paintings of the Dutch Masters. My background is in Fashion Wholesale & Buying, floral design has always had a close relationship with fashion. High-fashion designers regularly incorporate floral elements into their collections, often drawing inspiration from the latest trends in the floristry industry and vice versa. An example of this is Erdem’s recent runway, from which we created florals for the Vogue100 x Erdem dinner at the National Portrait Gallery.
There has been many notable collaborations of recent between fashion brand and florist, for example Prada and their activation - in conversation with a flower or the inspirational partnership between Loro Piana, Studio Mary Lennox and High Snobiety.
We asked Floral Event Designer, Clare Jackson -
How do you perceive the value of luxury floral arrangements in comparison to other forms of art?
Is there a market for collecting or investing in luxury floral art?
Absolutely! I believe there’s a realm where luxury flower arrangements go beyond just looking nice and assume the status of art, even offering potential as investments. However, there's the obvious challenge of preserving value, as flowers are naturally fleeting and will of course degrade over time.
Innovators like Azuma Makoto, who encapsulates flowers in various states—be it suspended in space, submerged beneath the sea, or encased in ice - is really intriguing. Then there’s the whole idea of preserving floral arrangements similar to Damien Hirst's method, where the design is frozen in time.
However, it makes you wonder: where does the ultimate value lie? Is it with the painter who immortalises the composition, or the florist who creates the arrangement?
We do think it’s important to note that the perception of luxury can vary among individuals and cultures, and what one person considers luxurious, another may not.
The overwhelming consensus with the team is that floristry is art. Floral designers and florists are artists who tell stories with flowers and it is in their upmost attention to detail, technique and vision that truly elevates the craft into an art form.
Discover more about Veevers Carter Installations here.