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Design of the Times
Where floral design is headed in 2012 |
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Written by Michelle Brisebois
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Art has always been a reflection of the space and time in which it was created. The politics, economy, mood and priorities of the people living at any given time will drive demand and in turn be expressed creatively in art, fashion and, yes, floral design.
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Hitomi Gilliam, aifd, of Vancouver, B.C., is the vision behind Design358, a group of floral designers who educate, inspire and grow floral design awareness.
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| Heather de Kok, aifd, aaf, pfci, is the owner of Grower Direct Fresh Cut Flowers in Edmonton, Alta. |
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Steve Davis is the owner of Flower Studio, an award-winning flower shop located in St. John’s, N.L.
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To effectively gauge how different the world is today versus 30 years ago, one only need look at the recent Royal Wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William. Compared to the Dynasty-like extravaganza of his parents, the Duke of Cambridge and his bride were quite restrained. But then again, we’re living in a time where blatant waste, be it financial, ecological or emotional, is definitely not in vogue.
Austerity is the order of the day and flowers could be in danger of falling into the “wants” column of a consumer’s “wants and needs” list. We wanted to find out how current cultural influences are impacting floral design, so Canadian Florist tapped into three talented designers to find out what they were seeing in terms of design trends. We spoke with Heather de Kok, aifd, aaf, pfci, of Grower Direct Fresh Cut Flowers in Edmonton, Alta., Steve Davis of Flower Studio in St. John’s, N.L., and Hitomi Gilliam, aifd, of Vancouver, B.C. Our panel anticipates an abundance of opportunity for florists in today’s business climate. You see, times like these tend to separate the men from the boys.
Canadian Florist: The last three years have been very dynamic. What have been the biggest changes you’ve noticed for the floral industry in terms of how it’s impacting the sectors that are growing and the floral design esthetic?
Heather: Perceived value and getting a bang for a buck are driving many of the design esthetics we’re seeing today. Arrangements have to look larger with lots of height using fewer flowers. There’s more negative space right now in design.
Hitomi: Especially for corporate clients, it’s important to do more with less because many companies have cut back. Prior to the recession, mass marketers could stuff arrangements with many flowers because cost wasn’t as much of an issue, but it’s harder now for them to compete with smaller florists who have stronger design skills. When you’re given fewer flowers, the design really has to shine and this is the true point of strength for independent florists. Today’s economic climate will weed out those who depend on quantity.
Steve: Here in Newfoundland, we’re growing due to the oil industry taking off. We’re trending a bit opposite to the rest of North America. Consumers want the wow factor but we are seeing some trading up and trading down. They’ll go to mass marketers for everyday flowers but still come to us for the wow factor.
CF: Who are the floral trendsetters right now? Are they Martha Stewart and other celebrities?
Heather: The recent Royal Wedding has created some trends. The shield bouquet carried by Kate Middleton is making a comeback. The whole restrained nature of the wedding has had some influence.
Hitomi: The Royal Wedding definitely had an impact. North Americans seemed disappointed by the petite white tapered design of the flowers but it made a strong statement about restraint. It was very European because the elements of the bouquet had meaning (the Royal bouquet contained a sprig of myrtle, which represents fidelity, marriage, wedding, love, friendship and affection, from a bush planted by Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight in 1845, Sweet William and Lily of the Valley, the last of which represents a return to happiness). It showed the importance of the bride’s personality. This trend truly benefits the independent floral designer because design skills are so important. Some florists may have to relearn how to wire and tape as we move away from hand-tied bouquets.”
Steve: People like Preston Bailey continue to promote design trends but many consumers are building and setting their own trends. Consumers are well travelled, diverse, culturally, and have access to resources such as the Internet, so they are drawing inspiration from these sources.
CF: What are the big colours for weddings coming up for 2012?
Heather: I just did a wedding that featured creamy ivories, golds and champagnes and I’m watching the trends, so my sense is that muted shades may be gaining favour.
Hitomi: North America is still quite influenced by celebrities. Bright colours are staying for wedding flowers, but sometimes this can change depending on the age of the bride. We have almost two generations of brides. The younger brides want big, bright flowers, while the older, perhaps second-time-around, bride tends to go for vintage, dusty colours.
Steve: We’re still seeing rich, saturated colours like scarlet and eggplant. However, we are seeing a trend towards a monotone palette even if it is a powerful colour. The contrast is coming from texture instead of colour. Dusty Miller for foliage tones down jewel tones.
CF: In terms of sympathy flowers, are there any trends you’re noticing?
Heather: I’ve been doing a lot more urn pieces lately because many families are opting to display the urn for the visitation or celebration of life . . . It may be part of the austerity movement that families are choosing to forgo a casket for visitation – I’m not sure. The trend here is in reattaching meaning to the sympathy flowers so they reflect the person being honoured. I’ve taken elements from the urn for design inspiration and then created a display that honoured the deceased. A woodworker that had passed away had made a beautiful desk so we displayed the urn with a floral arrangement inside of the desk for the visitation.
Hitomi: Our industry needs to design sympathy flowers for the generation that’s grieving not the one that’s passing away. The younger people are the future of our business, so it’s important to design sympathy arrangements that are personal and uplifting. It’s less about a funeral flower and more about the celebration of life.
Steve: Sympathy flowers are about personalization – adding an element of significance. We did an arrangement for a lady who had been in a book club so we downloaded images of books and added it to the piece. We want the family to take the arrangements home and they won’t want to do that if they look like funeral flowers.
CF: What’s hot for proms and grads for the younger set?
Heather: Kids are more aware of flowers than previous generations were. I saw a sudden demand for table centrepieces to decorate the hall for the first time – three schools wanted them. It’s not about following trends for this generation – they want to be different. I went to a high school and set up a table to offer consultations and pre-orders.
Hitomi: It’s a bit of a ‘70s throwback with flowers in the hair. Corsages are gone; it’s more about the flowers being wearable and diverse. Colours are hot pink, and orange.
Steve: Teenagers are very sophisticated today. They want something fancier, with wristlets featuring pearl bands turning the corsage into a piece of jewelry. Saturated colours are big.
CF: What’s the best opportunity for the industry moving forward?
Heather: People are starting to want to shop locally and that personal connection will find its way into the designs. Florists can capitalize on this in a way that mass marketers can’t.
Hitomi: We (the floral industry) must set our own trends. Wire services are more about the technology than the flowers. Terrariums are back in vogue and who can do those better than us? We need to innovate and not simply follow trendsetters – we need to set our own trends. It’s a time when our skills as designers will set us apart. Will the real florists please stand up?
Steve: Our industry must continue to focus on the quality, higher-end part of the market. Those trying to compete with mass marketers are dropping like flies. Those pre-made designs are made in a production centre and shipped out, so they can’t create arrangements with lots of space because it’s not efficient to ship. Focus on design, personal esthetic, and stick to that.
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