At long last, spring is in full bloom here in New York. The trees are budding, the daffodils are popping up in the park, and the city’s flower district—which just happens to be near the Glam offices—has never looked so lush. Seeing the streets paved with petals, so to speak, it made me wonder: Out of all the cherry-blossom branches, potted tulips, and rose buds available, which is considered the most fashionable flower?
To find out, I called around to the florists favored by the city’s style set. “Editors seem to like peonies,” said the folks at Miho Flowers, the fleuriste of choice for many at Conde Nast. A downtown floral designer was more specific: “The girls at Vogue are into the very English, very flowery bouquets, while Marilyn modeling agency is more understated: They like their arrangements cold and streamlined.” Agency requests aside, vibrantly-hued sprays still rank high on the list of oft-requested orders according to Lewis Miller of LMD, “As glamorous as the industry may be, many fashion insiders still work in boring little cubicles; Having a bouquet with a shot color can really make a difference.” An editor based out of the 4 Times square building agrees: “I love it when people send me colorful flowers. Pinks, oranges, reds, whatever—just the kind of bouquet that I can put in the middle of my desk to brighten up the room—and hopefully, my day.”
Unsurprisingly, carnations and chrysanthemums are still considered a gauche gift, while orchids—thought by many to be a chic, classic choice—proved to be a hot topic for haute horticulturalists. “Orchids have become a very predictable and tired choice,” says Miller “They’re always around, and always beautiful, but they don’t convey luxury and chicness like they did ten years ago.” So what’s the most fashionable these days? “Cabbage roses and peonies are heavy hitters of course, but something I’m into that my clients are really on board with is using more local flowers. Instead of importing so many flowers from abroad—and using all that jet fuel—I’m buying beautiful tulips from New Jersey growers, dahlias and anemones from upstate New York, etc.”
And so while some are starting to take an eco-chic approach to office greening, others in the industry are coming up with other creative ways to express their aesthetic. “We had a strange request not too long ago to make a “sexy bouquet,” revealed one mid-town florist. “In the end we went with tightly-packed black calla lilies. Later we found out it was for Tom Ford.” x S.C.
Need to say Thank you for that amazing story about our client or I’m sorry we mis-credited your $4,000 croc bag as costing $400? Here, a short and chic list of the city’s most fashionable florists:
VSF (Very Special Flowers)
204 W. 10th St., near Bleecker St.; 212-206-7236
The West Village firm has decorated Ralph Lauren’s many offices, boutiques, and homes for years. “Mr. Lauren is one of our biggest customers,” a representative said recently, “Wherever he goes, we go.”
Miho Flowers
310 East 44th Street, ; 212-922-9122
In addition to building an impressive client roster (that includes Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs, and Isaac Mizrahi) owner Miho Kosuda has perfected the art of arranging roses in sophisticated, spectrum-crossing bouquets.
LMD
437 East 12th Street; 212-614-2734
No-nonsense owner Lewis Miller is thoughtful about where he sources his flowers and how he arranges them. If his down-to-earth demeanor doesn’t win you over, his artful arrangements certainly will.
Simpson & Co.
852 Tenth Avenue; 212-765-6929
The Bergdorf Goodman of florists. The storied firm (which boasts an on-site horticulturalist) caters to those with discriminating taste, including Calvin Klein, Saks, Tiffany, Cartier, Max Mara—and Bergdorf Goodman. If you’re nervous about booking with the big-wigs, just remember to mind your Ps & Qs: When I called and asked how they can identify a chic shopper the gentleman on the line said, “It’s not the flower you request, but the way in which you ask for it.”
Michael George
5 Tudor City Place; 212.883.0304
A favorite of the Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, and Gucci teams, Michael George specializes in sleek, monochromatic arrangements. To pick up some bouquet-making pointers for yourself, catch one of his lectures.
Technorati Tags: Florists, Tom Ford, Miho Flowers, Lewis Miller, Flowers,
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