Once reserved for Valentine’s Day and sick grandmas, flowers have found themselves back in our homes, offices and Instagram feeds. Thankfully, cellophane and rainbow roses have been replaced by architectural designs and unique flora, as a new generation of Australian florists shakes up the industry, reclaiming their work as an art form.
Kayla Moon is the director of Melbourne-based florist Xxflos. Discovering her love of flowers while using gardening to ground herself, she boasts eight years in the industry and a manifesto outlining her stance that floristry is an art form, not just a trade.
Originally a makeup artist, Ness Scarkie discovered a talent – and a market – for flower crowns for the brides she was working with. Soon, the floral side of the business quickly surpassed the makeup and she extended her offering, launching The Nesst in 2011.
Set on a career with flowers from a young age, Sheridan Gretta Holzworth perfected her craft at one of Sydney’s top experimental florists, Hermetica. Finding her niche creating whimsical designs, she returned to Brisbane and launched her baby, Fiflar Floral.
India Robinson of Blossm Bby attributes her unique designs to a lack of ‘traditional’ training and boasts a cult following thanks to her signature milk crate creations, regularly working with brands like Suku Home and Sans Beast.
Speaking to these four talented Australian florists, I began to understand the necessity for industry-wide change in the face of the current environmental crisis. In the Western world, around 80 per cent of flowers you find in florists are imported – when you take into account the carbon released from transportation, things get unsustainable pretty quickly.
But this new cohort of florists is focused on changing this, and although shifting consumer’s perceptions of floristry has been no easy feat, and the industry still faces challenges when it comes to wasteful practices, it’s comforting to know that these florists view sustainability practices as integral to the longevity of their art form. With this generation’s dedication to educating customers, it appears the industry is in safe (and very dexterous) hands.