I hope you are all well and safe. In these dark and uncertain times I’d like to take your mind off the situation with a tour of whimsical, creative floral beauty. Click on Fleur Couture to read my original post. I was so delighted by the splendor of each and every one of these creations, I brought my family back to the show to take in more of the intricate designs and charming details.
Now, the votes are in on the amazing Fleurs de Villes floral art mannequin installation from the NW Flower and Garden Festival where local florists were selected to use their imagination, creativity and thousands of flowers and other organic materials to create a floral femme fantastique!
Winning best of the show by all of the fans who voted was Ondine:
“Ondine has created a homage to Botticelli through a modern lens, while balancing contemporary romance with timeless antiquity, large sculptural form with delicate texture, and the earthly with the oceanic.”
Winning second place by the fans and also the Florist Favorite award was Hazel Designs.
“This design is inspired by this season’s runway styles and by the beautiful South African protea flower, symbolizing change and transformation. As winter turns to spring in the Pacific Northwest, our lady emerges from the lush mosses and ferns of the winter woods and walks into spring with flowers spilling from her pockets.”
A close third was the creation by Coree Ryan at Zupans Market:
Here is where class, elegance and the modern world meet 19th century romanticism and couture fashion. Harriet wears a tailored aspidistra leaf jacket with elegant detailing, contrasting with the textural beauty of her rich analogous floral skirt.
This beauty dripping in greens and pinks by Fena flowers won the Most Realistic award:
“Inspired by film actress Sophia Loren, this dress encompasses the glamour of old Hollywood. A mixture of finely woven lily grass and bold orchids, roses and hydrangea create a dress fit for the spotlight.”
“Vintage botanical books, woodland nymphs and fairies fueled @gardenpartyuberflowers’ inspiration for this design. Her skirt echoes the shapes of galanthus snowdrop petals and the center trumpet shape of a daffodil, while the bark on her bodice shows her growing from the meadow and reaching skyward. She is blooming, growing, feeling the pure joy that comes with doing what you love.”
“The demure ingenue, Amabella, by @smashingpetals is wearing a gown inspired by John Galliano for Dior Couture. Her blush pink and white dress is beaded and ruffled with carnations, baby’s breath, and roses. The paparazzi have chased her into a woodland meadow of cyclamen, the shyest of flowers.”
Persephone, Goddess of Spring emerges from the underworld and with each step, garden roses, blooming branches and spring blooms awaken and burst into a vibrant display of color. Inspired by Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha, @terrabellaflowers’ Persephone is adorned exclusively with American-grown blooms and botanicals.
The stunning “Francesca” by @casablancafloral is a classy Italian through and through, but has a racy underside as depicted by her skin-tight bandeau top and high-wasted plumosa patterned pants. She is bold, beautiful and perfumed by her favorite flower, the white Casablanca Lily!
This extraordinary contemporary bridal gown with a flowing skirt created by @seattlefloraldesign is fit for a princess. Following the trend in block-colored wedding dresses that allow modern brides the chance to express their individuality, this design is a refreshing change from the impracticality of white!
Paying homage to spring and modern fashion, this lovely lady by @leahericksonfloral rides the line between svelte and sexy while also showing her wild and untamed side. Wrapped in a lush field of ranunculus, narcissus, garden roses, and muscari, she is powerful yet sweet, fierce yet elegant – a true force to be reckoned with.
Fleurs de Villes worked with local nurseries, growers, all of these fabulous florists, Mayesh Wholesale florist, Pacific Place and Hendricks Gin to make this happen. Virus permitting they will be repeating this beautiful display in Montreal, Toronto, Covent Garden, London and Vancouver in the coming months, click on flowers of the cities to see the details.
See more details and mannequins at Fleur Couture.
Shared your post with my friend who is a costume designer for our theater festival. She loved it.. stay well.
Thank you Susan! Good to hear from you. I’m over in Eze now, I had a lesson with Arnoud yesterday. L’insitute is closed down along with most of France. Strange times indeed. take care.