Signature Style Designers Talk Trends

European Master Certification takes pride in the professional achievements of our graduates and students and is always honoring their uniqueness in style and design. As an educational program, EMC has always promoted the importance of delivering education in such a manner that the student becomes a confident designer, an artist with the ability of expressing through the medium of flowers. A signature style is a desideratum for each designer and we strongly encourage and, also enable our students with knowledge and education, to aim for it as a form of a mission, which involves constant development and creative action.

You may know, the European Master Certification has launched the Annual Trend Report, Spring/Summer 2020.

As stated in the last post, we all have deep creative talents and possibilities. We are each unique, dynamic in our diversity. Identifying and cultivating that gift is vital for the growth of a floral designer.

We hope to inspire you, in how to approach trends and relate to them in your design work, by presenting you with the beautiful diversity in within the EMC worldwide family. We have asked some of the graduates of the program from previous cycles to answer one single question:

How do trends, in general,

influence your design work?

Sherene S. Tan, AIFD EMC

 ^{floral designer in Washington, member of the EMC Core Team} 

"I pay attention and take inspiration from trends not only in the floral industry, but in other areas such as fashion, architecture, furniture, as well as cultures around the world. 

Social media has allowed creatives around the world to share their own unique styles and colours through trends, which in turn supports the growth of new ideas. However, regardless of trends, it is our responsibility as floral designers to create in a sustainable manner.

Clients often come to me with ideas from social media, which I use as a guideline to develop new ideas and authentic designs. I keep an open mind with trends, but definitely stay true to my emotions and creativity."

Keith Stanley, EMC

^{floral designer @keithstanley.com, USA}

"Knowing what the trends are in advance is such a big advantage to a designer. Most florists are trying to play “catch up” when things become trendy and customers see and want those ideas.

Too often we only think of trend in terms of colour, which is important,  but we need to also pay attention to textures, materials, shapes and moods that these colours can evoke. As a designer, if I am on trend, this enables me to be different from everyone else, and create work that is more forward thinking in my design approach. Our knowledge of trends and how we can use them sets us apart in the marketplace."

Orit Hertz, EMC

^{teacher and creative @Orit Hertz Floral Designer, Israel}

"I follow trends since I think that it is important to know them and to be connected, but I don't find them often affect me in my floral designs. It is nice to watch trends, sometimes get inspired by them, but not stick to  reproducing them.
For me, being complete and true to myself, it means that I have to constantly invent  myself,  give expression through my daily experiences in my designs, to bring my personality and always take in consideration important issues like – protecting the environment, working as much as I can with natural materials and recycling.

I live in a beautiful village surrounded by nature. Since I was a child I used to collect natural organic materials and create different things with them. Due to the COVID 19 I found myself more and more collecting natural treasures and working with them in my floral designs. In Israel, you can see lately that this is the latest trend – to keep the environment and work with organic materials. In this case, I love it since it is totally connected to my way of thinking and my personality."

Bryan Swann, EMC

^{Director of Special Events and Creative Director @Karin's Florist, Virginia, USA}

"The area I live in is very well educated and very diverse. It is also very transient. We are in the shadow of Washington, DC which can change as the government changes. I look to the world at large to see what trends are happening elsewhere. I follow Pantone to see what the colour of the year is and I look what fashion is walking on the runways of Europe and New York. I follow the news both in DC and the in the world.

Colleagues have told me that I tend to be ahead of the trends. I knew gnomes would be big before they were and I predicted the llama trend before it was a thing as well. I have been trying to figure out what the next trend will be in the post COVID world. I am thinking people want to feel safe and comforted. I think the next trend will be warm and cozy yet still push the boundaries."

Pattie Bowman, EMC

^{floral designer @Violet and Wine Design, Allamuchy, New Jersey, USA} 

"Trends influence my design work as they provide the spark for new idea generation.  Whether studying colour trends, fashion from the leading couture houses, art or architecture, I incorporate elements of the trend using my own design aesthetic, never copying.

As an example, I love the tactility of textiles and they play a key role in many of the expressions I create.  I study textile trends and artists and incorporate my interpretation of the trend.  For inspiration, I may review a historical trend and re-invent it with elements of the new trend.  Trends provide the transformational inspiration for me in further developing my floral expression.

Tuba Belgin Oskan, EMC

 ^{floral designer @Natura Karma, Istambul, Turkey}

"In my personal life, name it clothes, decoration, books or etc I don't like to follow trends at all. However, I like to learn them in order to see what people in general react to. It's mostly the same for my designs. Of course, I read about the colour and design trends but I don't believe that trends are that much significant in floral design. I always prefer to be the purple cow if I can.

For the events that I had worked for I was lucky to collaborate with the event designers who were eagerly looking for new and different ideas. I personally believe that our materials do have their own character and we should show the necessary respect to their existence. Shortly, I can say that trends may be used as a starting point or reference but it's better to leave them where they belong if one would like to express his/her feelings and unique creativity." 

Francisca Paz Perez Aguirre, EMC

 ^{floral designer @floresfranciscaperez,  Santiago City, Chile}

"Trends are some guidelines that has to be taken into consideration. Whether the trend influences your design or not depends on different factors. It depends on what, why, where, for whom, when, etc. you want to create. If it’s wedding flowers the bride is the main person who chooses the color. If the girl dreamed about this day since a childhood and wanted it pink, it just has to be pink. And it doesn’t matter that the Pantone color of the year is classic blue or living coral. If the flowers are arranged for official purposes you usually do not chase the trends yourself. But knowing trends is important, because it helps to grow your floristry understandings, worldview and expertise, which are essentials for us as professionals. For me trends are the inspiration to create something new.

But to be honest, floristry trends widely used in the rest of the Europe to our country come not so fast. Ideas that I bring home traveling to international floral events are not always understood from the very beginning. People like novelty, but it doesn‘t make sense if you can not understand it. Lithuania has restored its independence just few decades ago, so you can imagine that before that we didn’t have a chance to get even acquainted with the amazing products from international floral market. But I am happy that flowers are picking their path to our houses and celebrations more and more widely. And our people want to stand out, to be colorful, to perceive the beauty. People get to know flowers and their trends more and more and this allows me as a floral designer to release my imagination and creativity."

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Jennifer Figge, EMC

 ^{floral designer @Figge Floral Studio,  Boston, USA}

"The definition of a trend is a general movement in which something is developing or changing. Trends are always dynamic and fluid. We are currently in the middle of a major shift in human behavior, needs and desires.

The trends that I follow are: fashion, interiors, technology, color, and general consumer behavior.I have recently been inspired to create table-scapes, which refer to overall décor and design for a dinner table. Dining at home and reconnecting with friends at a social distance reflect our current reality. The floral designs I am creating during this special time are seasonal, moody, happy, sunny and thoughtful. The flowers that I choose deliberately complement the whole table; including the linens, glassware, cutlery, and the food served."

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Arthur Williams, AIFD CPF CFD

^{floral artist @Babylon Floral Design Inc.}

"I have very mixed view on trends, a bit unorthodox. I see the value in the artistry behind the creation of new ideas that fuel the creation of trends. I feel as a retail florist it’s imperative to understand these shifts in art and design and how it applies  to culture overall. I am at odds with trends once they are warped by capitalism and fuel waste and undermine society by embedding unrealistic needs and expectations into our collective unconsciousness.

I think as designers that work directly with natural materials we are obligated as an industry to shift these trends toward less waste, more impactful, sustainable design and more thoughtful uses of our resources.

I’ve found that the pandemic has heightened people’s need to connect and they have been doing it with flowers. My premonition of a possible trend which I am seeing daily we’ll just call “Hope”. Those that can successfully translate emotions will be wildly successful.

As a designer I feel it is very important to fuse your signature style with trends to create hybrid ideas that could spark new trends."

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^{edited by Diana Toma, EMC}

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