In Full Bloom
Siri play ‘I could be a florist’ by Olivia Dean. Who doesn’t love flowers? Giving or receiving flowers is scientifically proven to send all the good hormones kicking in the brain. Some of us include the act of found flower-hunting every Sunday to brighten up the home.
Flowers are clearly having a moment. It’s sometime through the pandemic and post that our feeds became filled with elaborate bouquets sprawled on intimate dinner tables. Every fashion girlie will tell you - flowers maketh the event. With more people making their home a direct reflection of their aesthetic, overnight plant parents were born, and flowers became a point of self-expression. The first in the guide to how to host a dinner is always, and always, bring fresh flowers to complement the food. Heck, we’ve even seen flowers as finishing touches on cakes and five-star meals.
Among this frenzy of flowers, there are those rare flower girlies who are reimagining what flowers can be capable of — apart from bringing unbounded joy.
In this two part series spotlighting women leading the modern day flower movement, we hand-plucked Seema Bansal, co-founder of Venus et Fleur and Molly Ford, creative director of Flowers by Ford to tell us their own flower journey from bud to bloom.
For those hoping to blossom into expert florists themselves, they share their tips and tricks for the perfect bouquet. Starting with Seema Bansal below. You can thank us later.
Seema Bansal, Co-founder of Venus et Fleur
Venus et Fleur was born from Seema Bansal and her husband’s vision to revolutionise the floral industry. They don’t just offer regular flowers; think of them as the haute couture of the plant world. Their collaborations span Chanel and Audemars Piguet and so many more. But what’s truly special about the flowers is how they solve every flower-lover’s perpetual conundrum: How long will they stay fresh? No more wilting or watering—dipped in a secret wax-based potion that locks in their beauty. These blooms promise to last a year, looking as fresh as the day they were picked.
Le Mill: How did you start Venus et Fleur?
Venus et Fleur started as a dream project with my husband. After moving to New York, we launched the brand from my apartment, inspired by a disappointing Valentine's Day gift. We saw a clear gap in the market and a need for a more reliable and elegant floral company. So, to fill that space, we came up with Venus et Fleur, combining Parisian elegance with our distinct touch.
Le Mill: Tell us the secret to your special press-treatment.
Our flowers go through a unique preservation process using a wax-based solution that keeps them fresh for up to a year. This process ensures that the flowers retain their natural texture, shape, and scent for an extended period without water. We carefully dye them for colour uniformity and have also expanded our offerings to include roses, calla lilies, orchids, gardenias, hydrangeas, and peonies.
Le Mill: Can you take us behind the scenes of your floral magic? How does it all come together?
We start with a moodboard, exploring colours, textures, and vessels to create the perfect composition. While we don't typically do event-specific arrangements, we've collaborated with luxury brands like Chanel and Audemars Piguet to bring our signature style to a wider audience.
In our retail stores, we offer beautifully crafted arrangements all carefully designed by our head floral designers. We also ship our flowers worldwide, ensuring that every customer receives a consistent and exceptional experience.
