"We have been significantly busier this year than last year," shares the Pinstripes & Peonies team when reflecting on this year's demand for Christmas design. The surge in demand is attributed to happy customers coming back to the wedding and event florist business, as well as an element of new clients. "We are absolutely delighted. We regularly hear of suppliers who say that things are 'quieter', or that there isn't as much work around. So it's a pleasure to be busy. It keeps us creative and allows us to shine," they add.
Photo credits: Chloe Lowe Photography and The Wallace Collection
Pinstripes & Peonies was established in 2010 by Creative Director Ruari McCulloch, and is based at the New Covent Garden Flower Market in Vauxhall, London. In this article they talk about how the Christmas season preparations kept them busy in the past few months.
From May to December: navigating Brexit and natural designs
At Pinstripes & Peonies, the first preparations began already in spring. "We did our first Christmas install in May – for a photo shoot - and things haven't stopped since then," the team explains. Amidst the flurry of activity the team has also faced challenges including the impact of Brexit. "It still sucks. Lead times on events are down and plant health issues seem to be affecting some supplies, but overall we work with what we have." Despite these hurdles, the team found joy in a design trend that gained traction this year: a steer towards more natural designs.That said, as they design from scratch for every event, they don't have a 'lookbook'.
The Prinstripes & Peonies team highlights that the festive season is vital for them. "We, like all event florists, dread the spring lull in business so a busy Christmas is essential. On a more personal note, beautiful, successful Christmas installs make the entire team happy and give us all a sense of pride in what we do."
For more information:
Pinstripes & Peonies
www.pinstripesandpeonies.com