Florist-turned-designer?

[CHR]

From http://www.smh.com.au/news/fashion-police/out-of-the-darkness/2005/09/12/1126377234613.html?oneclick=true

Flower power

We've seen architects, lawyers, journalists, even dancers morph into designers. Florist-turned-designer has to be one of the more unusual career trajectories but Sasha Dalziell has done just that. Having trained as a florist at the Boerma Institute in Holland, Dalziell worked for florists in London and Miami before returning to Brisbane in 1997. She took a course in silk flowermaking and launched a small silk flower accessories line, Fleurs de Soie, in 2000. Dalziell moved to Sydney in 2003 and has built up a private client list, which for the most part has centred on weddings. Word of mouth did the rest and last year Dalziell created a floral headpiece for Tiffany Wood to wear to the ARIA Awards. She also created silk flowers for Collette Dinnigan's autumn-winter 2005-06 show in Paris in March. With ready-to-wear pieces such as this charming Peony headband ($450), right, we imagine there could be a run on Fleurs de Soie in the lead-up to the Spring Racing Carnival. Most of Dalziell's business is custom-made, with the flower petals hand-cut, heated and curled and assembled around hand-beaded stamens. Prices start at $50 for a brooch; headpieces and chokers are $120 to $950; and a silk rose-festooned bridal shawl is $1200. Layla Starr in Rozelle is the only stockist; inquiries, 9319 7461.


Someone needs to tell the writer that most florists are designers. What does she think, that the flowers jump into the containers themselves?

Also, Dalziell-Dazeal? Merely a weird coincidence?

 

[Dazeal]

That link takes us to a "must register" page. Can you copy and past ethe article please?

And as for the name Dazeal has been an online handle of mine since 1994. It really means nothing, it was a fantasy name that I used when I used to play MUDs (Multi User Dimensions) - At the time, no one had that name online, but now there are others.

 

[Delphia]

Florist...Designer....Artist.....Florist
One of those Brooch's sound right up my alley! The others intregue me as well , but I've always believed start small and work up!

 

[bloomz]

Designer or arranger = architect or builder.

We just got rid of a designer yesterday who was a prima donna. Finally.

I don't want another one - I want a flower shop employee who can be a floral arranger.
We had too many chiefs not enough indians.

Having a talk yesterday with Twila, we don't need or want another "designer". I don't want someone with experience. This woman had 25 years experience, and did it her way, not ours. I think we have had the best luck with employees who have talent but not floral experience.

I'm a florist who doesn't do design.
I see a huge difference between a florist and a designer, but them I'm a contrarian who hasn't had his coffee yet, and will wish he could edit this post in about, oh, 6 minutes.

blessings...

 

[Victoria]

Designer or arranger = architect or builder.

We just got rid of a designer yesterday who was a prima donna. Finally.

I don't want another one - I want a flower shop employee who can be a floral arranger.
We had too many chiefs not enough indians.

Having a talk yesterday with Twila, we don't need or want another "designer". I don't want someone with experience. This woman had 25 years experience, and did it her way, not ours. I think we have had the best luck with employees who have talent but not floral experience.

I'm a florist who doesn't do design.
I see a huge difference between a florist and a designer, but them I'm a contrarian who hasn't had his coffee yet, and will wish he could edit this post in about, oh, 6 minutes.

blessings...

Ok... so I won't apply for the designer position at your shop.

V who hopes you feel better after having had your cafe.

 

[Dazeal]

I don't want someone with experience.

We have the same attitude. We'd make an acception for V though.

but them I'm a contrarian who hasn't had his coffee yet, and will wish he could edit this post in about, oh, 6 minutes.

lol - You and the edit button

 

[CHR]

Sorry, but IMO "designer" is a skill set, not a personality type.

I don't want someone with experience.

Are you sure you didn't mean to say 'I don't want someone with a bad attitude and an over-inflated ego that causes continual problems and doesn't help me make money'? Sounds like any position in a flower shop, not just a designer....

Have you ever measured the cost of educating your staff members to the point of them being useful and working autonomously? Think of how much time it takes away from other employees' and management's productivity to teach basic or medium-level skills that could easily have been learned elsewhere.

We're lucky we can 'grow our own' and I definitly have an advantage of being able to cherry-pick beginners and advanced designers that show great potential and display the kind of respectful, personable attitude needed to interface with the public as well as co-workers (and me. )

I certainly don't know it all and have learned a lot from experienced employees over the years. Sounds like you just had a staffer more experienced at being a pain than a designer.

 

[theRKF]

... but them I'm a contrarian who hasn't had his coffee yet, and will wish he could edit this post in about, oh, 6 minutes.

Good thing for you the edit button is live for 15 minutes.

Bah humbug!

Ryan

 

[Rhonda]

Designer-one who utilizes theory, elements, principles, and techniques of design to create their impressions in the floral movement
Arranger-one who plunks flowers and foliage into a set method according to instructions from the designer........ nuff said

 

[Victoria]

Sorry, but IMO "designer" is a skill set, not a personality type.
Are you sure you didn't mean to say 'I don't want someone with a bad attitude and an over-inflated ego that causes continual problems and doesn't help me make money'? Sounds like any position in a flower shop, not just a designer....

Have you ever measured the cost of educating your staff members to the point of them being useful and working autonomously? Think of how much time it takes away from other employees' and management's productivity to teach basic or medium-level skills that could easily have been learned elsewhere.

We're lucky we can 'grow our own' and I definitly have an advantage of being able to cherry-pick beginners and advanced designers that show great potential and display the kind of respectful, personable attitude needed to interface with the public as well as co-workers (and me. )

I certainly don't know it all and have learned a lot from experienced employees over the years. Sounds like you just had a staffer more experienced at being a pain than a designer.

It's such a treat to know that there are people out there willing to learn from each other. Thanks.

V

 

[bloomz]

Sorry, but IMO "designer" is a skill set, not a personality type.
Are you sure you didn't mean to say 'I don't want someone with a bad attitude and an over-inflated ego that causes continual problems and doesn't help me make money'? Sounds like any position in a flower shop, not just a designer....

I certainly don't know it all and have learned a lot from experienced employees over the years. Sounds like you just had a staffer more experienced at being a pain than a designer.

Yeah, isn't that what I said?

She had 25 years experience working in about every shop in the surrounding 50 mile radius, and we can see why she never stayed in one shop too long. This is the second prima donna we have been saddled with, who manipulated with a bad attitude. We found, no caught ourselves catering to her and forgetting who owns the shop too many times, and had to just about slap each other. What is it with some people these days, isn't a job a golden thing to have to offer?

The best luck we have had in our 13 years is people with talent but no design experience who blossomed in our presence, with our tutelege, like my wife, among others.

Ryan, I'm changing my signature just for you.

 

[Lady Biker Florist]

When you look up both words designer/arranger in the dictionary you see that designer is more towards the creative side and arranger is a more methodical/systematic type. Makes sense to me!

My personal view is that it's all about titles, labels and status. Ya think?

 

[Dazeal]

*laughs* In my small shop, if you can't wear all hats you are out the door... including me. Heck, my offical title at the shop is Janitor/Designer. lol

 

[Lady Biker Florist]

*laughs* In my small shop, if you can't wear all hats you are out the door... including me. Heck, my offical title at the shop is Janitor/Designer. lol

Dazeal, I find that is true of most small shops. They/we only have a few employees so we do all and I mean ALL!

In one day one single person in a small shop might clean buckets, process flowers, take an order, make the order, sweep the floor, hang up new mylars, print out postcards for the next holiday, price something, order something, update delivery prices which in turn means to update all the price sheets and place them all where they go, wash the cooler doors, sort through catalogues to keep them current, do some billing, and on and on and on and way too many various things to even list if you tried. The only thing I don't do is deliver and the only thing Neal doesn't do is design. The only thing I hire extra is a lady I know cleans our bathroom. If I didn't have Neal here to keep us from falling apart I don't know what I'd do. Man, is he handy and he loves doing all that tool stuff.

Back when there were FTD Christmas Walks we got to meet many other small florists in our area and we all have this in common. Keeps us humble! :dearbob: :dunno:


Oh, the nostalia of those FTD Christmas Walks. Who would have ever thought it would end up like this?

 

[Rock]

Patty,
That is the reality of all small Real Florists!
Rock on.........

 

[12BucksFor2Dozon]

...might clean buckets, process flowers, take an order, make the order, sweep the floor, hang up new mylars, print out postcards for the next holiday, price something, order something, update delivery prices which in turn means to update all the price sheets and place them all where they go, wash the cooler doors, sort through catalogues to keep them current, do some billing, ...

Sounds like *my* typical day, to be honest...

 

[Tuberose]

A year or so ago I worked with a Prima Donna designer who didn't answer phone, clean buckets or flowers, and by her own opinion she was the worlds best designer. She ordered us around like she was the owner, screamed at us and told us we were doing stuff all wrong. If things got tight after she left, the owner reminded us that she wished the other gal was back and basically kissed her feet. If I feel like I'm patting myself on the back too much, I remember her and then give myself a shake and get on with what needs to be done, like cleaning cooler or washing buckets.

We do have a new gal that trained at a cheapy roses-by-the-bucket place for a year and thinks she knows everything since she managed it. She refuses to learn things the right way and to do things with the right look for this shop. Her "arrangements" are atrocious and she thinks they are beautiful, she can't even copy anything out of the TF book properly. I wish we could have trained her ourselves, she could be a good designer with the right technique, but she's stubborn, and she'll probably get fired. So it isn't just the ones who have been in the business for a long time that are difficult. It's too bad that getting fired may be the only way she will "get it."

 

[Queen of Weddings]

I', in the same boat

Tuberrose,

I am so with you, I have a new hire that is driving me so over the edge, it is so darn sad, and if the shhhhhhhhh didn't do a great job at delviery and set up the fat arssssssss would be gone, in a minute, So I feel your pain, now I am looseing sleep over this, The Queen has had about enough.

 

[Victoria]

Do you folks not have a probationary period of three months? You really should by the sounds of it.

V

 

[jeannieballerini]

Hmmm....lets see.....a designer....someone who can interpet whatever the customer and or shop wishes......
a DIVA.....someone whose bum may be smacked by the door hitting it on the way out !!!!
Patty has it right on....If ya can't (or won't) jump in and be a part of the whole business.....bye-bye !!!!
There is no time nor enough coin in a small business for such theatrics.....to the curb I say!
Some of the nicest and best designers I know bleach a mean bucket !!
happy fall y'all !
jeannie