BOTANICAL COUTURE

from Slow Flowers Journal Summer 2023 (MEMBER'S EDITION)

by BLOOM IMPRINT

SLOW FLOWERS MANIFESTO

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Debra Prinzing

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Robin Avni

COPY EDITOR

Judith H. Dern

CONTRIBUTORS

April Lemly, Blair Roberts Lynn, and Deborah Mittelman

PHOTOGRAPHERS

A Natural Portrayal Photography, Jill Bader, Niesha Blancas, Cecily Gubitosi, Madeline Isabella, Missy Palacol, Haley Richter, Kirsten Smith, Crystal Whiteaker, Britt Willoughby Dyer

On The Cover

As a returning American Flowers Week botanical couture designer, Jennifer Reed of Jennifer Designs Events imagined a model dressed in all white florals -- locally-grown peonies and sweet peas -- and posed her as a timeless female statue, transporting us to a neoclassical garden of the 1920s.

JENNIFER DESIGNS EVENTS jenniferdesignsevents.com

@jenniferdesignsevents

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Haley Richter Photo haleyrichterphoto.com

@haleyrichterphoto

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dive into summer.

BLOOM Imprint and Slow Flowers Society have lots to celebrate, including American Flowers Week (June 28 to July 4), our eighth annual promotion. At its heart is our botanical couture collection and we love showcasing Slow Flowers' floral artists, farmer florists, and growers as they interpret and express seasons, places, and stories through wearable floral fashions.

Floral design, art, and craft come together in two stories featuring our members. Read about Debby Mittelman's Fleurmania, a gathering that elevated Arizona-grown flowers and sparked new interest across the state. BAM in Bloom recently showcased local and U.S.-grown botanicals at the Bellevue Art Museum, one of the Pacific Northwest's important cultural institutions, with nine Slow Flowers members interpreting works of art through flowers. Congratulations to Carlee Donnelly of Goldenrod Floral Design for winning the Viewer's Choice Award! Speaking of awards, BLOOM Imprint and Slow Flowers have received industry recognition for recent projects. Garden Communicators International awarded us the 2023 Silver Laurels Medal in three categories. We were honored for our books "Black Flora" and "Growing Wonder," plus the Fall 2022 issue of "Slow Flowers Journal." These projects are now moving into the Gold Award round to be announced in August.

Enjoy the season!

APRIL LEMLY An artist, illustrator, and former flower farmer based in Los Angeles, California, April earned an MFA in graphic design in 2008 from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Her work encompasses branding, print design, painting, and drawing. Her playful illustration techniques depict female characters, animals, and plants, all included in the 2023 American Flowers Week branding. aprillemly.com

BLAIR ROBERTS LYNN. Blair is a Maryland-based floral designer whose business Sweet Blossoms LLC, focuses on green and sustainable practices. She places a high priority on ordering flowers from domestic farms and works to cultivate relationships with as many local farmers as possible. She composts all organic waste and recycles at least 75 percent of all materials used in her studio. All Sweet Blossom designs are foam free. Blair has been featured in Slow Flowers Journal, Washingtonian Magazine, and Florist’s Review. sweetblossomsllc.com.

DEBORAH MITTELMAN. Debby is a floral designer, photographer, and owner of Phoenix-based MiViva Designs and founder of the Fleurmania workshop. She has earned her AzMF designation as an Arizona Certified Master Florist. She is a member of the Slow Flower Society, the Arizona State Florists Association, and is the first Arizona member of Chapel Designers. mivivadesigns.com fleurmania.com

MISSY PALACOL. A Seattle-based portrait and brand photographer, digital marketing expert, speaker, and travel junkie. She teaches people and companies how to capture their authentic visual brand, and how to leverage social and digital media to grow their businesses. In 2014, Missy left her job in corporate marketing and struck out on her own with Missy Palacol Photography, capturing rich and memorable images for individuals, families, events, and brands. missypalacol.com

BOTANICAL COUTURE 2023 summer's bounty. coming down the runway: we present six botanical couture looks featuring seasonal blooms, stylish designs, and inventive expressions of domestic and local flowers.