STORY OF LE FLEURISTE
2019 had been a busy year for me, apart from being a content creator and managing my Instagram, working on my brand/ e-commerce store has been my first priority, and it has taken up 80% of my time, also explains why I have been MIA in blogging for the whole year. I won’t deny that it is tough, running it mostly as a one-man show, I have to take care everything from product design to marketing, but I also enjoy every second of it, as I am bringing a product of my own into life, and I am working for something I want.The company is founded in 2019, and the online shop officially launched back in September. There are still a lot of areas to explore with the brand, but I am taking things slow so that I could still maintain a balance between the new brand, my work on Instagram, my school work and my personal life.
THE IDEA
I have had so many different ideas of what brand or product I am starting with, never have I ever thought I would be starting something with flowers. I saw a trend with preserved flowers in the US/ European market and I have been loving it, but they could be quite expensive, so I decided to push my own brand to the market with more to offer, at a much lower price. To be honest, I was never a flower-person because I feel like it’s a waste, all that effort for a life-span of 2 weeks then you have to throw them away; especially when it’s a gift, it’s such a shame because I would want to keep a gift forever. And that was the moment when it struck me as something that I would want to introduce to people who have been gifting fresh flowers for years. But why stop there, because the CONCEPT could be expanded into something much bigger! I took a step back and asked, why does it have to flower every time when it comes to gifting? The fact that gifting flowers to someone only at special occasions has such a narrow perception, and that perception is something I wanted to change. Flowers are something to be celebrated not just for special occasions but as a lifestyle, there shouldn’t be an occasion to get yourself or someone flowers.The CONCEPT behind the brand is that flowers aren’t only made for gifts, but as a part of our lifestyle, it is a statement piece, it is a decoration, it is an art. It is not only something that is received by women, but by men. Rather than just handing you a bouquet of roses, I want my brand to emphasize on customization, which customers can experience the whole journey, from building the flower box to giving it to someone, to that box becoming a part of their lives and memories. And these concepts behind the brand are carefully reflected in all the details in my design.
THE DESIGN
A bouquet of roses is very romantic until it comes to the moment that you have to carry it around with all the awkward looks around, unwrap them, put them in a vase and take care of them, which unfortunately would not last long. I designed the box from logo to the packaging with every single detail attend to the needs of such a lifestyle, hoping to change people's habit of purchasing flowers.The box
The boxes of the arrangement come in 2 different sizes in 2 different colors, Noir and Blanc; the design is simple, luxurious, and minimal as we want these arrangements to be suitable on all occasions and ready-to-be-received. The roses will sit in the beautiful keepsake box and will be an ever-lasting decoration in your home without the need to be maintained.
The lid
The lid is designed to be under the bottom of the box or by the side of the box, hence the inverted logo on the other side of the lid; this is to provide multiple decorating and storing options for customers to showcase their arrangements in the most suitable way.
The silk handle
Our overall concept aims at minimalistic and convenient, and that includes the convenience of both the sender and the recipient. The silk handle is made to carry the box easily around anytime and anywhere without having to experience the bulkiness like a bouquet of roses. We also want the flower box to be a statement while holding it, it's chic, eye-catching, unique, and glamorous at the same time, all packed in a box. Who knew flowers could be made into a fashion statement as well? But that is exactly the direction I am hoping for, to strips all the boundaries and limited perceptions of flowers and gift-giving into a bold lifestyle.
The experience
To elevate the whole gifting or purchasing process, I want the customers to experience the whole journey from the beginning, and that's where I brought in customization, which all our bespoke rose arrangements are customizable. Customers are able to build their own arrangement from the box, to the rose colors, then to the patterns. I want my customers to be involved from the beginning, especially when they are the senders of the gifts so that these flower arrangements are not just a nice gesture, but something memorable and sentimental that is worth keeping forever.
IT'S BEEN NEARLY ONE YEAR
Running LE FLEURISTE has been an amazing journey, and each and every day, whenever I come up with new ideas, new products, or a new design, that excitement still hits me like it was Launch Day. Although I have been taking things slow, balancing my content creation on Instagram and the work at LE FLEURISTE, we are expecting an expanding our coverage internationally within this year, and I could not be more excited for what's to come in this journey. I would love to thank everyone who has supported me or LE FLEURISTE this year, and I am so grateful for how everything has turned out despite the current situation with COVID-19. 2020 is the year which we all have to slow things down, and I am also spending more time for myself, my work, and exploring new things; now that I have graduated from university, I would have more time to sort everything out, that includes updating and posting more frequently, and I promise there are so much more wonderful posts coming up!
CONVERSATION