Wow it is a windy one out there!
It’s Saturday again and so it’s our 5 question day! One of the reasons I wanted to start these interviews is to give the reader an insight into the floristry industry. Floristry can look like a very glamorous job and while there are many aspects of the industry which are truly beautiful behind the scenes is a lot of hard work, long hours and lets face it stress. These unprecedented times have put such a pressure on businesses of every size. Florists rely heavily on weddings to fuel their income and with hotels closed corporate work has ceased.
The impact on businesses has been immense and florists once they reopen their doors will be finding ways of getting through 2020 . I so hope we can all support our local florists. Behind each shop there is a a person or team of people who have worked so hard and more than ever it’s time to show our support.
Today I am delighted to say my 5 Questions with Vic Brotherson of Scarlett and Violet. S & V is a business that I have followed since the beginning of my career. It is a fusion of colour, beauty, big floral displays with a vintage twist. So sit back and enjoy the wonderful world of Scarlet and Violet, it’s a treat for the eyes and soul.
Alicia: Thank you so much Vic for taking some time to answer my questions. Could you please give the reader a little background into how you entered the floristry industry and how Scarlet and Violet came to be?
Vic: I grew up in the Lake District- Cumbria then moved south when I went to university where I studied Fine Art- when I finished it was very obvious that I was never going to be able to make a living from painting! So I immediately looked for a job. I was very fortunate that Nikki Tibbles had just opened Wild at Heart in Notting Hill and needed some help. She took me on at 21yrs old and I stayed there for many years learning from Nikki and other florists who came to work there.
After years of being a florist at W@H , I had begun to think that I wanted to something different , less big events and contracts more focusing on the flowers and the craft- I walked past an empty shop every morning on the way to work and decided to take the plunge. It was never my intention for the shop to be anything other than a workshop studio, so I filled it with all my favourite things and started doing a few house flowers and opened the shop between deliveries. The shop is a very personal place to me so I didn’t really know what to expect, as time passed I was able to employ others to help and so it went from there.
Alicia: You have a successful business in London, but when you first opened your doors in the big city did you ever experience intimidation or did you just thrive being in London?
Vic: I had always been to the flower market since I started at W@H the confidence of youth stopped me from being intimidated or scared , but also it’s important to remember that working for somebody else allowed me to gain confidence whilst being supported and learning how to buy as well as learning other skills.
The competitive elements of our industry don’t affect S&V so much as the large jobs and contracts aren’t really our forte. Having had many conversations with other florists I strongly believe that it’s necessary to have conversations and be able to talk about what we are doing -not being secretive and sharing the knowledge of suppliers, staff , skills and how to resolve issues are imperative to me. What we do does not belong to me or S&V-any florist can buy the same flowers and has the opportunity to create something they love with their own creativity and enthusiasm.
Alicia: One of the things I love about your work is your use of colour. I always try and teach my students to be brave with colour palettes. I think at college I was told never to put pink and orange together and always thought why?! But it does seem that many people are scared of putting varieties of colours together. What advice would you give florists that are starting out in terms of working with different colour palettes?
Vic: It’s interesting the colour choices that we make. Each of the florists in the shop has different favourites. It’s so brilliant when you see a bunch or vase being made with a new combination of colours. I find it really interesting still when I put the flowers together before making something and see what is missing and just one extra addition or a pop of something will bring the whole thing to life- I still throw bunches down on the table and say this isn’t working and start again- I think the shapes and varieties are the key to making certain colour palettes work yellow and pink and orange one of my favourites but the flower choices have to be considered to avoid the Easter Bunny vibes!!!
Alicia: You have written two gorgeous books, Vintage Flowers and Vintage Wedding Flowers, how did the books come about? Do you have plans to release anymore?
Vic: We were asked by the publisher to do the books, they were fun but time consuming and flowers are a bit like food really hard to photograph- We have no plans for another!
Alicia: We are obviously living through an unprecedented time. How have you been channeling your creative flare through isolation?
Vic: Over the last few months ,as for everyone- S&V has been challenging. I missed the shop and missed work and missed the flowers and I went back after 3 weeks realising that I was going to have to go back to the very beginning ,work on my own and build the business back piece by piece. Those first few weeks back were so important to spend on my own making flowers and quietly thinking of the way forward- realising how lucky I am to be able to work at all and in a place that allows me time to think.
A massive thank you to the incredibly talented Vic for answering my 5 questions. It was so wonderful to hear such an honest account of the impact that this time has had on a business and I want to wish Scarlet and Violet and all the other florists reopening all the best for the future.
Join me next Saturday when I will be wrapping up my 5 Questions with our final special guest.
Scarlet and Violet:
Website: https://scarletandviolet.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletandviolet/