MEET LOTTE LAWSON OF LOTTE & BLOOM

L&B:  they rarely fit a typical mould which is one of the reasons why this job suits me so much. on the days that i’m working on an event i am up with the lark: quick coffee and breakfast on the go, market run, cutting stems, filling buckets, more coffee, arranging. repeat to fade.  on non-event days i’ll be getting quotes together, replying to emails, ordering flowers, having client, venue and supplier meetings, dreaming up designs and ideas. list-making usually also features heavily somewhere.

TBC:  What wedding trend would you like to see disappear?

L&B:  i’d like to see things get back to a cleaner, less cluttered aesthetic. there’s been such a focus on having all these ‘details’ at your wedding it can sometimes look a bit crowded. i’d love to see more of a minimal table, crisp table linen with just a killer arrangement of flowers in the middle. but then i guess i would say that.

L&B:  usually they’re creative, open-minded and love beautiful flowers as much as I do. 

TBC:  Where do you find inspiration? 

L&B:  i think the truth is that in choosing an artistic career, being open to inspiration isn’t something you ever really turn off. you’re always tuned into it whether you realize you’re taking it in or not. i’m always looking at things: gardens, houses and interiors, fashion, photography, the past, people on the street…

L&B:  my local hardware guy. i’m in there all the time picking up stuff. he pretends to be grumpy but secretly i think he looks forward to my crazy requests. 

TBC:  Describe your design style.

 L&B:  i’m not sure i have one! i just like gorgeous flowers, lots of them, that look natural, not too meddled with and a little disheveled.

L&B:  it’s so hard to pinpoint one particular thing. every job has it’s own special charm and i’m just really happy to be doing what i’m doing. 

TBC:  What advice would you give to upcoming floral designers?  

L&B: practice. no-one tells you, but it actually takes a while before you start to properly see the design before you – the gaps and flaws in it. the more you practice the faster you get towards that point.

L&B: always constance spry. her books are wonderful and i adore the way she writes about flowers. her ethos is still so relevant and i love the way you can see her influence everywhere with the more current crop of designers. i’ll also admit to a rather substantial florist crush on thierry boutemy. i think he is amazing. 

L&B: i’m never happier than when i’m on my own with some gorgeous new stock in to play with and some really good music playing (probably a bit too loudly). sometimes a little glass of wine alongside that helps too.

L&B: this was my career change and honestly i wouldn’t change it for anything.  if i really had to again, it would probably be set design. 

L&B:  there’s a gaping void between what i’d like to look like and what i actually do. In my head i’m swanning about in relaxed, immaculately-cut separates a la margaret howell. with great shoes. in reality i’m slightly down the scruffier stakes than that. 

my home is a real mish-mash. i’m not sure there’s an overall theme to be honest.  i’ll pick up things i love and figure out a place or purpose for them later. i am and always have been very definite and sure on what i like though. i like to think of it as an unerring sense of taste but my husband says it’s picky. i’ll go with discerning.