When Fashion Meets Flowers - Gunter & Co Meets Wild Wood London
The attention to detail we put into every element of our renovation projects doesn’t end until the final handover to our client. We work collaboratively with our clients, ensuring they are looped in on developments every step of the way but that moment we reveal the finished project, we strive to absolutely take their breath away. And to do that, we need to make sure those very final finishing touches are a true reflection of the intricacies of our design. Enter Wild Wood London. Never underestimate the power flowers have in a home space! Charlotte’s designs are the flower version of our renovation projects - intricate, full of texture, impactful, curated and create those essential ‘take your breath away’ moments we strive for. We asked Charlotte, Founder of Wild Wood London to tell us more about her journey to becoming one of London’s leading florists.
Tell us about how you started the business and what made you get into floral design
I started Wild Wood London in 2014 after a career in fashion design. I wanted to create a life for myself and start a business that gives me a more flexible working day. Little did I know the number of hats you would need to wear whilst to cover all aspects of the company. I love meeting people and being a part of their special day or working on a specific brief for an Interior designer or fashion brand. Teaching masterclasses is another passion of mine, and I love watching a person's sense of achievement when they have created their own bouquet or wreath to take home. I offer masterclasses for small or large businesses that can be tailored to reflect the business's season or unique identity. My love for flowers started when my mum used to adorn the house in floral watercolours. I loved art at school and would often incorporate floral motifs within my designs. While working at Allsaints, I lived in De Beauvoir, close to Colombia Road Flower market and loved visiting each Sunday and started to practice making floral arrangements and loved having fresh flowers in my home each week.
How would you describe your approach to flowers?
Everything is bespoke, and I like to understand my clients' needs, be it a bride or an interior designer's project or a company commissioning a dried flower installation. I will delve into their favourite flowers or plants if there is a flower that has sentimental meaning. How much light will be in the room regarding plant positioning, what colours do they love or dislike? I like to build a picture of my client's lifestyle and make decisions based on that.
Like us, you're very detailed orientated in your designs. What difference do you think that makes to your clients?
I am extremely detail orientated and always go the extra mile for my clients. I don't know any other way to work as each project or event has important nuances.
How would you describe the values of the business?
Honesty, integrity and creativity, I like to build long-lasting relationships with clients. If there is a problem, I will work out a solution. I love Marie Forleo's advice that everything is figureoutable.
You made the transition from womenswear design to floristry. Talk to us about why you made that decision to change things up and how that process looked.
After five years of working for Burberry and Allsaints, I felt ready for a new challenge. I come from a family of entrepreneurs, and it felt like a natural progression to set up my own business. I enrolled upon a City and Guilds year-long diploma course and later the four- week Mcqueen's career change course. I loved learning about each type of flower-visiting different wholesalers and soaking up as much knowledge as possible. I then stayed on at Mcqueens to learn about the event side of floristry, and after three months, I took a leap of faith to set up on my own.
How has lockdown impacted your business and the floristry industry in general?
I have been able to work on flowers for photoshoots and faux planting installations during the pandemic whilst social distancing and wearing a mask. Weddings, events masterclasses have mainly been placed on hold. I created the flowers for my younger sister's wedding in September, which was a highlight, and I worked on a beautifully intimate wedding in December with a bold colour palette. I had projects booked in for Wimbledon tennis and Chelsea in bloom, so I look forward to resuming them next year. In general, the floristry industry has significantly affected. Still, after lockdowns and vaccinations, I hope that weddings will slowly but surely start to take place and become more beautiful and intimate than before.
How would you describe your personal style?
I love fashion and adore brands such as Ganni, Loewe and Maxmara. I like to buy fewer but better-quality items. I have never subscribed to the fast fashion model and inherent overconsumption. I remember as a teenager saving up for particular items and cherishing them for years. I used to spend a lot of time in New York and Paris sourcing vintage pieces as inspiration for future collections when I worked at Allsaints and found each vintage piece tells a story.
How important are trends within the floral industry? What should we be looking out for?
I am not very trend-driven but like to use seasonal flowers from various trusted wholesalers based in the UK, Holland and Italy. I want to observe trends and work aspects of them into designs. I adore hanging floral arrangements, and I have an upcoming photoshoot with The Stars inside a fantastic wedding, and elopement planner whose style is unbelievable, and we will be creating hanging floral arrangements and meadows to line the aisle. I will be sharing details on my Instagram.
What do you do to switch off?
I recently signed up to Masterclass and adore learning from experts about their inspirations, working process and journey to where they go to be where they are today. From fashion design, gardening to makeup and the art of negotiation. I have always been interested in human behaviour and other working day structure. I am also studying to become a psychotherapist which I will aim to do part-time in the future.
Everything is back open, and travel is unrestricted - where would you go to eat and what would you order?
I would go to Paris and eat the chocolate mousse at Chez Janou. I am planning a trip to Japan with a close friend and would love to be there during Sakura season. I have always been obsessed with Japanese culture, their rituals and clothing traditional and modern in style.
Who is your greatest inspiration, both professionally and personally?
Personally, I adore the work of Marisa Peer a mindset coach and speaker and professionally I have formed a small group of florists that I can turn to for support and encouragement and I am definitely an advocate for community over competition as I am a natural collaborator.
What's next for you, what are you working on at the moment?
I am currently working on a dried flower arrangement offering and expanding my faux flower and plants collection using some really interesting vessels. I am also working on event and wedding quotes for 2022.
