A few days ago, I was very saddened to hear that the amazingly talented florist, Jane Packer, had passed away.
Jane was one of the world’s most influential florists and has inspired me immensely.
I feel very honoured to have attended one of her floristry demonstrations a few years ago in London and was wowed by her simply, yet utterly stunning designs.
I’m dedicating today’s post to Jane Packer.
The story of her career illustrates how from very humble beginnings, she created an instantly recognisable global brand, with sheer hard work and attention to detail.
She once said : ‘We consider ourselves a brand in the interiors/fashion market rather than just a flower shop, the same as, say Tiffany or Gucci. If something arrives in a Tiffany box or a Gucci bag, you know someone’s gone the extra mile, and that’s how we see ourselves in the flower world and how we want the business to develop. That’s why we have our very distinctive black Jane Packer bags.’
Her big break came in 1986 when she designed Sarah Ferguson’s bridal flowers for her wedding to HRH The Duke of York.
In 1989, she opened her first flower school in the basement of her house in Maida Vale, which later moved to her headquarters in Marylebone. There are now also Jane Packer Flower Schools in New York, Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo, plus shops in New York, Japan and South Korea.
Jane wrote numerous books, which have been translated into many different languages, making her one of the most widely read authors of flower books in the world.
Throughout her career, she championed the vision that flowers are as exciting as fashion and interior design, but entirely more accessible.
And her philosophy has always been for her designs to be ‘uncontrived and natural’. Less is more.
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