Although there are fewer than 2% of Black florists in the United States, several designers are attempting to open up new doors for them.
A tribute to African American floral growers and designers can be found in Teresa J. Speight's book Black Flora. Black inventiveness is upsetting the floral industry, as dried arrangements and artistic displays gain popularity.
Black Flora features 22 floral business owners, the majority of whom utilize flowers as a tool for empowerment on the road to recovery. In particular for African Americans, Teresa thinks that the garden is a place of protection, healing, and joy. The world of flower design behind the scenes is becoming more and more accessible to consumers.
Rogue & Fox Floral Co – Los Angeles, CA
After quitting her job as a nurse, Drew Rios founded Rogue & Fox Floral Co. in 2015. Her love of florals was sparked by her professional botanist father.
Drew has experience working on occasions for companies like American Express and Lizzo, and he was chosen to be one of the floral designers for the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony.
The Wild Mother – Oklahoma City, OK
The Wild Mother is a creative flower studio with a strong emphasis on connection and storytelling. Its staff is made up of Lauren, Leah, and Callie Palmer. The sisters started the business in 2015, and the moniker is a nod to mother earth.
Kiara Hancock – Tacoma, WA
In 2015, Kiara Hancock was awarded a scholarship to attend a workshop for flower design that would change her life. Flowers have the ability to modify both the environment and the people around them, which attracted Kiara to them. She subsequently took part in the HBO series Full Bloom.
TG Floristry – Raleigh, NC
Modern design, creativity, and social wellness are the main foci of Tiera George's TG Floristry, which she founded in 2017. She contributed to the set design for Fox's Our Kind Of People, and she frequently offers design classes in her studio in the city's center.
A Touch of Glover – Macon, GA
A Touch of Glover, which Vanessa Glover founded in 1997, is now a family business. In 2017, Vanessa became the first Black female floral designer in Georgia to receive certification from the American Institute of Floral Designers.
Black + Blossomed – Denver, CO
In September 2020, Breigh Jones-Coplin opened her flower design business, Black + Blossomed. In the midst of the epidemic, Breigh was going through burnout and despair as a clinical psychology PhD student and mental health professional.
Breigh wants to create at the nexus of flowers and mental health and launch a storefront in October.
Oat Cinnamon Studio – Brooklyn, NY
In 2018, Ryan Norville founded Oat Cinnamon Studio as a result of the demands of working in web design for upscale beauty and fashion offices. She recently worked with West Elm on a project that allowed her to work on both floral design and interior design, and she intends to start holding courses at her brand-new Brooklyn studio.
Wildfleur Blooms – Irvine, CA
2019 saw the birth of Wildfleur Blooms by paper florist and artist Ama Ramos Pipim. She crafts botanical paper constructions and stylish dry arrangements with an emphasis on sustainability. Ama recently made floral arrangements for a Netflix event, and she soon hopes to start holding workshops where people can learn how to make paper bouquets on their own.
Kateen’s Floral Designs – Fort Wayne, IN
In 2019, Kateen Morris launched Kateen's Floral Designs. She believes in the ability of florals to evoke emotion because she grew up helping her mother with the fruit, vegetable, and floral gardens.
Kateen serves as the chairwoman of Black Girl Florists, a group of Black women who work in the floral industry that collaborate to support, promote, and honor the originality and achievements of Black florists. The inaugural conference for Black Girl Florists was held in March.
Mahaba Floristry – Greenville, SC
Mahaba Floristry was established in February 2020 by third-generation florist Nikeema Lee. Her grandmother founded a florist in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1982, and she is happily carrying on her family's history. Nikeema, who also serves as the South Carolina regional director for Black Girl Florist, is carrying on her grandmother's legacy of undying passion for flowers despite the fact that she passed away in 2015.
Designs by Asia Natasha – Nashville, TN
After finishing a 10-week course at Nashville Flower Market's School of Floral Design, licensed architect Asia Dixon Allen started Designs by Asia Natasha in the fall of 2021.
M. Dawn Floral – Detroit, MI
In 2001, Monica Dawn of M. Dawn Floral began creating silk flowers, then in 2004, she transitioned to creating fresh flowers.
Inheritance Floral Designs – Cypress, TX
Andra Collins discovered early on how flowers can unite people. Her mother, a flower and seamstress, fostered community via her creations, frequently keeping in touch with her customers and sharing in their victories. After years of instructing floral design as a high school agriculture teacher, she founded Inheritance Floral Designs in 2017, with the name being a tribute to her mother. Her business still depends heavily on education.
