Sur/Reality, in search of new creative horizons

Since 1994, the Maison&Objet trade fair in Paris has brought together the international community of decoration, design, and lifestyle. It has since become a tradition to present the social trends in our society in style rooms or concept stores illustrated with the products of the exhibitors, together with the trend agencies Elisabeth Leriche and François Delclaux.

‘Every creation tells a unique story’

In 2021, during an internship with Hanneke Frankema in the Netherlands, Claudia Tararache participates in an online competition with a floral dress. She immediately catches our attention. A year later, she wins another prize at Fleuramour in Alden Biesen with a special bridal bouquet.

The delight of blossoming

Flowers, plants and the season have a magical connection. Every year, after the gray winter months, we look forward to spring. In no other season can you enjoy the budding, the rising, the blossoming - and that on all levels, from bulbs to trees.

‘I like to put my creativity to the test’

Chantal Post loves the different aspects of the profession: a flower shop, decorating events, and sharing knowledge through workshops and demonstrations. With an undeniable passion for the profession, she has worked her way to the top in the Belgian floristry community. Last year, she crowned herself Belgian champion and will soon represent her country at the World Championships in The Hague. What drives her? How is she preparing for this prestigious competition?

'In the current zeitgeist, vegetative design is difficult to execute commercially'

According to floral designer Max van de Sluis, the theme Nature, Naturally! can be approached in various ways. 'For me as a florist, vegetative is the most obvious and perhaps the most ultimate in its beauty. Yet, in the current zeitgeist, vegetative is difficult to execute commercially.'

'The reason I went in a more realistic direction, with the starting point being the materials that you can easily obtain from the wholesaler, and then make arrangements with a natural look with them.'

‘I wanted to achieve that natural look by processing the flowers in a certain way. Consider solutions such as processing each type at a more or less individual height, a more parallel placement, growth forms, movement, seeking combinations with old natural flower shapes from outside and/or by processing branches.’

‘This significantly expands the possibilities and makes it possible to incorporate your style, emotion, and feeling. This approach is more commercial and realistic in its feasibility.’

'Reuse to Reduce'

Floral designer Hanneke Frankema is always looking around for bases. That yielded her, for example, a set of beautiful wooden tables, one of which she was able to use immediately for this edition. ‘Keep your eyes open, I always say. For example, we had bought residual wood from a staircase maker, and what was at the bottom of the Big Bag? All beautiful cylindrical hardwood pieces in different sizes. I put them in a nice dish and incorporated the flowers in between. Waste can be beautifully reused in this way.’

'I also like to use (residual) wooden boards and beams as a base regularly. For example, a piece of beam that was left over from the construction of my classroom next to our house has found its way into an arrangement where it is used as a base. So what would normally be thrown away could now be used very nicely for an arrangement.'

'Old materials are also regularly given a second life. For example, I used dried Craspedia as the basis of a fine, sweet heart – so I never throw them away! You can make beautiful dried and therefore long-lasting bases or objects from it. You can also often remake the surfaces themselves numerous times with other and/or fresh materials. In short: reuse to reduse!