'Sustainability gives floral art a creative boost'
In an era when sustainability is becoming increasingly important, floral designer Max van de Sluis looks back to the past to find inspiration for the future. Reflecting on insights from his recently published book, Sustainable Floral Design, he candidly shares his personal experiences, practical insights, and explains why sustainability primarily offers a creative opportunity for the art of floral design.
'My focus is on object design'
Nicolaus Peters, an acclaimed floral designer from Germany, rose to international acclaim by winning the prestigious Interflora World Cup in 2023. His journey to the top of the floral art world was not without obstacles, but Nicolaus showed perseverance, passion, and dedication to his craft.
GROWTH! An adventurous floral journey
'This will be something completely different. I never wanted to do a demonstration where I simply walk on stage, place flowers, and talk about how I made it. I would love it if the people left the show thinking, 'Wow, I've never seen anything like this before in the flower world.' With these enthusiastic words, European Champion of Floral Art, Hanneke Frankema, introduced her upcoming floral show, "GROWTH!", set to take place during the World Cup Floral Art final in August at the World Forum in The Hague.
'Sustainability gives floral art a creative boost'
'When you become aware of sustainability, you can't unsee it. Once you start realising the impact of your materials, it really opens your eyes. Suddenly you think: What are we actually using? This awareness has profoundly changed his approach to floral art.'
'Sustainability isn't a step back; it's a step forward. It's not limiting. On the contrary, it opens doors, and I find it incredibly inspiring because you must think differently about your materials.' Reflecting on his past work, Max openly acknowledges his personal shift: 'Years ago, I created stunning floral designs in Japan, full of vibrant plastic materials. The photographs were beautiful - but today, I wouldn't choose those materials anymore.'
Together with Swedish floral designer Per Benjamin, Max recently published the book Sustainable Floral Design, from which we publish five arrangements by Max and Per.
Especially for this World Cup edition of DPK Floral Magazine, Max also created five unique arrangements, using special sustainable techniques, and reusable bases. 'Everything we do affects something else.' So be inspired by sustainability.
'Each bloom must support the composition'
'This series is really a tribute to the Dutch Masters of the Golden Age - those iconic still life paintings that symbolized wealth, elegance and abundance,' says floral designer Hanneke Frankema. 'We wanted to honor their legacy, but as today's Dutch Masters, in our own way.'
Creating such opulent, painterly arrangements is no easy task. 'You need time - a lot of time - and hundreds of flowers, all carefully placed to achieve that perfect balance. Each bloom must support the composition without overwhelming the others.'
Hanneke also emphasizes the importance of structure, proportion, and refinement. 'You can't just keep adjusting endlessly - it must be right almost immediately. But that's the beauty of it. There's real elegance in the layering, in the depth and the subtle lines. It's classical, yes, but with our own modern touch.'
Hanneke created three floral arrangements inspired by the Dutch Masters, each featuring real butterflies delicately integrated into the design - a detail she finds especially enchanting. 'I used butterflies in all three pieces because they add something magical and refined.'
The process, however, was incredibly demanding. 'You wouldn't believe how many flowers we needed to source just to create a few of these arrangements. From a whole bucket, maybe one bloom is at the right stage and facing the right way.' Each piece explores a different color palette and mood, yet all were built using the new Oasis Renewal Floral Foam. 'With strong stems like Delphinium or sun flowers, placement must be precise from the start. You can't keep redoing it, or you'll ruin the base. It must be right the first time.'
A celebration of flowers
With great pleasure and dedication, we have put together this special edition of DPK Floral Magazine for the World Cup Floral Art. We are pleased and proud to present the World Cup Floral Art 2025 Edition, packed with fascinating and inspiring articles. What to expect. A brief preview.
An important highlight of this special edition is the presentation of all participating designers. In our "Meet the Participants" article series, you will find interviews with all 24 World Cup participants, accompanied by beautiful visual impressions of their floral artworks. This way you can discover whose work appeals to you the most.
Verder presenteren we ‘Masterpieces Reimagined’, waarin bloemsierkunstenaars Hanneke Frankema en Max van de Sluis de beroemde geschilderde bloemstillevens uit de Nederlandse Gouden Eeuw tot leven brengen met prachtige en inspirerende hedendaagse arrangementen. Masterpieces Reimagined is een ode aan bloemsierkunst, waarin geschiedenis en innovatie samenkomen.
Finally, we offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at GROWTH! the theatrical floral life show by Hanneke Frankema, European champion floral designer, which takes place during the final night. Here, too, sustainability is the focus. This new experience in floral design promises to be an adventurous journey full of innovation, emotion and flowers.
In addition to the free magazine available at the venue, this special World Cup Floral Art 2025 edition is also available online through our website, as are all other editions of DPK Floral Magazine Magazine. In addition, the online magazine is available in multiple languages, making it accessible worldwide. Visit dpkfloralmagazine.com regularly for the latest news!
Together with all visitors, we are eagerly looking forward to the exciting denouement of the Floral Art World Cup. I wish all participants the best of luck and in a few days we will find out who will win the coveted title of Floral Art World Champion in the coming years.
We will be on site for the next few days, so feel free to stop by and get acquainted!
Anita Meuleman, Editor-in-Chief