Meet the founder of The Floral Atelier

If you’ve spied an Insta-worthy floral arrangement that immediately had you wondering who designed it and where it came from, chances are you were looking at one of the arrangements of The Floral Atelier. According to the company’s floral artisans, designing a beautiful bunch of flowers is as much a science as it is an art. That may explain why they say it takes more than just a “good eye” to create their particular arrangements.

The Floral Atelier’s founder LELIAN CHEW is widely regarded as an authoritative figure in luxury events and florals – to the point where she’s been hailed as the “Million Dollar Wedding Planner” on a BBC documentary! Lelian gave us the lowdown about her creative process and how she and the team design their show-stopping products.

What was your inspiration behind the launch of the brand?

I felt there was a need to elevate the floral scene in Singapore with an emphasis on craftsmanship and creating exquisite floral arrangements.

How do you create a perfect floral arrangement?

Learning how to achieve structure, balance, form and space is key in creating the “perfect” arrangement. Our work embodies our ethos of beauty, luxury and being exceptional.

Give us a peek into your creative process.

Our arrangements must encapsulate the exquisiteness of flowers, elevating the luxury of a bespoke gift. From the designing and sketching of new arrangements to the careful selection of flowers from our overseas network of farms, the attention is all in the details.

Tell us something we may not know about The Floral Atelier.

Our Master Florist has over 30 years of experience as a florist and is meticulous in every detail. He is passionate about his craft – as all true artists are. We launched our extensive Eternity Collection two years ago, again, aiming to elevate preserved floral arrangements to new heights. Preserved flowers are becoming mainstream as they are real flowers but can last for over a year, if kept in a dry, cool place.

Why do you think flower arrangements are such a popular gift choice?

Flowers create a personal and emotional connection between both the sender and the person receiving the thoughtful gift. Our range of flowers and curated products cater to a wide range of audiences, but all our customers share one thing in common – they have exceptional taste and very discerning needs! That’s why being on the receiving end of one of our floral arrangements is a special moment indeed.

As well as catering to individuals, you have a corporate following too; which brands have you worked with?

We service mainly luxury brands; Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co and Valentino are just some of the corporates who are loyal customers of The Floral Atelier.

What is your best-selling arrangement?

Our best-seller is The Ingenue Bloom Box. It features beautiful blooms with cotton candy hues for a pastel-like palette. (It also happens to be our first-ever signature bloom box!)

Where can we view your arrangements?

Aside from our Paragon store, we have a beautiful 8,000-square-feet atelier in Delta House on Alexandra Road that’s open for customers to browse and better understand our work. There is an all-glass cold room filled with a variety of exotic fresh flowers. We also hold Singapore’s largest vase collection (400 designs and counting). We’re open daily and welcome customers to come and explore.

Give us a quick flower tip for our homes.

A simple arrangement or floral centrepiece on the dining table elevates the entire experience of dining with friends or family, and can make a great conversation starter.

Any exciting news coming up?

We hope to launch more of our coveted floral workshops. We’re also looking to leverage new technologies to offer our clients a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience, from ordering to receiving our flowers. We are also hosting a Lunar New Year Open House at our Delta House atelier on 5, 6, 7 February, and Expat Living readers are invited to come by. The atelier will be decked out in new year decorations, and festive potted plants, flowers, bonsais and other ornaments that will be available for purchase.

Thinking of gifting flowers or buying some for the home?

Check out Floral Atelier’s latest collection online at thefloralatelier.co.

This article first appeared in the February 2021 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!

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