It’s not our style to chant “na na na na na, told you so” when occasionally our extraordinary prescience allows us to sniff out a trend before it becomes huge...Except in this particular case: dried flowers! In April 2016 we announced the rise of these hyped bouquets! It was true - it’s not our style to make up stories either- but still in its early stages. Craspedia (or Billy Buttons) - those stems topped by yellow balls that surely you’ve already bought this month – they were interspersed here and there, at chic florists like Debeaulieu who were already into them. But in real life, nada!

This fall , it’s a whole ‘nother story. It’s not just a little incursion, but an invasion. Of course, Craspedia, but also Limonium (or sea-lavender) are present at florists all over, with dried grasses and immortelles… On Instagram deco sites, we can’t even count the number of garlands of upside down dried hydrangeas that decorate the walls. It’s apparently the new way to use them…The other new DIY is the vegetal wall hanging, a bare and sinuous willow branch on which are suspended stalks or mini bouquets of dried flowers, orange or blue thistles  leading the charge! There are some really nice ones, already made up, at Pompon Bazar, an attractive concept store, which also has a section of real beauties imported from Corrèze. Along with an armful of dyed eucalyptus, the dried bouquet will be the dinner gift that impresses, according to Mme. Pompon. It circumvents the annoying faux pas of fresh flowers, which oblige the hostess to frenetically search for an appropriate vase, when what she really needs to do is take the rosemary focaccia out of the oven ! Without even mentioning the slight touch of slow life and sustainablity, so 2017, that this easily offers …

There are two schools of dried flowers. There is the option rural yuppie, and then the niche more Victorian, maybe a tinge morbid with dead flowers (ranunculi, peonies, roses) or dried and then re-hydrated with glycerin. The ones done by Miyoko, the charming Franco-Japanese lady who runs the shop tucked away behind the new store of Officine Universelle Buly are spectacular. As to the small scroll, herbarium style, decorated with a calligraphy label, which at her store is used to wrap the stems when offering the bouquet, it’s an unconditional snobbism.

This reconversion to dried flowers seems to be THE life change fantasy for creative women. Miyoko was a fashion designer, as was Alexandra, founder of Jeanne Paris, a house entirely dedicated to the concept, and which is the darling of lifestyle sites. They adore the “marvelous pictorial rendering” of these poetic collections. Le Futiloscope is pretty much in agreement especially at €110 the pictorial rendering. We just want to know if dusty old Pampas Grass and the Money plant are going to use this to re-emerge. If so, we’ve just about reached our limit…

Photo : The Socialite Family