Presenting

20 B January | 2024 AFTF 24 20 E legantly christened "Matutine," meaning early morning, this emerging trend evokes a sublime sense of freshness reminiscent of the first streaks of crystalline blue washing across the morning sky. In our preliminary research, creative leaders, selected from within the flower industry, agreed on a singular rising trend that will undoubtedly command attention in 2024—the resplendence of blue flowers! Implementation of this trend, naturally, assumes a flexibility to variation suitable to all professionals in the flower industry, from retail florists to designers of large-scale events. For retail florists, blue blooms, such as sweet-scented hyacinths, towering Delphinium and exuberant masses of Hydrangea, are recommended to freshen their flower compositions. To appeal to the sensibilities of retail customers, floral designers should deftly balance blue flowers with accents of sunshine yellow and fluttering touches of white, nestled in the verdant embrace of graceful greenery such as Italian Ruscus. In the "Matutine" trend, wedding and event designs will draw inspiration from the stylistic sensibilities of the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, with its devotion to manicured natural beauty. In stark contrast to recent trends that favored heavy frameworks as foundational mechanics for installations, this aesthetic asks you to align your design practice with the intrinsic features of the host venue. Instead of creating something from nothing, designers working within this trend will use their discerning eyes to spot the most fabulous features of their host spaces and come to clients with fantastic ideas to make them even better. Trained vines will serve as a regal canvas for blue color-blocked flowers, gently cascading around doorways, ascending stair railings and framing fountains with an aura of fairy-tale romance. When transported to outdoor gardens for alfresco affairs, ethereal archways devoid of visible timber or mechanics will reign supreme. Appearing in this trend, we will see the emergence of low clusters of loosely arranged greenery, adorned resplendent blue Delphinium, Tweedia/Oxypetalum and dyed reflexed tulips. To create a natural feeling of unpretentious charm, these aisleway mounds look especially lovely when accentuated by joyful flutters of feverfew, emulating the allure of a flourishing garden and transforming intimate spaces into veritable oases that exude the optimistic essence of a new day. For purveyors of editorial finesse and commercial flower stylists, we proffer the refined suggestion of diminishing the presence of supporting blooms in white and yellow, opting, instead, for impeccably orchestrated monochromatic blue ensembles. is juxtaposition of strikingly saturated blue hues within a context of romantic arrangements—a regrettably absent spectacle in recent years—is poised to ascend to preeminence in this year, heralding an era of elevated sophistication in floral artistry. Trend 1 MATUTINE Floral Design: Jennifer DeRossett, Antique Rose Floral, Hickory, N.C.; Model: Lillian Parham Photography: Kaci Moran Photography; Hair/Makeup: Graham Tyler Stylist/Coordinator: Ooh La La Events & Co., Santa Rosa, Calif.

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