To coincide with our upcoming birthday and our collab with Perfume Playground we chat to creative director Shaye Woolford on all things floral..
You’ve been operating for nearly 10 years now, can you talk to us about the evolution of florals for you over the time you’ve been in this industry?
Oh gosh I feel like I’ve seen and been through so much change! When I began my designs were very tight, structured and high contrast of colour. That was the go to back then, and for some still is. For me I was playing it safe. I’ve since learnt to design in a more instinctual and free way, create for the flowers and the room or position they’ll be in. I still love to push the boundaries and occasionally do a high contrast look, but in a way that draws the eye to each area. Studying colour theory and learning to paint with oils recently has really adjusted my outlook on colour and tone.
Of course you have a workshop coming up where you’re collaborating with Perfume Playground – tell us more about that..
I’ve been into fragrance for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is sneaking into my Mum’s wardrobe and stealing sprays Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. Growing up I was a sucker for a fruity flowery scent, but now I’m into smoky, woody and musky perfumes. At the moment I wear two from Maison Louis Marie, as well as blending my own with essential oils. Depends how I feel!
This is another reason why I love to work with flowers. Each flower or plant has it’s own smell, and I just love it how some are fragrant from being crushed, or from blooming, or only at night. There’s science behind smell too, the parts of the brain that manage smells, memories and emotions are all intertwined!
When I teach flowers at a workshop, I prefer to teach the basic rules, but allow guests to explore and enjoy their experience. I love how everyone gets the same flowers to work with, yet every single creation is different. At this workshop I’ll teach guests about choosing the right flowers to go together, in order to arrange in a considered way using palette, varieties and balance.
Shaye will be hosting this 3 hour workshop alongside Rosie Holt of Perfume Playground this coming November at Our Place Tauranga.
