If I could trade careers, I think I would chose the career path of FLOWERBX‘s Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, the uber chic London-based American expat who worked for Tom Ford for over 20 years and in 2017 launched the most elegant flower company to date. (You can read her original TFI profile here.) She is not only responsible for creating the most gorgeous single-variety floral bouquets for mail-order, but also pre-pandemic was pretty much crushing it with an in-store pop up at NYC’s Tiffany’s flagship, as well as creating rather epic floral displays for other companies. I cannot wait to see what those collaborations will look like in the future. Here, Whitney shares what she’s doing too much of during quarantine, what she hopes for the future and what she would love for Valentine’s Day (if her husband is reading….hint, hint, you’ve got this one.)
What is FLOWERBX offering this Valentine’s Day? We have launched an extraordinary gift range, which includes a gift of 1,000 roses [!!–I’ll take it], a yearlong extraordinary flower subscription and a Baccarat rose gift set. We are always trying to tell new and exciting stories with flowers, and when thinking of a vase-maker with whom to partner, Baccarat was the only choice. FLOWERBX and Baccarat share the values of quality, design, taste and luxury and we share discerning clients who want the best life has to offer.
Do you like to be given flowers for Valentine’s Day? Faves? No one ever gives me flowers anymore!! I do love to receive flowers, always, and especially on Valentine’s Day. My favourite flowers in February are Ballet Slippers Ranunculus that have the most delicate petals and are the “peony of the winter” in their beauty and ethereal quality.
What do love and look forward to about winter? Cashmere. Log fires. Leafy winter greens and winter vegetables.
What are your newest favorite winter purchases? Gabriela Hearst velimir turtleneck, Bottega Veneta Gold Link necklace (perfect to elevate the zoom).
Something already in your closet you are pulling out now.: My husband’s Tom Ford knitwear.
Fave winter food/or recipe: Lentil and carrot soup.
Fave winter drink: A good Italian red – Luce – all year long.
Fave winter smell: Log fire and my new puppy’s ears.
Winter weekend activity: Cooking, always cooking, and long family walks in the country.
Key elements for being cozy inside your home: Flowers, always. A lit candle. Soft lighting.
Latest read: American Dirt. Gripping!
Online rabbit hole: @eyeswoon provides endless inspiration and always sends me down a rabbit hole. Also @theflairindex (yes, really) as I love discovering chic women who have classic, timeless style (and also usually fascinating back stories to go with it).
New Insta discovery: @tanksgoodnews – filled with inspiring happy news that highlights all of the goodness in the world despite all the sadness. I am also obsessed with @potus – which is filled with good news, too, for a welcome change.
Daily ritual you practice: Since my children are home schooling, we go for an early run through Hyde Park every morning to try and start the day out with the right mindset. Running in the dark with my two boys is soul-lifting.
Daily ritual you’ve abandoned: Blaring music whilst driving the children to the bus. Trip to the coffee shop. Belts.
Favorite hour of the day: Six am, with my family, before the chaos of the day sets in.
Where are you donating your money/time? The Berkeley Hotel is running a drive-thru for all front line workers, and we are happily donating food and flowers to help lift those brave workers who are working so hard for us. I am also supporting my friend Maud who’s catering business, Cantine, has raised tens of thousands of pounds to cook her beautiful food for the NHS.
How are you looking at your business differently? Our business, like most businesses, has had to pivot completely over the past year. We are lucky that FLOWERBX is digitally native and has always had a strong D2C business, but this has led us to pivot completely to the D2C part of our business and expand quickly when the need for fresh flower deliveries is more vital than ever.
What do you miss most? I really miss seeing my friends and my family SO much. And travelling too. But mainly the people I love.
If you’ve had a chance to travel recently where did you go? If not, what will be your first trip? We have a family safari planned in the summer for my Dad’s 75th with all my siblings and their spouses and children and I am counting literally every minute.
What do you hope the new normal brings? I hope the new normal brings a more thoughtful existence, more gratitude, more consideration for the environment, more kindness and more compassion. Definitely more compassion.
Follow FLOWERBX: Instagram.
No disrespect to Bill Buford, but I think she meant American Dirt by Jeanine Cummin
Whoops! Thanks for that update. Maybe I need to read that as well. x Jennifer
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