“FLOWERING WITH ELIZABETH JAIME”
In this exclusive interview, we delve into the captivating world of floral design with elizabeth jaime, founder of calma floral, whose creations transcend traditional boundaries to evoke a profound emotional connection. Renowned for transforming flowers into mesmerizing installations that feel like living art, elizabeth provides insights into her unique creative process, cultural inspirations, and innovative approach to staying ahead of design trends.
Q: Your designs often feel like living art. How do you approach the process of transforming traditional flowers into mesmerizing installations that evoke emotions?
A: Well, it's really interesting, creating art from living things. I often have to remind myself and even my clients that the medium I’m working with is alive and I technically have very little control over it. Flowers grow differently, seasons change; It’s very much about letting nature dictate what the outcome is going to be. You learn to adapt, be flexible, and trust the process. In a way, you have to let the flowers dictate what it is you’re making.
Q: Are there specific cultural or personal influences that guide your creative alchemy?
A: I think that first and foremost, I love to be inspired by Miami. This city was something that I have always made sure from the beginning that I pull inspiration from. I wanted to create something that felt young and different and fresh, but also felt distinctly Miami.
So that's why I sometimes like to describe our work as tropical-ish. I also like to try to create something that feels like it might have been growing in your backyard. Color wise, I’ve always been inspired by Miami’s art deco scene. I try to play off that with the use of pastels and interesting color palettes.
Q: In a world of rapidly evolving design trends, how do you stay ahead of the curve and infuse innovation into your creations?
A: It's hard. A lot of the times when clients come to you, they want what's trending, which I’m always happy to do. However, I do try to be at the forefront of trends. And the way that I do that is I guess by being super online. I try to stay current with fashion trends because I feel that it trickles into floristry. I also pay attention to what’s trending in architecture and interior design because that all goes hand in hand. I think I’m kind of just trying to execute things that I think will look cool in my head. I think overall it’s mainly about being aware of what is going on in other areas of design and seeing how I can translate that into florals.
Q: Are there specific collaborations, technologies, or unconventional inspirations that you believe will shape the future of floral design?
A: I think there’s parts of the industry that are very much antiquated and there seems to be a gap in technology during the wholesale process. I would love to see someone create some sort of technology that streamlines that process. I’ve seen technology come up in very interesting ways; for example the way it has completely changed the way the Dutch sell their flowers. I’ve also seen a lot of AI integration into the initial design process which I’ve tried a couple times. Oftentimes, clients will ask for a sample of the final product so it’s really helpful using AI to make those initial compositions before committing to anything.
Q: What pushes you to keep creating?
A: Various things. The first one is that I don't like to be bored. I'm the kind of person who has to always be doing something. I also think that people don’t like to admit this but from a business owner perspective, making money also motivates me. I also love interacting with people and imprinting what I have learned on other people. I have a floral book coming out in April that I’ve been working on for almost three years; it’s basically a “how-to” book for florals. It’s for people who love flowers but don’t know where to start in terms of arranging. I’m really looking forward to it because I love teaching people something that I really love to do.
