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I discovered Flowerbx, an online flower delivery site, in an article I read in ‘Point De Vue’ magazine towards the end of last year. What drew my interest first were that the photos of three cute children at a door on which a beautiful wreath was hung, the living room warmly decorated for Christmas and an elegant lady seeming to show her utmost care for the beautiful flowers and candles on a stylish dinner table. As I read the article; I found out that the house decorated for Christmas belonged to Whitney Bromberg Hawkings -the creator and founder of Flowerbx– and her husband Peter Hawkings, the Senior Vice President of Menswear for Tom Ford, where they live with their three children Barron (12 years old), Snowden (10 years old) and Wallis (4 years old) in Kensington, London.

Photos below are from the magazine ‘Point de Vue’ dd. 4-10 December 2019. The wreath on the door and the flowers and the garland in the living room are from Flowerbx.

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Whitney Bromberg Hawkings is of American origin who grew up in Dallas whereas her husband Peter Hawkings is English. They met while working at Tom Ford where Ms. Hawkings started her career as a personal assistant of Tom Ford who was creative director at Gucci in Paris at the time and where she had fantastic years between Paris, Milano and London as she puts it. Ms. Hawkings tells in the article in ‘Point De Vue’ magazine (no: 3724) that when she was 22, the only idea in her head was living in Paris since she heard Jackie Kennedy speaking French in a documentary which seemed so chic to her. She studied French literature at The University of Columbia. She bought a one way ticket from Dallas to Paris and as she heard that Tom Ford was looking for an assistant she applied and got the post. Like Ms. Hawkings, I also find the tone of French language -a poetic language I would say- very pleasant, which drove me to learn French in my early working years.

Ms. Hawkings further tells in the article that at her 30s, she founded her family with Peter Hawkings and at her 40s, she wanted to start her own business. She tells that the idea of Flowerbx germinated after realizing that she could order everything online except for a beautiful bouquet. She states that in five years, a sophisticated logistics was set up between Holland, where the flowers are grown and purchased, and the platforms of London, Paris and New York where they are prepared before they arrive at their destination in less than 48 hours after the ordering.

In the below photos from ‘Point de Vue’ magazine, Whitney Bromberg Hawkings is arranging the beautiful flowers and candles having attractive red colors on the Christmas table. I also liked her dress, which is in perfect match with the flowers, plain but very elegant, that is said to be a Valentino vintage in the magazine. It is also stated that Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, whose mother is a chef, likes to cook whereas her husband likes to take care of the vintage styled decoration of their house. The couple are said to like shopping from ”L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue”, a small town in Avignon famous for its many antique shops and markets, and Saint-Ouen flea market (”Puces de Saint-Ouen”) in Paris.

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I was wondering if the name Flowerbx has any meaning or where it came from which I found the answer in an article of The New York Times. At first, Ms. Hawkings wanted to call her company Flowerbox but she couldn’t get rights to the web domain worldwide. Then she thought: ‘What if we just lose the ‘o’ in box?’ Thus the name ‘Flowerbx’ arose. She wrote a business plan, found a small warehouse, leased a van, put up a website and financed her company herself. (nytimes.com, ‘The Flower Disrubter’, Feb.27, 2019).

I read in another article that Ms. Hawkings calls Tom Ford her greatest business mentor whom she admired for his hard work and vision. Mr Ford was a fashion designer working with brands like Gucci and Yves St. Laurent before launching his own brand. What they had in common while Ms. Hawkings was Tom Ford’s personal assistant at Gucci was that Tom Ford was also a native Texan living in Paris like her. (forbes.com). Ms. Hawkings moved to London when Tom Ford left Gucci and asked her to relocate from Paris with him to launch the brand Tom Ford. Peter Hawkings, her fiancé then, was also living in London. (hhouseproperty.com).

While Ms. Hawkings was working at Tom Ford, she had to deal with the delivery of subpar flowers, incorrect arrangements and unsatisfactory floral services. She thought there must be a better way to run the floral industry and wanted to create an exclusive brand. (forbes.com, ‘From Fashion Exec to Floral Industry Disruptor’, Jun 3, 2019).

Whitney Bromberg Hawkings was working as Senior VP of Communications at Tom Ford when she told Mr. Ford in May 2016 that she was leaving after 19 years to found her own company. Ms. Hawkings recalled: “He cried, and I cried, and it was like the hardest breakup.”. However, Tom Ford became one of her early and biggest clients. Flowerbx was officially launched in 2016 in the UK. Ms. Hawkings introduced her company by sending bouquets to a group of friends among which there were famous editors and TV talk show hosts. Some of them posted images of their Flowerbx bouquets on Instagram. The business grew up substantially in months and spread across Europe. (nytimes.com)

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Whitney Bromberg Hawkings describes the nature of her flower business and how Flowerbx operates as follows:

“Usually, flowers go to a wholesale market like Covent Garden, where they sit for three or four days, then to a florist, where they sit a few more days. At each step, the price increases. Not so with Flowerbx. You order the flowers, we cut them on your behalf in Holland. They are delivered directly to you, within 24 hours. You buy the flowers before we buy them, so it’s a negative capital business. We offer fresher flowers at a better value. And we have no waste.” (nytimes.com)

I examined the website of Flowerbx. The flowers displayed really seem exceptional and marvelous. Roses, tulips, lilies, daisies, peonies, freesias, gerberas, orchids, snapdragons, hydrangeas, carnations, stocks, chrysanthemums, gladioluses, bouvardia, delphiniums, anemones, green plants, wreaths and garlands … . Many more varieties some of which I had not even heard of. Like the charming ‘Italian Ranunculus’, which is listed among the most popular flowers; or ‘baby’s breath’ or ‘astilbe’, bunches of which I think would serve as lovely decoration pieces. All in vivid colors in arrangements obviously prepared with a different touch and presented with care that charm you at first sight. I think that, as a person having worked at the fashion industry for years among the gurus, Ms. Hawkings uses her observations and good taste in her exclusive brand.

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Flowerbx delivers flowers to UK, France, United States and almost all of the European Union countries. They also have a subscription service which ensures the delivery of the requested flowers at the address of your choice weekly, fortnightly or monthly. You can either choose a personal subscription for yourself or a gift flower subscription. It is stated in the NY Times article I have read that Victoria and David Beckham have vase arrangements delivered weekly to their home and to the VB design studio.

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Flowerbx sells Christmas trees and accessories, wreaths, garlands, candles, vases and gift sets as well. They have seasonal arrangements like the ‘Thanksgiving Collection’ or the ‘Christmas Collection’. I especially loved their tasteful and eye-catching table sets which may give you an idea for your Christmas table or your table at the New Year’s eve or another special event table. The thanksgiving table set in marked autumn colors would be nice for any special occasion in autumn.

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Flowerbx has also an events service entailing dinner parties, brand activations or large scale flower installations. Many esteemed international brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany&Co., DeBeers, Vogue, Jimmy Choo and Farfetch are their customers.

Below photo is one of Flowerbx’s stunning event works. The building belongs to Annabel’s Club in Mayfair, London- a distinguished club in London also a customer of Flowerbx.

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Below is another beautiful event work of Flowerbx at ‘Chelsea Flower Show 2017’, which made me discover a beautiful restaurant in London.

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Opened in 1851, Scott’s Restaurant, the famous fish restaurant and oyster bar in Mayfair, is stated to be among the five oldest restaurant in London. The restaurant is said to be mentioned in the 1963 American epic war film ‘The Great Escape’ as a dream destination. (scotts-restaurant.com). I first liked the outer view of the restaurant which gave me the impression that it is a quality restaurant having a style. Although it’s famous for its fine oysters, fish and crustacea there is also meat and vegetarian dishes on the menu. I saw photos of some of its artisan looking dishes and attractive desserts. I read that it is also popular among celebrities.

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River Café, which is among the customers of Flowerbx and among the favorite places of Ms. Hawkings for Sunday lunch as I read in an article, is my another discovery while writing this post. River Café is an Italian restaurant situated on a riverside site modified by the renowned architect Richard Rogers who is also the husband of the co-founder chef Ruth Rogers. It is described as a legendary place frequented by the ‘regulars of the London social scene’ and at where getting a table was always a ‘hard-won and long-awaited feat’. (tatler.com). I also read that River Café is loved by the fashion designer Valentino.Whitney Bromberg Hawkings tells in an article that once somebody called her about an event work at the restaurant and told her: “Michael Kors wants you to do the whole River Café in peonies.”. (nytimes.com).

If you like Italian food or wonder about the story of River Cafe, you can check the link of River Café cookbooks here in Amazon.

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Flowers are very important elements in a medium. They bring vitality to an environment, highlight a decoration and bring warmth to the place they are put in. Flower arrangement is also an important element in revealing the beauty of the flowers. I always prefer fresh flowers since I believe that the artificial ones do not evoke the same warmth.

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Whitney Bromberg Hawkings states in the interview I have read in the web site of Flowerbx that they are launching new virtual floral workshops where one can learn the tips for flower arranging. Flowerbx also has wreath workshops, online at the moment due to the pandemic. When asked in the interview about biggest no-no’s when it comes to floral arrangements, Ms. Hawkings answers the question as ”mixing too many colours or shades or varieties’. She says: ”Less is more with flowers.”. I completely agree with her. I think that mixing a lot of varieties or colors in a floral arrangement prevents each particular flower’s beauty from showing up and a mixed bouquet does not create the same powerful effect of single variety flowers emphasizing a particular color. Although I am aware that this may be due to the fact that I like classic and plain things much more, I am pleased that my point view is supported by an expert from the floral industry.

It is stated in in the article in NY Times that, as noticed by Ms. Hawkings, when Tom Ford received flowers from fashion people, the bouquets were often a single variety, reflecting the sender’s taste. Ms. Hawkings had said: “Miuccia Prada would send pink roses. Karl Lagerfeld would send white orchids. Or I’d go to a chic house, like Tom’s, and there would be beautiful green hydrangeas in a vase, and that was it.”. (nytimes.com).

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As Whitney Bromberg Hawkings has a career in fashion and was in the fashion industry for almost 20 years before launching her flower business, I want to share a quote of her here describing her personal style in an interview, which I think can be inspiring for most of us:
”I need to be able to go from our warehouse to lunch with a client on any given day, so my outfit must be versatile. I am most often in a pair of black Mother jeans, an Equipment blouse or and ATM T-shirt and a tailored TOM FORD blazer with a strong shoulder and a fitted waist, and a pair of Gucci loafers (with a pair of Gianvito Rossi stilettos in my bag) – old habits die hard.” (rebel.com)
I think a versatile outfit is quite important in today’s world to save time to be on time. I liked the Gucci loafers as they seem both comfortable and stylish. Ms. Hawkings also states that she buys the best T-shirts from ‘Hanes‘ as one of her fashion secrets. Although I shared these as they seemed good fashion tips to me, I think one must find her own style. After all, in the same interview, Ms. Hawkings states the following as a fashion advice to her children in response to a question:
”I hope that I can convey to my children the power of fashion to build confidence and to make one feel like one’s best self. I also hope I can pass on my love of fashion and encourage my kids to experiment with fashion to form their own identities and ultimately, define their own personal style. … .” (rebelle.com)

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In the above photo taken at the Hawkings’ house in South Kensington, London; Whitney Bromberg Hawkings is in her elegant dress that I liked which is stated to be ‘Emilia Wickstead‘; with her children, her husband Peter Hawkings and their dog Ursula -an elegant blue whippet. Ms. Hawkings had stated in the article in Point de Vue magazine that she valued Peter Hawkings’ impact on Flowerbx creations.

Hawkings family also has a cottage in the Cotswolds which I read about a lot as the family’s place of retreat especially at the weekends. I wondered Cotswolds and checked about it. It is stated that Cotswolds was designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty‘ (AONB) in 1966 and that it is the third largest protected landscape in England and the largest AONB lying mainly across Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. It is also close to Somerset and Bath that I hear a lot. Whitney Bromberg Hawkings states in an interview I have read: ”Being with my family at our cottage in the Cotswolds on the weekend is the greatest therapy and the best way to reset for another week.” (35thousand.com).
(You can check here in Amazon for the books about Cotswolds.).

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In the same interview, Ms. Hawkings says that during the pandemic, she treasures spending more time with her family as a gift and states that although Covid has accelerated the shift to online consumption and increased their sales at Flowerbx, focus has been a challenge for her. She explains this stating that as she is a very structured and organized person, the lack of certainty makes it hard for her to focus and plan for the future. She says that during the lockdown, she was still very preoccupied with ‘keeping the kids’ spirits up at home and being a cheerleader for her team’ at Flowerbx. (35thousand.com).

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In the photo above, Ms. Hawkings is with her pretty 4 year-old daughter Wallis, who is one year older here than in the photo with her brothers in the doorway above (the photo at the beginnings of this post). The corner they sit in looks so beautiful with the sweet-colored fresh flowers between them.

I guess there are a lot of flower delivery sites. The speciality of Flowerbx is the single-flower bouquets which are simple but beautiful and which seem so vivid and exclusive in their extraordinary colors, sourced directly from the grower. Whitney Bromberg Hawkings continuously emphasizes the freshness and quality of the flowers delivered by her company and values her brand a lot. I noticed that the web site of the company is regularly updated as well. I wanted to tell in this post not only about the flower delivery brand itself but also the story behind it for I think it is a very good example of creativity and entrepreneurship.

When asked about her favourite fall flower in the interview at the website of Flowerbx, Whitney Bromberg Hawkings answers as follows; which to me is an indication of how seriously she takes her flower business:

”I absolutely love our rich and lush autumnal hydrangea in colours such as sage blush, cherry crush and lime kiss. They really evoke the warmth of the season and are impactful and long lasting.”

When I read the uncommon colors of her favorite flowers that made me smile and that sounded very sweet, and her comment about beautiful hydrangea flowers; I wondered the colors of roses, the noble flowers that are among my favorite, at Flowerbx. I came across another set of sweet startling colors: Ivory, pink sweet, crazy in love, tequila sunrise, peach and much more… .

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Unfortunately, Flowerbx does not deliver flowers to Turkey. If they did, I would love to have their stylish fresh flower bouquets delivered to my door or benefit from their flower subscription service to beautify my home. Especially at this time of the year when the new year is approaching … .

Notes: I discovered a cute book titled “London in Bloom” in Amazon here that includes a list of recommended parks, gardens with photos of beautiful fresh flowers as well as florists and flower markets in London, which might draw the interest of flower lovers.

If you are interested in flower arrangement, you can also check the books here.
(In my post titled “Glin Castle – A Dream Home and Hotel” I had mentioned an upcoming “Floral Workshop Weekend” in Glin Castle hosted by the owners Dominic West and Catherine FitzGerald -a landscape gardener- which might also draw your interest).

Check here for the books about the story of River Café, London and River Café cookbooks and here for books about Cotswolds– a picturesque rural area of south-central England. I especially liked this guidebook about Cotswolds which includes Stratford-upon-Avon (birthplace of Shakespeare) and Oxford.