5 Questions | Floral Army
Floral Army are award-winning boutique florists based in East Fremantle. Their bustling corner store is an oasis of beautiful blooms. As you step through their doorway the exquisite hues, texture and scents of the flora encompasses you. Their distinct and artful arrangements subtly blur the lines between art and nature and have gained them an exceptionally loyal following.
We spent a wonderful morning in their picturesque location in Fremantle (documented by Natasja Kremers) and spoke with the lovely Alicia and Annita on their journey and what a typical day looks like for Floral Army, their tips for ordering blooms online, as well as sustainability and of course - what to wear for a day at Floral Army.
You have a very popular and beautiful store in East Fremantle which has been recently renovated - Can you tell us about the Floral Army Journey?
Floral Army started as a little wedding/event side hustle after working as retail florists for about 10 years. After a year we were missing the retail side of floristry and decided to move into our little corner shop on George st. The local community have really embraced us and it has been a whirlwind 9 years in this space. Last year we renovated the space to create a store that we feel reflects our style and we are loving how the space highlights the flowers. We now have a beautiful army of florists and drivers who are just as passionate about flowers as we are.
What does a day in the life of Floral Army look like?
Mornings start at 7am in store but we are often at the wholesalers earlier to collect flowers. We get started on the day's orders and processing flowers. We love that everyday is different depending on who walks into the store. Our delivery orders are loaded into our vans and get on the road by 10am and we spend the rest of the day making the shop look beautiful, chatting to customers, planning and prepping for events.
What are your tips for buying the perfect arrangement from Floral Army online, and how to best care for it when it arrives?
We have recently transformed our online store to include more giftware and beautiful new floral designs. All our designs are delivered in water that will keep the flowers hydrated for the day. Cutting the stems and changing the water daily is a really good habit to get into, it will help prolong the life of the blooms.
As a florist is there anything you consider in order to increase sustainability within your industry?
We try as much as possible to buy locally grown flowers and Australian made products to support our local flower farms and small businesses. We now offer a pack down service after events where we deliver the leftover flowers to the clients to enjoy rather than all the blooms going in the bin, we find this has been so lovely for our wedding couples especially as they often have post wedding events the following days.
How do you approach getting dressed for a day at Floral Army? And what are your goals in terms of style and function?
Comfort is key for us, our job is very physical and most of the time surprisingly dirty! a big part of our day is spent loading and unloading the van, hauling buckets and cleaning so we look for clothing that can wash well and is comfortable to move in. We love linen and quality cotton.
You can find Floral Army at Shop 1/37 Sewell Street East
Fremantle WA 6158
Or shop their beautiful bouquets online at www.floralarmy.com.au
Shop Floral Army's looks here
Photography | Natasja Kremers here
