SECRET MUSE #4

NAME: Christie Leigh

PROFESSION: Florist

LOCATION: London

I talked to Christie Leigh the artistic floral designer whose effortlessly natural arrangements have made her the go-to choice for fashion houses and artists. I asked her about growing up in Devon, her formative influences, her distinctive approach to floral design, and how her work intersects with fashion, art, and design. And, of course, why she chose her Ferian Signet Ring and Leaping Horse Swivel Fob Necklace.

LB You grew up in Devon – did you embrace the countryside growing up or were you ‘chomping at the bit’ to move to London? Can you tell us how you started your career?

CL I definitely embraced it! I loved growing up in the countryside, all the hedgerows, wildflowers, and sea air. But art school was calling, and London made perfect sense. I think one informs the other in my work; the city’s hustle and culture mixed with those early memories of Devon’s landscape. I started my floristry career by reaching out to fashion brands I’d worked with while modelling, asking if I could create flowers for their sets or showrooms. It just… blossomed from there.

LB You’ve collaborated with many high-end fashion brands including Dior, Burberry, Loewe and Louis Vuitton, as well as projects for artists such as Tracey Emin and the restaurant Toklas (created by the founders of Frieze art fair). How do you approach expressing your clients in flowers?

CL I approach each brand and brief differently, depending on what’s needed. Over time, I’ve built really strong relationships with clients - it’s all based on trust and a shared sense of taste. There are so many layers to consider when designing flowers for a brand or event: from the overall look and feel to the tiny logistics - setup times, seasonality, flower longevity, even the shape or colour of the crockery. Every detail matters. It’s about refining and fine-tuning until everything feels in harmony.

LB I read that you found an old book in a charity shop by legendary florist Constance Spry.  Spry’s use of unconventional objects in her arrangements, respect of natural form and woodland, non-floral elements can be seen in your work - does her philosophy and the idea of reframing the ‘classics’ in floristry resonate with you?

CL Definitely, Spry’s philosophy of breaking rules while honouring natural form feels very close to my own approach. I love her ability to reframe the familiar and to see possibility in the overlooked.

LB Your arrangements are recognisable for their naturalism and look elegantly effortless – which I’m sure is hard to accomplish. Can you give any tips on how to achieve a ‘CL’ look?

CL Let it go a bit. Nature’s already done the design work, you just have to not ruin it. Don’t overthink the placement; let stems fall where they want. Think about how each stem has its place and give it room to be there.


LB Some of your arrangements remind me of paintings. Are you influenced by art?

CL Always. One of my first wedding clients sent me a photograph of a Lee Krasner painting. I knew straight away they were my kind of people. I’m drawn to arrangements that feel a certain way, much like a painting. I don’t think the two are all that different; it's about composition and emotion.

LB Flowers are fleeting – is that part of the attraction?

CL Completely. It’s romantic and sad. The beauty’s in the briefness. You make something, it lives, it fades, so fleeting and untouchable.

LB For your own wedding, what flowers did you have – was it difficult to be your own client? Your husband is musical; do you feel there’s a synergy between visual and aural rhythm?

CL Well, Dom loves house music and rave - so, not exactly! But we both kept our sides of the bargain: he made sure everyone danced and had a brilliant time, and I made sure it all looked beautiful. I used English-grown garden roses, and the whole church smelt of them. I also used huge candlelight hydrangeas which were stunning - again grown down the road from the church. It was very special.

LB There are ethical questions around flower production which I know matter to you – how can we be better educated to know what to buy?

CL It’s hugely important. Like most fresh produce, the less flowers travel, the better they are, for both quality and the environment. Of course, we can’t always stick to that rule, but if we all do our bit and buy more locally and seasonally, it makes a real difference for the growers, the industry, and the planet.

LB The first Ferian piece was a present from your husband, a ring set with a vintage Wedgwood horse head – do you know why he chose it for you?

CL He knows I love horses, so that’s probably where it starts - but honestly, he couldn’t have chosen better. It’s now one of my absolute favourite pieces of jewellery; I feel completely bare without it.

LB Finally, your most recent Ferian piece is the Swivel Fob set with a 1970s vintage Wedgwood Black Jasperware Leaping Horse – does your jewellery need to have meaning for you?

CL Always. I love jewellery that feels like a talisman. Timeless pieces that become part of your life because of who gave them to you, where you were, or what you were doing when you acquired them. I like to think of it more as being a custodian of jewellery rather than its lifelong owner.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING FERIAN MUSE #4

Follow Christie: @Christie.leigh.florist

Floral enquiries: christie.leigh.floral@gmail.com

Partnership enquiries: Ifrah@anonltd.com

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