Little by little we pick up the thread of our normal life. Did corona change the world forever? Sabato spoke with Mark Colle, the floral artist who collaborated on fashion shows by Raf Simons, among others.
What impact does corona have on your life?
‘I closed the doors of my shop in Antwerp at the beginning of March. Almost immediately after the closure, I received an email asking if I could deliver flowers to my home. After some deliberation, I decided to do so. I really like this new way of working – delivering flowers to order. It is easy to plan. Although I am glad that my shop is open again. ‘
“Luxury brands are more likely to look for local talent, instead of having someone fly over from Belgium”
Why do people keep ordering flowers during these times?
‘Flowers respond to our emotions. They brighten us up, make us happy. The appreciation of the people I delivered flowers to at home kept me going during the lockdown. It’s heartwarming. We were also obliged to spend a lot more time at home: having a nice bouquet of flowers there makes the situation a lot more pleasant. ‘
Did you do anything special during the lockdown?
“There are a few things I’ve been grumbling about for years. Things that made me think, “Damn, I only had one day off to do that.” Now I have been at home for seven weeks and I still haven’t done them. (laughs) I think that’s normal. All in all, I did enjoy it. I had a lot of time for myself, which was not the case in precorona times. So the rest was pleasant. ‘
What consequences does the crisis have for your business?
‘It goes without saying that corona will have a lasting impact on my company. I had many projects abroad, including in the fashion business. That sector has been hit hard. I can imagine that some luxury brands will now rather look for local talent and that they will not let someone fly over from Belgium. It will be an adjustment and a challenge, but one that I am looking forward to. If you are a creative animal, you will always find new ways to reinvent yourself. ‘
Do you already have new ideas?
‘I have time again to make beautiful shop windows in my shop, something that people can really enjoy. In recent years I had less and less time for that. I look forward to experimenting with that again. ‘