Cover Nina Garcia of Majorelle Floral Design
Nina Garcia of Majorelle Floral Design
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Nina Garcia waxes poetic about her love for floral arrangements and the intimacy of floristry
“I’ve always appreciated beauty and elegance,” says Nina Garcia of Majorelle Floral Design, reflecting on her love for floral arrangements. “I consider each floral creation to be unique and special—no two arrangements are exactly alike, in the same way that no two days in life can be exactly alike.” A hopeful romantic, Garcia’s approach stems from her personal philosophy: “Beauty delights, and to be a bearer of beauty and joy to others is an inspiration in itself.”
She opened the virtual doors to Majorelle on September 8, 2020, at the height of the pandemic. “Like most people, I was restless,” she recalls. “I was motivated to redirect uncertainty and shift to uplift my spirits.” Operating from her own home, she creates classic yet contemporary arrangements imbued with a soul-stirring closeness, statement pieces of her sincere desire to evoke a feeling of gratitude. “The gesture of gift-giving through flowers celebrates life in all its facets and milestones,” she shares. “I truly believe that the art of beauty and design flourishes when imparted to others with love.”
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Above Garcia creates an arrangement of white lilacs, English Garden Rose Princess Hitomi, English Garden Rose O’Hara, Equadorian rose and spray roses
Garcia creates an arrangement of white lilacs, English Garden Rose Princess Hitomi, English Garden Rose O’Hara, Equadorian rose and spray roses
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Although she grew up surrounded by lush greenery and blooming blossoms, Garcia truly fell in love with floristry during her weekly visits to the New York City flower market on 28th Street. “I derived a certain ‘high’ just seeing the unlimited varietals, an endless array of colours, shades and abundant foliage from all over the world,” she reminisces. “I was in heaven!” In her time at The Big Apple, the budding florist also frequented her favourite French eatery, which “always showcased glorious arrangements and stunning blooms that made dining such an enjoyable encounter”. The restaurant? Majorelle.
This infatuation with flowers soon led Garcia to undertake intensive programmes on floral design and floristry skills, even a course in flower shop management at FlowerSchool New York. She then went on to train with top florists throughout town, further honing her craft and skill through a series of internships. Now at the helm of her very own boutique, Garcia continues to nurture her lust for learning, regularly attending masterclasses and keeping in touch with her mentors around the world.
Through these endeavours, Garcia has well and truly mastered her techniques, refining her own style in the process. “The Majorelle signature look has always been about understated elegance, prioritising the quality of fresh blooms designed with a strong European influence in its clustering,” she explains. Having enjoyed frequent travels since youth, she draws great influence from her visits to Paris, Milan, Vienna, Stockholm and London, shaping her comely and worldly lens. In fact, she sources most of her flowers from the Netherlands, with the Ecuadorian rose a remarkable exception. “[None of my] creations leave the atelier without a final stamp of excellence, a value my late father had always ingrained in me early in life: to never settle for less and always deliver my best,” she shares.
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Above Prized Equadorian roses in ecru, peach and orange
Above An arrangement of white lilacs, garden roses, ranunculus and spray roses
Prized Equadorian roses in ecru, peach and orange
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Like all great artists, Garcia takes inspiration from every facet of life be it art, interior design, fashion, or the space around her. “I stay open and curious towards the unknown, to the little surprises an ordinary day can offer, influencing my creative space,” she intimates. It is this openness that enables Garcia to curate meaningful, unique arrangements every time. While she has a personal inclination towards “romantic palettes, soft hues and interesting textures exuding dramatic silhouettes”, each arrangement is created with the client and recipient in mind. Discussing her creative process, she relates, “I thoroughly enjoy the very first dialogue [with my clients] because I get to engage in a gentle inquiry of expectations. The discussion reveals the personalities and style of both the giver and the recipient.”
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Above A vibrant mixture of Dutch roses, garden roses, stock flower, lisianthus and bouvardia
Above Pink and white cymbidium flowers with green amaryllis
A vibrant mixture of Dutch roses, garden roses, stock flower, lisianthus and bouvardia
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As stunning as Garcia’s floral arrangements are, there lies great sentiment behind her craft beyond just that of aesthetics. Rhapsodising about her passion-turned-profession, she muses: “I witness generosity take place in each order as the details, colour, theme and specifications are relayed to me. I am grateful not only for the trust and confidence but also for seeing how the giver desires to make another human being happy with a gift from Majorelle.”
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Credits
Photography: Marc Henrich Go
About
Lauren’s love for food came much later in life than one would expect— an obsession awakened in the streets of Melbourne’s multicultural dining scene. Armed with this newfound passion, she returned to the Philippines determined to discover the best eats in her home country, with a personal advocacy to champion local cuisines and homegrown talent. Nothing is off-limits; if it’s delicious, it’s worth celebrating.
Work
As Tatler Dining associate editor, Lauren covers all things food and drink, from listing the latest openings in our monthly Dining Radar to interviewing chefs and bartenders about the biggest obstacles crippling the industry today. Beyond the digital space, she also organises Tatler Dining’s tentpole events, including Off Menu and Tatler Dining Kitchen, as well as the annual Tatler Best Philippines awards night and guide launch, detailing the best restaurants in the country.
For leads and event invites, contact her via lauren@tatlerphilippines.com or follow her on Instagram at @laurengolangco.
Photo: Ralph Mendo
