Her Own Style: Spotlight on Floral Designer Brittany Asch
Posted in Adult Education on March 5 2015, by Plant Talk
Floral Design Certificate program alumnae Brittany Asch (’11), is going her own way—including around the world and into Vogue. But this spring, she’s back at the Garden to inspire aspiring designers and to teach “Finding Your Own Aesthetic,” the first in our new Cutting Edge series featuring trending floral designers.
Brittany, who founded her studio, BRRCH, in 2013, has had a lot of success as a relatively young new designer. She said she owes her confidence in pursuing floral design to her experiences at NYBG.
“The Garden gave me a great foundation and platform to build upon, a strong technical base,” she said.
A strong foundation of skills is very important in the industry. Techniques are teachable, the basis of which are covered in the Floral Design Fundamentals: Form and Style classes, introductory Certificate courses that teach students about various floral styles, and valuable skills including wiring, flower insertion, and taping.
However, each designer must define and master his or her own aesthetic. Brittany’s is inspired by the moment.
“I try to see each empty vase as an opportunity to make something I haven’t before,” she said. “The symphony only exists because of the flowers, and I do my best to conduct them accordingly.”
Perhaps it is this mindset that got her noticed; Brittany’s work has been featured in national magazines including Elle, Nylon, Lucky, Brides, and, of course, Vogue. When preparing arrangements for photo shoots, she says you have to “tap into your inner MacGyver and rely on your instincts.” She said she just shows up with her tools and prepares to be adaptable to whatever situation the editorial involves—arrangements for a celebrity home or a product photo shoot, for example.
These photo shoots often involve flying around the world to style flowers. Brittany says her favorite place so far is Scotland, where she partnered with a friend’s company, Pyrus Flowers, to create an installation for the Fringe Festival. A John Muir quote inspired the installation: “I care to live only to entice people to look at nature’s loveliness.”
“It is essentially my philosophy for working with flowers in general,” Brittany commented.
As for seeing her work in publications and displayed publicly, Brittany said it’s unbelievable exciting and surreal, no matter how many times she experiences it.
“I mostly keep my head down working, so I am adjusting to the notion that when I look up, there are eyes looking back at me,” she said. “It makes my heart swell. I am in a perpetual state of shock and gratitude.”
In Brittany’s class, starting Sunday, April 19, she’ll teach students how to develop a vision to create designs that reflect their own creative personalities. And if you want to get started on a Floral Design Certificate, or just learn more about the industry, don’t miss our Floral Design Fundamentals classes in Form and Style, starting mid-month.
