Djordje Varda is one of the most unconventional floral designers in the world. He is someone unlike any other person you are ever likely to meet. And that’s an understatement! In fact, his peculiarities and quirks do not go unnoticed. For a very good reason, he couldn’t care less about accepted rules of style and has a disconcerting habit of breaking all established conventions. But let’s start at the beginning of his life story and how he gets to work with the most special flowers, whom he collaborates with, and why this week, he's part of the florist special.
The Deep Story Behind Floral Designer Djordje Varda's Life
Djordje Varda was born in Belgrade, where he cherishes fond memories of Yugoslavia in the early seventies where he spent an idyllic childhood in a well-to-do urban setting. His father, a TV correspondent, was relocated to France, so at the age of seven, Djordje found himself living in an upscale neighborhood of Paris and leading a life that was not really that different from what he knew in Belgrade. Djordje grew up astride two cultures. At the same time, a taste for travel and a cosmopolitan way of life was beginning to stir in him. Several years passed, punctuated by a long sojourn back to his old country. But the memories of his childhood were quickly becoming a circle of negativity because indeed, Yugoslavia was being torn apart by a complex civil war.
After a few years, he decided to settle permanently in France where his future seemed laid out before him: he would become a journalist like his father or else a lawyer. Always restless, he started working and accumulated a wealth of eclectic experience in areas such as luxury goods, fashion, and beauty. His lifestyle was more than comfortable, and yet he realized that he was on the wrong track.
Highly existential, Djordje questioned his existence and often found himself bored to death. In those moments of boredom, he coped by opening his window and taking care of the little planter on his balcony. Who would have thought? It brought him peace, and more than that, he found it fascinating. For him, it was a revelation. From then on, the way was clear and he had an idea in the back of his mind…
The Quirkiness of Djordje Varda and the Start of His Floral Career
Two months later he gave up everything, threw his former self into the wind, and started his new life in Montorgueil. The move was all the more crazy because, apart from repotting plants in his bathtub and conducting horticultural experiments on his Parisian balcony, he knew nothing at all. But that is way in the past... nowadays, Djordje has settled to live in St.Barths and his life is nothing short of spectacular there because he does what he loves most: working with flowers to make spaces look beyond breathtaking.
St.Barths is an island bathed in tropical sunlight, serving as both his operational base and an endless wellspring of inspiration. The decision to settle on this island was motivated by a desire for freedom away from the hustle and bustle of Paris, which also led to his choice to discontinue running a flower shop. Djordje now works quietly in his small atelier just a stone's throw from the ocean, where he conjures up his magnificent designs and decorations.
Despite living on an island, his life is anything but isolated; the island remains at the heart of everything he does. In his rare moments of leisure, Varda travels the globe in search of the most innovative flower producers, those pioneering new varieties and colors through inventive hybridization techniques. DivFlo is a central point that brings these products together, perfect quality and niche flowers. That's what a designer needs, that's what fuels Djordje's creativity, enabling him to offer unique floral creations. A relentless globetrotter, he is forever on the hunt for that one elusive flower that will surpass all others.
Djordje about his collaboration:
"Working with DivFlo for the past 14 years has significantly simplified my fresh flower purchasing experience. Their webshop impresses with its extensive product range. Whenever I encounter questions or require flower delivery to difficult locations, their prompt responses are invaluable. Together, we've successfully executed numerous unique weddings and events. I take great pride in being a DivFlo partner!"
DivFlo is very proud with an ambassador like Djordje, almost anywhere in the world where Varda has an event, DivFlo is there to deliver anything he needs, from flowers to vases, to herbs, and even dance floors and furniture.
His Life in St. Barths - Decorating, Designing, and Giving Floral Classes
On a daily basis, this major player in the world of staging exceptional events—weddings, conferences, seminars, or gala dinners—is everywhere with his ultra ideas. Djordje Varda has gathered around himself on the island a small but completely devoted team of professionals who are used to his 'demands that are as extravagant as they are ambitious' and who will follow him blindly into every single one of his ventures.
But in St.Barths, his preference is for a different prestigious establishment: Eden Rock. Varda has signed an exclusive contract with this legendary island hotel and is in charge of its decoration, or as he likes to say, 'he conceptualizes its visual and emotional aestheticism'. From reception to the restaurants, every suite and every room at the Eden Rock bears his signature. But their partnership does not stop there, as in addition to his design duties, Varda also teaches private floral composition classes for hotel clients, as well as interested individuals. From time to time, he finds a moment to pause and impart his most precious possession: his savoir-faire!
As sharing and transmitting his knowledge are among his essential values, these classes in floral arts are the perfect means to do just that. And let’s not forget that Djordje Varda never had any formal training. His talent with flowers came by instinct, by trial and error, and by improvisation. By sheer will, he trained himself to find a sense of harmony and to strive to attain perfection. But at the end of the day, who better than a self-taught master to share his passion with those who follow?
He says:
"I do not impose a certain aesthetic vision, as beauty is subjective and depends on personal sensibility. What’s important for me is to give my students the desire to create. It’s the best way I know to share my passion."
He teaches his students in small groups and leads them along, step-by-step, gesture by gesture. A flower is not used in its natural state; it must be liberated from the earth, its excess leaves, and any impurities in order to earn its place as a beautiful blossom in a bouquet. Djordje explains his personal techniques in how to clean the flowers and prepare them so they last the longest, and how the water that guarantees their freshness does not get cloudy.
Because after all, having made beauty his religion, this master of floral design is passionate about the art of embellishment, and continually astounds us with the power of his work. To check out more of his superb work, visit Djordje Varda's Instagram.
Photos by @djordjevarda.
