The goal of multimodal UK floral artist Hamish Powell's work is to rekindle humans' bond with the natural world. With a foundation in plant science, he views floristry as a living, timeless art form every day of his life. Because of their personality and frequently transient beauty, plants and flowers serve as both his inspiration and his medium. Join this florist special to dive into his incredible creations and floral life.
Hamish Powell – From Florist, to Sculptor, to Designer, to Artist, Proudly Back to Florist
Hamish Powell is a florist, technically. But really, he’s a feeler first: a professional sentimentalist armed with secateurs. A background in botanical science forms the foundation of his work; met with the juxtaposed fashion and art world, he seeks to radically reawaken our lost connection to nature.
If you’ve recently seen singer Charli XCX clutching a bouquet that looked like it was plucked from Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, that was him. Often described as surreal and atmospheric, his awe-inducing floral installations now adorn window displays for Loewe, Hermes, and many more luxury brands. But while his work is often associated with the world of luxury, Powell isn’t only in it for the glamour: he’s here for the rot too.
The Start of His Career
Hamish entered the world of floristry almost by accident. While studying Plant Microbiology at university with plans to become a scientist, he needed a part-time job to support himself. Wanting something connected to plants rather than returning to previous jobs in hospitality, he decided to apply at flower shops around the city center. Armed with an embellished CV claiming experience in floristry and floral design, he visited several shops before finally being given a chance by Manchester Florist. The owner, who was pregnant at the time, needed help with practical tasks like washing vases, carrying heavy items, and sweeping floors.
What began as a simple student job soon became something much bigger. He worked at the shop throughout his entire degree, staying after shifts to experiment with flowers, practice techniques, and recreate designs that inspired him. Driven by curiosity and a strong desire to improve, he gradually developed his skills to the point where he was managing the shop by the time he graduated.
After university, he found himself at a crossroads between pursuing science or floristry. The decision became clear when a flower shop in London discovered his work through Instagram and offered him a position, marking the beginning of his professional journey in flowers.
Hamish:
"I started my own business in 2022, just after things began to return to normal. I began working from home. Loewe was my first client. When I left my previous job, they contacted me again. It was perfect, and I could do the work in the store, so I didn't need a studio. After that, I shared studios, did some beautiful residencies, and then opened my own shop."
Uplifting the Art of Floristry
For a long time, Hamish Powell has struggled with floristry being viewed solely as a service. Florists often work behind the scenes, gone before events begin and guests arrive, expected not to disrupt or draw attention. Seeing others share the belief that flowers deserve to be appreciated, credited, and talked about has been deeply rewarding for him. At the heart of his work is a desire to bring greater attention to the beauty of flowers. While most people already recognize that flowers are beautiful, Hamish believes they sometimes simply need help noticing them in the first place.
He says:
"Beauty is temporary beauty. If you think about human psychology, we’re really drawn to youth, and we’re drawn to those very temporary moments. If I think about it, this is exactly the reason I love flowers, because if you’re exposed to something beautiful for too long, it loses its specialness. That’s why I love that flowers die, and that my medium is temporary, because it really forces me to live in the moment, and to appreciate something while I have it. I think the biggest nightmare for me is to get used to beauty."
If Not Arranging Flowers, He Is Writing About Them
If not arranging the flowers, he is writing about them. Floristry and poetry are two different routes to the same destination – emotional expression. Time, and its human perception, is a recurring motif within Hamish’s work, where he seeks to frame the ephemerality of flowers with the permanence of words. His passion for our cultural diversity and floral obsession has led him to artist residencies in Singapore and Tanzania, as well as to leading floral projects for brands such as Loewe, Burberry, Diptyque, Penhaligon's, Acne Studios, Claridge's, YSL, and Ruinart. He was also invited, along with other designers, to create installations and share his expertise in Madrid in 2025.
He's a master of flowers, and his work is bound to really, really impress you. To see everything he creates, visit Hamish's Insta account.
Photos: @hamishpowell
