There are floral designers who make beautiful work, and then there are floral designers who build a whole visual world around it. Kelsie Hayes, founder of Popupflorist, sits firmly in that second group.
Her route into flowers was not the classic one. Before launching Popupflorist in 2016, Hayes studied fashion design, worked in PR, and later became a Design Director in LA. That fashion instinct still runs through her floral work today – in the way she handles proportion, color, styling, and mood. Flowers, for Hayes, are not simply decorative. They can shape identity, emotion, and atmosphere in the same way clothing does.
Now, as Popupflorist marks its tenth anniversary, Hayes is bringing that point of view to Chelsea in London. During the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 period, she will work with Veronica Beard on an installation at the brand’s Sloane Square store for Chelsea in Bloom, under this year’s 'Out of This World' theme. It is a project where fashion, flowers, retail, and storytelling meet in one place.
What Does the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Mean to Kelsie Hayes?
For Hayes, Chelsea is not just another event on the calendar. It is one of those stages that says something about where a floral practice stands.
"The Chelsea Flower Show is such a highly regarded event as is Chelsea in Bloom. We are really grateful to be able to showcase our work on this type of stage!"
That gratitude feels grounded. Popupflorist has spent a decade building a recognizable creative language in New York and beyond, from expressive arrangements to large-scale installations and brand worlds. Chelsea gives Hayes a different kind of visibility: a place where flower people, design people, garden lovers, fashion audiences, and press all move through the same week.
From Fashion to Flowers, and Back Again
The collaboration with Veronica Beard feels natural because Hayes has always treated flowers as part of a wider visual culture. She does not separate floral design from fashion, interiors, art, or personal storytelling. Her work often lives between those worlds.
That same idea can be seen in her book 'Say It With Flowers', where anonymous notecards from flower orders become the starting point for floral arrangements. It also shows up in Love Letter Gallery, where handwritten love letters and floral design turn private emotion into a shared experience. These projects say a lot about Hayes’ approach: flowers carry meaning, and a good floral project can hold a story without explaining too much.
At Chelsea, that story becomes more spatial. The Veronica Beard store will not simply be dressed with flowers. The plan is to make it feel as if flowers have taken over the space.
Hayes has teamed up with Veronica Beard to create an installation. Here's what she says about that collab:
"Veronica Beard has been a brand we have worked with consistently and they really care about art and creativity. They have an amazing head of Visual that has really let us run with our design while being such a great collaborator."
That freedom matters. The installation takes inspiration from Veronica Beard’s collection itself, looking at details such as color combinations, buttons, thread, silhouettes, and styling. Hayes’ team will translate those cues into a floral environment that feels sculptural, playful, and slightly surreal.
Kelsie:
"This year’s theme is “Out of This World,” and it feels like a really natural bridge between both of our design worlds. We really wanted the installation to feel immersive and transportive- like the florals had completely taken over the store."
The design will use bold color, unexpected combinations, and strong shapes. One key idea is that flowers appear to grow directly from the clothes and mannequins. It blurs the line between the dressed body and the floral object, which is exactly where Hayes’ work often feels most alive:
"The idea is that the flowers are growing out of the clothing and mannequins themselves, almost taking on a life of their own. We wanted it to blur the line between fashion and florals in a way that feels playful, dramatic, and a little bit otherworldly."
How Much Is Kelsie Hayes Looking Forward to Chelsea?
Chelsea comes at a busy time of year for any floral studio. For Popupflorist, it lands after spring and Mother’s Day, which makes the project feel like a natural closing moment to the season.
Kelsie:
"Spring and Mother's Day season are our busiest, so this will be our “grand finale.” Really excited to end with such an amazing project that we are so proud to be part of!"
That idea of a 'grand finale' fits the moment. Popupflorist is celebrating ten years, Hayes is stepping onto a major London floral stage, and the installation brings together many of the things that have shaped her career so far: fashion, emotion, color, retail, art direction, and flowers used with real intent.
Color, Seasonality, and Flowers at Their Right Moment
For the Chelsea installation, Hayes is leaning into color and texture. Purple and red stood out to her from the start, mainly because the combination feels bold, surreal, and slightly dreamlike:
"For the installation, we really wanted to play with texture and shape through mono-blooms- layering masses of the same flower together to create something sculptural and immersive. From the moment I heard the theme, I immediately knew I wanted purple and red to be present."
Seasonality is also a big part of the work. Chelsea takes place at one of the best moments in the floral calendar, especially in London, where local flowers and plants are strong at this time of year. Hayes and her team are not looking for flowers that are already fully open. They want material that can continue to develop during the show.
Kelsie comments on this:
"We always try to work with what is truly at its peak. Seasonality is really important to us, especially in a place like London where the local flowers are so beautiful and abundant."
That level of timing is part of professional floral work that the public does not always see. An installation has to look good on day one, but it also has to keep moving, opening, and holding its shape through the week.
"When sourcing, a huge part of what we do is understanding timing and bloom stage. You never really want to buy something fully at peak unless it’s for an event that same evening- we’re always looking for flowers that are just about to open so the installation continues to evolve and come to life over the course of the show."
Can Visitors to Chelsea See Kelsie Hayes’ Work?
Yes. Visitors can see the Popupflorist installation at Veronica Beard’s Sloane Square store during Chelsea week.
"Veronica Beard Sloane Square Store- the display will be up all week as well as bouquets for customers. My book will also be available all week!"
That makes the project more accessible than a one-night event. It becomes part of the Chelsea atmosphere, visible to visitors walking through the neighborhood during one of London’s busiest flower weeks.
Hayes’ work is also expanding in New York City through House of Three, Popupflorist’s new creative studio in NoMad.
"New York City- we just opened our own creative studio House of Three where we do private events and workshops."
House of Three gives Hayes and her team a more permanent space for workshops, private events, creative projects, and community. It also makes sense as the next step for a studio that has never stayed inside the classic boundaries of floristry.
Why Kelsie Hayes’ Chelsea Contribution Matters
Kelsie Hayes’ contribution to Chelsea 2026 is not only about one installation. It is about the kind of floral voice she brings into the room.
Popupflorist is design-led, fashion-aware, emotional, and very much built around experience. At Veronica Beard, Hayes is not adding flowers as a final layer. She is using flowers to reshape the store environment and pull people into a world where clothing, mannequins, color, plants, and floral forms all speak the same language.
That is what makes her Chelsea moment interesting for florists, too. It shows how floral design can move beyond decoration and into full creative direction. It can live in fashion, retail, publishing, public art, and personal storytelling, while still staying close to the simple reason people keep coming back to flowers: they say something.
All images courtesy of Kelsie Hayes.
