Among the 40,000 visitors, Thursd was present at the IPM Essen 2026, this year with a special focus on the newly introduced IPM Flower Stage, which attracted great attention with its exceptionally diverse floristry programme. International floral designers brought the fascinating world of flower arranging to life on the revolving stage.
Here's what stood out and why you should block January 26-29, 2027, in your agenda already for the next edition.
What the IPM Flower Stage 2026 Was Meant to Be
If you spent time at the IPM Flower Stage during IPM Essen 2026, you know the feeling: you walk out with a head full of ideas, and a phone full of pictures, reels, and notes you actually want to use next week.
The setup did a lot of the work. A revolving stage, full tribunes, and a steady rhythm of talks, demos, and show moments, right there in Hall 5 of the gigantic Messe Esse venue. That one hall wasn’t just a place to sit and watch – it was a loop: see a session, scout suppliers nearby, come back for the next show, repeat. And that for four days.
The IPM Flower Stage was positioned as the next step after the former FDF World concept: open to exhibitors and institutions across the green sector, with more formats than a classic demo-only program. Hall 5 is the central meeting place for floristic trends and inspiration, and the stage was opened to all interested exhibitors.
What Made the IPM Flower Stage Work
First of all, you could actually see techniques up (really!) close. One of the strongest parts of the week was how well the shows were talked through. Instead of just watching a finished piece appear, you got the why behind the choices: mechanics, structure, pacing, and the little decisions that separate a good piece from something that holds together all day.
Second, every designer had a clear signature and was able to explain this in front of a live audience. That was maybe the biggest underlying lesson. Different hands, different energy, different outcomes – and that’s the point. The message landed for students and experienced florists alike: build your own style, learn from the best, and combine technique with personal taste until it becomes yours recognizably.
And, of course, it was a stage for the whole chain. Florists, students, growers, breeders, wholesalers – it didn’t feel segmented. The stage became a shared reference point: what’s possible with today’s cut flowers, and what customers are moving toward.
Names and Moments People Kept Talking About
The week had a strong mix of designers and formats, with plenty of contrast across the days. The transcripts mention standout names and floral champions like Hanneke Frankema, Stefan van Berlo, Joseph Massie, Alex Segura, and Chantal Post.
A few program highlights that helped define the week:
- Marginpar brought ‘Flower Riot’, featuring Sara-Lisa Ludvigsson and Elisabeth Schoenemann alongside Hanneke.
- Decorum ran the ‘Pure Perfection Passion Show’ with Joseph Massie, Stefan Van Berlo, and Yulia Medvedyeva.
- Vahldiek's ‘Flower Up Your Ideas’ with Franka Roenhorst, Anja Ersing, and Chantal Post.
- The ‘Spirit of Aloha’ segment, hosted by Björn Kroner with Brenna Quan and Sue Tabbal-Yamaguchi, added a completely different cultural angle to the stage.
- ‘The Crafters’ Secret’ under FLOOS pulled together a strong international lineup, including Carles J. Fontanillas, Rudy Casati, and Iza Tkaczyk, with Alex Segura as part of the format.
- On Thursday, the day leaned more into business models, workshops, and retail ideas, then ended dancing on the stage with the Florist Get-Together and DJ.
- And the close: a winner moment on Friday, giving the stage a clean finish. Floristry craftsmanship was judged at the IPM Trade Fair Cup – the motto: “Where nature knows no boundaries”. The overall winner was Bärbel Grzenia from Gartencenter Wansing in Neuss.
The Flower Supply Backing the Shows
To present a floral galore, there was support from top growers, including Porta Nova (known for the famous ‘Rose Red Naomi’), over fifty growers from Decorum, and Marginpar, who took home the IPM Novelty Showcase Award for the best cut flower Clematis Amazing® Tokyo. That kind of backing matters because a stage like this only hits hard when the product quality is consistent across multiple shows and multiple designers.
Practical Takeaways for Florists
- Build a repeatable mechanic. A strong structure or technique is reusable – switch the flower mix, and it becomes a new product.
- Use contrast on purpose. Not every piece needs to be ‘pretty’. Texture, line, and negative space can sell when you present them clearly.
- Keep developing your signature. The best designers weren’t copying trends – they were editing them. That’s the lane for shops too.
- Don’t skip the business sessions. Social visibility, workshop pricing, merchandising, and customer flow were built into the program for a reason.
Next Up: IPM Essen 2027 Dates to Put in Your Calendar
If you missed this year and you’re thinking ‘okay, next time’ – do it properly and block the dates now.
IPM Essen 2027 is scheduled for January 26–29, 2027. And yes, the Flower Stage is returning. This is one of those events florists (and florist students) should experience at least once, because you’ll want to come back.
Header and feature image by Armin Huber/©MESSE ESSEN GmbH.
