Neill Strain Floral Couture: Bespoke Floral Couture For Residences, Celebrations & Weddings

Neill Strain Floral Couture is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book.

Neill Strain Floral Couture: Great British Brands 2024

‘A childhood interest in gardening gradually transformed into a deep passion for the art of floral design. After studying set design, I decided to pursue my true love for floristry by opening a flower boutique and stumbled upon a magnificent premises in Belgravia which led me to open my business there.

Over the last 16 years my floristry style has evolved significantly, reflecting a blend of my own artistic vision and the preferences of my diverse clientele. Hailing from various corners of the world, they are drawn to my use of bold colour and texture. They also appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the design process, as their floral arrangements often convey personal messages or serve as grand gestures.

I describe my work as “Floral Couture”, as it combines the use of exquisite and uncommon flowers specially sourced from champion growers in Holland, with meticulous design and exceptional service. Due to the highly bespoke nature of our work, we initiate the creative process by developing mood boards and sketches. This allows clients to envision the floral designs we will bring to life. While we collaborate with an illustrator for sketches on our more extravagant projects, we also employ computer programmes to craft proposals. Although I have yet to explore this avenue, I foresee the potential of using AI to generate imagery in response to specific briefs.

Even after all these years, I remain astounded by the profound impact flowers have on people. The role of a florist is truly exceptional as we have the privilege of creating floral couture in the most intimate moments of our clients’ lives.

Whether it be celebrating the birth of a child, assisting a bride in planning her wedding or providing solace to a grieving family during a funeral, flowers communicate in ways that words simply cannot.’

Neill Strain, founder

Staircase decorated with a colourful floral display

Five Proudest Moments

1. Launching my boutique 16 years ago in a prime Belgravia location, allowing me to become an integral part of the community.
2. Although I have always made flowers for weddings and celebrations, this arm of the business officially launched in 2014.
3. Opening our concession in Harrods in 2017 and ramping up our corporate services.
4. Opening a second boutique in Mayfair in 2023, a natural progression for the business.
5. I have only ever bought flowers from growers in Holland that are classified A or A+ for their sustainability by the Netherlands government. The goal is to become fully sustainable within five years.

What I’ve Learnt…

• Flowers have a magical effect on people. Like music or a painting, they create emotions and people will travel to see a beautiful floral display.
• It’s important to surpass clients’ needs with innovative design.
• Our work must extend beyond arranging flowers. We believe in compositions for the senses, designing with scent, colour, and texture.

NEILL STRAIN FLORAL COUTURE

11 West Halkin Street, Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8JL

+44 (0)20 7235 6469

neillstrain.com

@neillstrain