Meet Dara Paquette | Artist, Floral Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dara Paquette and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dara, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’m obsessed with flowers and floral design. I’ve worked with flowers and as a floral designer for 25 years, so starting my own business was the next most natural evolutionary step. I realized along the way that I really wanted to create specific designs that I had never seen before, and that doing so would require me to venture out of the florists’ shops I had been working at to begin working on these concepts.

I began designing at the age of 14 through a 4 year course at my high school called Ornamental Horticulture, which is a fancy Victorian term for what we now refer to as Floral Design. I was hooked and decided upon graduating to get a job at a local florist shop. I stayed for about 8 months, briefly lived in Morton, Illionois where I studied the arts, then moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue my floral design practice on a larger-scale. From there, I continued honing my craft at a variety of different shops and studios, from grocery store floral departments to private studios designing for Hollywood’s royalty, gaining the skills and savvy necessary to navigate the world of floral design as a business.

In 2010 I took a 2 week sabbatical to NY and during that time I began figuring out how to accomplish my goal of having my business. I began with the name, which came to me through a series of stream of consciousness writing exercises and angelic divination rituals. Then, through a series of uncanny yet divinely orchestrated synchronicities, I would meet several important people who wanted to support my vision of FLORA LUX by purchasing a weekly flower subscription, the duration of which lasted several years for each and allowed me to refine my signature designs as offerings for delivery on my website. So in 2012, I replaced my 9—5 schedule at a full time florist with these two weekly accounts and thusly FLORA LUX was an official entity!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What makes my work unique is the mechanics and techniques I use – and the particular shape language I’ve developed over the years. For me, floral design is a spiritual practice that I imbue with archetypal and sentimental symbolism drawing on an endless variety of visual inspiration, most notably fashion and interior design. I like to get a picture of the person or space the arrangement is for and using my intuition, I go on a treasure hunt for the most unique flowers and botanicals I can find, and a one-of-a-kind design is created just for them and the occasion.

I created signature concepts like my ONYX arrangements, but no two are alike, which in the realm of floral design is somewhat of an anomaly. The ONYX arrangement, at the time of its conception in 2012, was the first naturally all-black floral arrangement.

Another unique aspect of my arrangements is the standard of time allotted to create each arrangement – which is uncommon in a fast-paced floral design world where standardized arrangements are processed within minutes. Each of my pieces, depending on size, is dedicated 45 minutes minimum for more wild style arrangements up to 2 hours or more for my signature pavé arrangements to compose, ensuring a level of quality and craftsmanship that is unique to FLORA LUX. My arrangements are not simply bouquets, but conceptual living works of art that showcase rare and unusual natural treasures. The quality of my arrangements is distinct; from their scale and volume to the intricate and varied shape language, to the abundance of premium floral and botanical variety utilized to create my signature look, to the duration they last. When you receive a FLORA LUX arrangement you are receiving a living sculpture thoughtfully tailored to the personality and space of the recipient that represents the sender’s deepest sentiments.

The most exciting aspect of my career is working intimately with people in their homes on a weekly or monthly basis with floral packages. I love creating arrangements tailored to their style and interior.

I started a YouTube channel about a year and a half ago which has been such a fun journey of learning new and vastly opposite skills and workflow to that of flowers. Learning how to edit and sew together videos in an entertaining and educational format has been very enriching and I’m excited to see where it’ll go. My goal with this channel is to provide new students and flower enthusiasts with insider design tips that I wish I knew when I first started out, and to reveal some of the behind-the-scenes of my techniques and process.

Getting to where I am today has been an intense journey of labor and love. The obstacles I have been met with in my career have at times felt insurmountable, but learning when to persist and when to rest have become critical skills for success.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were visiting LA I would plan days based on what we wanted to experience, then plan dining around those areas. For example, one day we would go to the Huntington Gardens, stroll the beautiful library and gardens, and stop to have afternoon lunch and tea at their tea room. Another day we might want to hike and catch the sunset, so I would take them out to my favorite locations in Malibu and Topanga Canyon, then grab a lobster roll at Broad Street Oyster Co, or if we’re feeling a little more rustic, a steak and potato at The Old Place. One evening we might catch a show at The Walt Disney Concert Hall, and then have dinner at one of my favorite spots to frequent, Zinqué on Broadway for a delicious, healthy meal. I also love Chateau Marmont for out-of-towners who want an iconic Hollywood experience. One day we might want to decompress and relax – so if it’s a girlfriend visiting, I’d take us to the Olympic Spa for the Goddess Package, and afterward go to one of my favorite spots for Thai food, Jitlada. My studio is located in the Arts District, one of the most happening spots in the city right now. We’ve got Hauser and Wirth Gallery with Manuela Restaurant in the same building, which is another great way to catch an art show and then have a great meal. Death & Co. for beautifully crafted cocktails. Bestia for superior Italian. Yangbang for an exciting take on Korean fare. Yunomi for the best handrolls, and last but not least…Maru for the best inventive coffee drinks and matcha…and the sweetest ever crew. The places I find most exhilarating about Los Angeles are the abundance of parks and natural spaces. From Malibu to Laguna Beach, I love finding little secret spots in nature off the beaten path, and then having a comforting, nourishing meal afterward. When it’s just my fiancé and myself, we base our evenings on what calls us – usually an art opening or a musical act, and those venues are always different.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Wow, there are so many people to acknowledge, thank, and give heaps of praise to. What I do would not be possible, first and foremost, without the clients and people who support and purchase my work.

My biggest client and dear friend since 2018 is Mariqueen Maandig Reznor. She has spread the gospel about FLORA LUX and championed my work which has helped me to attract more like-minded clients. I’m forever grateful for her care and support of my vision.

George Fuentes, my fiancé and number 1 supporter of FLORA LUX since day one. A constant generous source of advice, wisdom, and care. He’s there when I’m on top of the world after a successful project, and he’s there when I’m questioning whether to keep at it.

My mother, who encouraged me to pursue flowers was herself an avid gardener and flower lover. My fondest childhood memories were smelling the beautiful Lilac, Peony, Dianthus, Spiraea, Grape Hyacinth, and myriad other precious, fragrant blooms in her garden.

Nelson Hiltner, owner of Floral Rush, whom I worked alongside for 6 years honing my craft. He allowed me the space to find my voice as a designer, and without his style of leadership, I don’t think I would be where I am today. Nelson introduced me to the world of the weekly accounts floristry, and I’ll always remember the day he hired me. I was so eager to work with Nelson that I offered him a day of my time to see if we’d be a good fit. He then invited me to a day of designing in one of his client’s mansions in Beverly Hills where we arranged flowers on-site – and he hired me on the spot. It was the most exhilarating start to any floral design job I ever had and over the next 6 years, working with Nelson remains the most sentimental and important.

Johnny Stuntz, celebrity hair stylist and now founder of STUNTZ BEAUTY, who introduced my work to Mariqueen and has been so generous in his support since the beginning.

Website: www.floraluxla.com

Instagram: @floralux

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg8vi_pRLlkdY0KKVyZ9SPQ

Other: dara@floraluxla.com

Image Credits
Dara Paquette