Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey White.
Hi Lindsey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I became a florist after I DIYed my own wedding flowers. (I was married briefly… it didn’t last but the flowers did)I took to it pretty naturally and started craving any kind of floral education I could come across. I bought all the books I could find on floristry, workshops, videos, etc.
A friend asked me to do her wedding, I did that… then another one and another one… 6 years later, I have come really far in this industry. I do events for the most part, but I’ve recently started breaking more into other areas like flowers for production sets, photoshoots, plant installs, and large floral installations.
Recently, I helped the set decorator of HBO’s Euphoria, Julia Altschul, and her team create Cassie’s iconic flower scene by providing the tabletop and the wall pieces in the foreground. The reception to the scene was really unexpected… even though I played a small part in that… I felt really proud at that moment. It’s been a long road of learning what works and what doesn’t, but I am finally starting to really feel grounded and confident in my craft.
In the last couple of years, I’ve been exploring taking on small landscaping projects. I have done a couple of gardens now that have really blown me away. It’s amazing what you can do when you just give it a shot.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has had its ups and downs. I used to try to do it all… a jane of all trades. I’d make floral designs I didn’t love for the sake of working. Then my portfolio was starting to be filled with things that I didn’t love, which would only attract similar gigs.
When the lockdown happened, my full event calendar was wiped clean in a week. I sat in a lot of self-pity for months. I was so depressed. I thought that everything I had worked so hard for was ruined. Then one day, I just changed my mind. I decided I was going to use that downtime to focus on a rebrand and attracting clients that trust my creative process and are willing to step outside the box a little.
I got a new logo, dropped a business name that I didn’t love anyway, and just introduced myself…”It’s me, Lindsey White, I am a floral designer and I like to constantly challenge myself to bring new exciting designs… come look.” I wanted to just be myself. I didn’t want to go by a “business name”. I didn’t want another “we” in an Instagram post when I was the only one behind the business. I understand the benefits of that sort of fake-it-till-you-make-it thing and I have seen it work for some businesses I truly admire.
But it wasn’t working for me. I didn’t want to be doing 52 events a year. I didn’t want to become a machine. It was just me doing flowers for some weddings and projects I really had a fire for. I wanted people to know that. I was scared at first… but I’ve met the best people along the way. I’d honestly be happy doing 2-3 events a month, with my dog at my feet in my small studio in the Valley forever. I am sure my feelings will change, but I’ve really enjoyed staying this size. It doesn’t feel like work to me this way.
In a way, the lockdown was a blessing because it forced me to slow down and go inside to figure out what I really wanted. I love old-school pen-to-paper journaling and I literally wrote out what my business was going to look like in 5 years, how many events I wanted to take on, what my clients were like, etc. I got ridiculously focused on what I wanted. I don’t exactly have it all, but the progress over the last couple of years has blown me away.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a florist that specializes in events, weddings, and film set florals.
What am I known for? That’s a hard question to answer about yourself! I’d say the common denominator among my clients is that they want something a little out of the box. They love crazy ideas. They usually have bright and bold color palettes, unique ideas, and a more artistic touch to their wedding or project.
They’ve heard that I like funky designs and crazy colors. What sets me apart from the others? The floral industry in Los Angeles is very saturated… but I really do believe there’s enough work for everyone and we all end up with the perfect client every time. I think what sets me apart is the ability to design alongside the client and present them with ideas they maybe hadn’t thought of before.
Aside from Cassie’s flower scene in Euphoria, I also made quite a few other pieces for the show that was either way way way in the background or didn’t make the cut for whatever reason. I think providing flowers for the show, in general, has been my proudest moment so far. It was fun to watch every week and look for my pieces.
They let me take quite a bit of creative control and that was the confidence boost I needed in my business at that time.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Relax, nothing is under control.
Contact Info:
- Email: lwhitestudiola@gmail.com
- Website: lindswhitestudiola.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseywhitestudiola/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindseywhitestudiola/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lindsey-white-studio-los-angeles
Image Credits
Miriam Brummel, Even Keel Weddings, So Cal Standard Photography, Vanessa Mestas, and XoandFetti
