SEATTLE — A vibrant mix of flowers and fashion are filling Seattle’s Pacific Place for the next few days.
The annual Fleurs de Villes is back, and this year it’s inspired by Seattle PRIDE.
"Pride is full of color, right? And flowers are full of color and joy and happiness,” said Karen Marshall, Co-Founder of Fleurs de Villes. "There's so many different ways people interpret Pride and interpret these installations."
An array of florists from Western Washington, Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, B.C. created installations, ranging from selfie walls to elaborate haute couture dresses on mannequins – all made from living materials.
"It's a little bit difficult, but it's really fun,” said Erica Rudd from Seattle’s Bloom Brats Botanical. "Honestly we're just trying to have fun with it and use a lot of colors."
She designed an androgynous outfit consisting of a leaf jumpsuit with bellbottoms and fringe made from flowers.
Alonzo Fernandez’s team from Our Secret Garden in West Seattle used rainbow-colored palms to make a selfie wall.
"They’re angel wings, because people (like to) take pictures of it,” he said.
There’s also a mannequin being swept up in a botanical tornado, designed by Kelley Birkinbine of Bentley Fleurs in Vancouver, Wash.
"From start to finish, it's an amazing process,” she said. "Fleurs de Villes changed the course of my career and my goals."
Hundreds of hours go into each creation and when they're assembled, the pieces become one-of-a-kind temporary designs.
Birkinbine can't wait for people to see the displays.
"Everybody softens, their voice softens, the look in their eyes, they are so kind,” she said. “Something about the flowers, it just brings that out in people. And for me to get to experience that is incredible."
The organic materials won't last forever, but the organizers hope the memories will.
"It's something really special, and the world is so crazy right now, if you're looking for joy and happiness - that's what fuels us, that's what fuels our team,” Marshall said.
Fleurs de Villes PRIDE will be on display inside Pacific Place from June 26 – July 1. Admission is free.
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