Fleurs de Villes FLORA Blooms at Phipps Plaza thanks to Atlanta Floral Artists
Fleurs de Villes returns to Phipps Plaza for its third year with the Atlanta debut of FLORA, a free, fashion-forward flower exhibition featuring the work of more than a dozen Atlanta floral designers, running through Sunday, May 3. The post Fleurs de Villes FLORA Blooms at Phipps Plaza thanks to Atlanta Floral Artists appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.
Black News 
Thousands of fresh blooms, couture-inspired mannequins, and the work of more than a dozen Atlanta floral designers have taken over Phipps Plaza this week as Fleurs de Villes returns for its third year with the Atlanta debut of FLORA, a free, fashion-forward flower exhibition running through Sunday, May 3.
The global flower show, which has staged more than 160 exhibitions across five countries and 34 cities, transforms Mall Level 1 at Phipps Plaza into what its co-founders describe as a living gallery, where floral art doubles as fashion and storytelling.
“It doesn’t matter what language you speak or how much money is in your bank; everyone loves flowers, and that’s what makes this so special,” said Tina Barkley, co-founder of Fleurs de Villes, at the exhibition’s opening Wednesday morning.
Barkley said Atlanta earned its place on the global tour by checking every box the organization looks for when selecting host cities, including local floral talent, neighborhood sophistication, and the caliber of available venues.
Among this year’s featured designers is Ebonee Benson of Ebonee Benson Designs, who contributed three mannequins to the exhibition, the most of any participating designer. Benson drew from African spiritual tradition and Japanese culture for her installations, including one inspired by Oshun, the Yoruba Orisha of fertility, love, and beauty, rendered in yellow blooms and sunflowers.
“I don’t know if many people think of the Orishas as haute couture, but to me, they are,” Benson said. “Flowers are going to speak the same language wherever you go, which is love, which is beauty, which is happiness.”
Benson, who is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, now based in Georgia, said each mannequin required roughly 14 hours of total design time across a team of three to five people, with concepts developed weeks in advance before construction during the days immediately preceding the show’s opening.
“It’s not just a party flower on a table,” she said. “It’s art, and it’s transformative, and it’s magical.”
Also earning recognition at this year’s show is Christian Daniele Mays of The Social Pedigree, who received the Florist Favorite award, voted on by fellow participating designers. It was her first year in the exhibition, and she signed up just two weeks before the show’s opening.
Her submission, titled “Future Floral,” features delphiniums at the base, three varieties of moss covering the body of the dress, and thistle at the crown, creating what Mays described as a maximalist design that balances color, texture, and beauty without tipping into excess.
“I think my designs are very intricate but also very in your face,” Mays said. “People should not be afraid to do the most, and your design should reflect that.”
Mays came to floristry after being laid off from a corporate events job in 2020, eventually freelancing and apprenticing with local designers before establishing her own studio. Six years later, she said the Florist Favorite recognition from her peers carries particular weight.
“I’m truly blessed and humbled by it,” she said. “I’m just so thankful that I was given a talent, and I’m able to use it to share my gift with the world.”
Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Fleurs de Villes FLORA runs at Phipps Plaza through Sunday, May 3, with free admission. A floral market and demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can vote for their favorite mannequin for a chance to win a prize package that includes a two-night stay at Nobu Hotel Atlanta, a $250 Phipps Plaza gift card, and a $1,000 certificate for the Porsche Experience Center.
“I’m truly blessed and humbled by it,” Mays said. “I’m just so thankful that I was given a talent, and I’m able to use it to share my gift with the world.”
The post Fleurs de Villes FLORA Blooms at Phipps Plaza thanks to Atlanta Floral Artists appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.
