We recently connected with Dru Hilty and have shared our conversation below.

Dru, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

As a floral designer in New York City & Brooklyn, one of the most unusual things about my company is that we don’t take on traditional “white and green” weddings. There are a few reasons for this. One is that a palette of whites just doesn’t spark joy for me. And there are lots of amazing florists who do these types of events beautifully. But not every florist is great with color, which is where we excel as a brand. Prior to starting my floral business, FloraModa, I was a creative director in the fashion industry for 10+ years, focusing on concept and color. I worked for brands like Kate Spade, J.Crew, Alexander Wang and developed a very nuanced sense of color and how to put beautiful color stories together. So when I started my floral business, my mission was to bring those worlds together- and to bring a riot of color to a sometimes stodgy industry.
Because of this focus, I am able to work with the most creative and thoughtful clients- couples who don’t want a cookie cutter wedding and want to partner with me to create a vibrant floral dreamscape for their special day. It has set me apart in an industry that tends to cater to more “traditional” aesthetics.

Dru, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When Covid hit in 2020, I found myself out of work after having worked for many years in the fashion industry. I needed a break and I gave a lot of thought to what really interests me and how I could share my talents in a totally new way. I’ve always loved flowers- my parents are both naturalists and we spent so much time outdoors as kids, getting our hands dirty and learning all about plants and trees, birds and flowers. So after taking some online courses, I reached out to other florists in NYC that I admired and offered to freelance for them. I was like a sponge soaking up everything I could while I worked- learning from the best, most creative florists in the city. After a while, I thought, you know, I can totally do this. AND I can bring a new perspective to traditional wedding floristry. A true focus on unique, sculptural and COLORFUL wedding florals. Having sustainable practices was also important to me, which is why we are also a foam-free florist. No floral foam is used ever as it is very toxic to the environment. And we compost any organic waste.

So I struck out on my own with my business FloraModa, which I started out of my 4th floor walk-up apartment (which I do not recommend as a great place to run a floral business from haha). But with the grace of my neighbors, who let me store all my equipment in their hallway, I made it work for the first 6 months of my business. And here I am 3 years later. I’ve had a LOT of help along the way and it is important to me to express how grateful I am to my friends, family, and other creative professionals in this field who have all been so supportive over the years, helping me learn and grow. So that I can continue to serve my amazing clients with the most creative, unique and color-forward designs possible.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

My business was actually all self-funded. After years of working in fashion and tucking away bonuses, I was able to purchase the capital needed to launch my business. I have been lucky enough to not have to take on any loans along the way as I’ve grown. Because I’m an event florist, I don’t need a retail space and when I do need transportation, I rent vans and trucks. This keeps my overhead costs low and lets me reinvest in my business as it grows.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Word of mouth is so key, as are testimonials and reviews from clients. I share these not only on my own website but also through sites like The Knot and Wedding Wire. They really help create trusty. And for me, having strong visuals of my work to show prospective clients is key. So I am grateful to the generosity of the wedding photographers who are kind enough to let me showcase my work through their images.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.floramoda.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floramoda.ny

Image Credits

Emily Meing Photo (blue/red/yellow bouquet image); Megan & Kenneth (pink and purple bouquet image); Michael Higgins (all others)