The House of Creed’s newest women’s scent, Floralie, was inspired by the heart of perfumery: florals. Taking cues from the scent’s inspiration of flowers as art, The House of Creed asked florists around the country to interpret the scent via their craft. We spoke with one of these artisans, Doan Ly who is the founder of a.p. bio, a floral design studio based in Brooklyn, New York. Doan Ly and her team create non-traditional designs for events and editorial. Taking cues from fine art, abstract forms, texture, light, and color, a.p. bio’s work delivers beauty, yet expands the way we define it.
Read on to learn more about Doan’s process and her philosophy of elevating floral design to art, and be sure to follow #FlowerXArt on social to see how other artisans interpreted the scent.
How did you first begin working in floral design?I worked for a friend at a shop in Brooklyn over 10 years ago. Flowers then became my favorite medium.
What do you think draws people to your art and photography?I think because people sense that I’m looking for magic, and that’s a fun search to join.
What is your artistic method when you approach new projects?
It’s different every time, so it’s hard to define. I don’t overthink or plan the end result. I start with a curiosity, play and see where it goes. The image usually takes on a life of its own and tells me what it wants to be, so I’m just trying to listen.
Where do you find inspiration?
It comes easily, from anywhere. I am constantly curious about image making and storytelling, about color and shape and light. There are so many stories to tell.
What drew you to this collaboration with The House of Creed?I
have a huge respect for the brand, as well as a love for beautiful objects and flowers, so it seems like a natural fit.
How does the inspiration for Floralie – “Flower meets art” – connect to your floral design approach?
It’s my hope to push floral design and still life photography to new levels.
Flowers are an integral part of your work, how do you incorporate scent into your life at home?
I collect soaps when I travel, and use their scent to remind me of a distant place and good memories.
A fragrance can be difficult to capture through imagery – how did you approach communicating this scent through florals visually?
Communicating scent is like communicating a personality. You ask questions like: is it masculine or feminine? Wild? Romantic? Crisp? Modern? Is it airy or smoky? Does it live in the night or in the dawn?
As an expert on flowers, which notes within Floralie initially inspired you?I have a huge place in my heart for roses.
Sense of smell is known to evoke emotion and connect to memories, what does Floralie evoke to you?
I used to go to your shop when I was a student and look at all the pretty bottles, which were wildly out of my price range. I can’t help but get a little sentimental, now doing this collaboration. I think it evokes a sense of innocence to me.
What is next for you? Any exciting projects on the horizon?
I have a few campaigns in the works. I can’t wait to share them. My calendar is always full, but I’m hoping to travel later this month to visit friends in Europe. Most of all, I’d like to spend a few weeks doing personal projects, and pushing myself to go beyond my comfort level.
