There’s a reason why Christie Leigh has become fashion’s favourite florist. Her sculptural approach to floral arrangements — inspired by the traditional Japanese technique, Ikebana — creates beautiful, ethereal, whimsical settings that pay homage to the natural world.

Her background in illustration and design, combined with her time spent as a model after graduating, led her work to naturally sit at the crossroads of fashion and floristry — an organic combination of her deep-rooted interests.

This London Fashion Week, we’ve partnered with Christie Leigh to curate displays in our St Christopher’s Place store. In light of that, we paid a visit to her studio for a behind-the-scenes look at her creative practice, delving deep into her background, her love of Ikebana and how fashion is integral to her work.

You approach your floral arrangement in a sculptural way, inspired by Ikebana, the traditional Japanese technique. Why does this approach resonate with you?

I absolutely love Ikebana. I’m drawn to its gentleness and the way it allows flowers space to breathe and move within the water. I want stems to feel wild and whimsical, and you can achieve that so beautifully using a kenzan. I’m always trying to let flowers feel natural and alive but also fleeting. It’s hard to articulate why that feels so emotional to me. There’s something about it that feels like the flower’s final dance, and I feel a responsibility to honour that moment properly.

Fashion is also a big interest of yours. Why do you think the worlds of fashion and flower arrangement go together hand in hand?

I think fashion and flowers have always been natural bedfellows, for so many reasons. Flowers are an endless source of inspiration for designers… form, shape, texture, colour, they have it all. They’re also inherently seasonal, which mirrors the rhythm of fashion. For me, flowers are timeless and effortless, and that’s something I try to apply to my own style. I don’t tend to follow trends, I stick to shapes, colours and silhouettes that feel right for me. I think the secret to effortless style is authenticity, only you know what feels best on you. If other people happen to love how you dress too then that’s a bonus.

How would you say your style tastes have influenced your work as a florist?

I love arrangements that look like they’ve never not looked that way, as if they’ve lived in that state for ages, quietly confident and completely right. That’s how I like to feel when I’m getting dressed. I hate being out all day in the wrong outfit; I feel like I’m the wrong version of myself all day, I want to feel like it’s been no effort at all, and if you’re in the right outfit it shouldn’t be.