The Orchid Show: Florals in Fashion runs from February 17 through April 21, 2024

Orchid Extravaganza

The orchid extravaganza at NYBG is always a unique and winning experience whether one goes in the day or in the evening hours for Orchid Nights. This yar, the 21st edition of NYBG’s iconic annual orchid exhibition features stunning fashion-inspired floral designs from three celebrated artists.

Meet the Floral Designers

Floral Fashions by Collina Strada, Dauphinette and FLWR PSTL

The designers are Collina Strada by Hillary Taymour, Dauphinette by Olivia Cheng, and FLWR PSTL a.k.a. Kristen Alpaugh. The exhibit features the cleverness of the designers who integrate a gorgeous variety of orchids into their fashion creations in a dazzling and particular way. You will want to return again and again to marvel at the intriguing fashion designs composed of orchids and companion botanicals displayed poetically and artistically on mannequins.

Journeying Through NYBG Florals in Fashion

Orchids Always Inspired Fashions

For decades orchids, the most highly evolved, largest and most diverse families of flowering plants on the planet, have inspired fashions from Halston to Rodarte. For the 21st annual orchid exhibit, the NYBG horticulturists selected a showy panoply of specimens both popular and rare from the Garden’s collections. Interspersed among the orchids beautiful arrays are striking botanical specimens whose eye-popping collection accentuates the variety of hues, textures, sizes and differences in the wide-ranging orchid family. Some of these include epiphytic cacti, carnivorous nepenthes, air plants, beauteous bromiliads, maidenhead ferns and many more.

Olivia Cheng

In the Palms of the World Gallery Olivia Cheng of Dauphinette (https://www.instagram.com/p/CljdMacgnRH/) presents her amazing designs centered among the orchid displays which serve as the backdrop to frame Cheng’s creations amongst mirrors and a grand staircase. Headdresses of Tillandsia air plants suspended with an orb create a floating effect. Sustainable plant-based outfits are finely made of vibrant living material, i.e. elegant blue-green tresses of Huperzia, pastel rosettes of Echeveria, and delicate Spanish moss.

“A soft yet spikey palette of grasses, air plants and greens are the perfect foil to the orchids in Olivia Cheng’s edgy, ethereal designs. Cheng founded her fashion brand, Dauphinette, by transforming upcycled materials. The brand has since expanded with botanicals-including real resin-cast flowers and hand-drawn prints-enduring at the heart of Dauphinette’s designs.” (NYBG)

Cheng says of orchids, “Orchids have this very pristine and fantastical quality to them. And fashion is all about reinterpretations of what makes a person sexy or beautiful. That’s what makes orchids within fashion so symbiotic”

A Journey of Orchids Through Enid A. Haupt Galleries

From the Palms of the World Gallery and Cheng’s exhibit one proceeds along the orchid journey through the Conservatory’s Lowland and Upland Rain Forest Galleries. Along the way, look up to see hanging orchids seeking higher real estate up from the forest floor where there is more accessible light and moist air which they adore. Look down and you will note the Cymbidiums which flourish in soil as do the Lady Slipper Orchids.

Following the orchid journey you will notice the great diversity of orchid hybrids in magnificent colors which will take you through the tunnel of lights, your own runway, if you will, through the desert gallery.

Seasonal Exhibition Galleries, FLWR PSTL

Kristen Alpaugh https://www.instagram.com/flwrpstl/?hl=en shared the names of the figures she has decked out. They are dramatically expressive of a variety of emotions. Central in the rotunda is Regina. Regina towers up and beckons with warmth in a 360 degree panoramic cape of Phalaenopsis in various shades of pink, purple and fuscia companioned by mini ferns. Up high are air plants, Spanish moss and miniature orchids encircling Regina’s face with Alpaugh’s signature “Iritherium” (iridescent painted Anthurium plants).

Surrounding Regina four other mannequens represent elements of joy and beauty in modern expression. Victoria’s water lily hoop skirt fountain framed with white Phalaenopsis and amber hues, matching a head piece features a delicate, feminine, balletic form.

The others figures like Vespa with thigh-high floral boots and orchid headphones sport fun and rock the scene. FLWR PSTL’S vision is dramatized with “Iritherium”-iridescent painted Anthurium plants that she uses for floral displays and fantastical creations, one worn by Katy Perry in her music video Never Worn White. See the video by Katy Perry –Never Worn White below or go to YouTube to see the amazing dress FLWR PSTL created for her.

Kristen Alpaugh Works from an Emotional Foundation

When I briefly spoke to her Kristen Alpaugh said that she works from an emotional foundation to express her creations. Incorporating one essential orchids in her fun vignettes she mentioned, “Phalaenopsis orchid is a very warm and welcoming flower. It’s got this big face and these buttery petals, and it has a slightly shimmery finish, and it’s just like out there. It’s offering you a big hug.” Her experimental work merges natural beauty, high fashion and fine art. Interviews and features profile Kristen Alpaugh in The New York Times, The Lost Angeles Times, Architetural Digest and Vogue.

Collina Strada

Moving into coordinated orchid displays to the right and left of the final gallery walkway, Collina Strada’s “Freeze-Frame” runway vignettes emerge. Hillary Taymour uses her platform not only for fashion but for social issues and awareness. Her main concern is staying true to her craft, and staying on course to becoming a fully sustainable and radically transparent brand.

As such she employs upcycled materials such as “rose sylk,” made from salvaged rose plants. Taymour was the first to use artificial intelligence to generate looks for her New York Fashion Week and Spring/Summer 2024 collection. Her creations are accessorized by geometric plantings.

Orchid-decorated Kokedama-spheres of moss in which an ornamental plant grows-hang overhead. The mythic figures including a horse, frog, cat, are draped with Vanda orchids, many-hued miniature Phalaenopsis, variegated succulents and other botanicals.

Collina Strada manifests items that are created using sustainable methods and responsibly sourced materials to establish colorful designs for everyone. According to creator Hillary Taymour, “Nature is the mother of all inspirations.”

You can see a beautiful sunset in the middle of nowhere…and you’re never going to be able to mimic that beauty. Nature is the end goal of art.”

Orchid Nights

A main event during the Florals in Fashion Orchid Show, NYBG is hosting music, live performances and a selection of cocktails and lite bites for purchase at seasonal bars for adults 21 and over. Performances by the Iconic International House of Miyake Mugler, led by choreographer NY Father Icon Arturo Miyake-Mugler (Arturo Lyons), winners of Season 2 of HBO Max’s Legndary, wisk patrons to a ballroom culture scene with fashion and movement. Strike a floral pose entertaining your date in chic couture during one or more of the 7 Orchid Nights: Saturday, March 30; Friday, April 5; Saturday, April 6; Friday, April 12; Saturday, April 13; Friday, April 19; and Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 7 to 10 p.m. For additional programming at NYBG Florals in Fashion go to their website. https://www.nybg.org/

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