An Alexander McQueen Inspired Tablescape by Ovando | Resident Floral Expert

A very warm welcome back to Ovando, the ever-acclaimed floral and event design company, and Merci New York's resident floral expert.  We absolutely l.o.v.e. when Ovando joins us on our blog... they have an ever-so-chic signature style that resonates with city brides, and a creativity that surpasses some of the most inventive minds!  
Today, Karine Bailly of the Ovando team is sharing the inspiration {and grand-reveal} of a stunning Alexander McQueen inspired tablescape design... and as expected, it's absolutely beyond gorgeous.  Take it away, Karine!
Inspirations may ebb and flow with the seasons, but fashion is near and dear, always and forever. And of the many designers whom we’ve looked to over the years, perhaps none gushed phantasmagorical genius more than the late and truly great Alexander McQueen.

We could not ourselves have gushed with glee more than when we were asked to create a McQueen-inspired tablescape for a recent design showcase. Ovando specifically mused over the Savage Beauty collection for its opulent yet ultimately delicate mien, the perfect yin and yang for the chic New York City bride whom was perhaps curious to explore her more theatrical side!

In light of McQueen’s inclination to create palatial collections based on how they’d ultimately be presented on the runway, we, too, wanted to create the couture en fleur presentation from the cloth up. We chose to hand-sew black ostrich feathers to black linens in order to achieve a sumptuous look and feel.  Yet, because we chose to work with a black on black combination, the cloth décor would not ultimately steal the show away from the flowers themselves. Black leather chairs, crystal goblets and amethyst rhinestone napkin rings also furnished the tablescape with an air of opulence intended to complement the eventual centerpiece.

We also aimed to convey just the right feeling of “spectacle” for the tablescape, just as McQueen was known to conjure enchanting theatrics into his runway shows.  Fabricated snow didn’t necessarily fit the bill, but an enchanting glow was just the thing we were looking for. We chose a mixture of cup votive candle holders and standard votive candle holders as each would produce its own subtle luminescence and shadowed silhouette which, when blended together, created a beautifully rich and romantic aura.

Finally, it was time to create a centerpiece that would parallel the splendor of a McQueen runway: ever chic and infinitely dynamic.  At nearly six feet tall, Ovando’s towering composition incorporated helix-shaped bear grass with conveyed a sense of movement and elegance, like the thin limbs of a McQueen muse as she wended her way down the catwalk. White phalaenopsis orchids were delicately fastened, mimicking the impeccable tailoring and glamorous garments of haute couture.  And the cup votive holders were affixed to the arrangement so as to ensure a head-to-toe glow.

In the end, she was strikingly seductive, just as McQueen would have wanted.

All photos courtesy of Borowski Muller Photographers