What led you to found Merci Matisse?

During the circuit breaker period, I realised the importance of spending time at home. I had time to reflect and think about things that we generally overlook. I also saw how significant flowers are in improving our quality of life. Their beauty has always surrounded us but I feel that we’ve been taking it for granted.

Why a floral design venture?

It felt like the right time to pursue this dream. I’ve always been passionate about flowers and dreamt of being a florist when I was younger. Many of my creations in my fashion line of work are inspired by natural elements like the petals, their structure, and form.

Have you worked in floral art before?

I had an interest since a long time ago and had mostly been creating them for family and friends. After starting to work in the wedding industry, various types of floral art – from the venue decoration to the bride’s bouquets – piqued my interest further.

Can you tell us about the inspirations and references behind Merci Matisse?

Henri Matisse is one of my favourite French artists of all time. I’m greatly inspired by his work, particularly the Blue Nudes series. That is why we decided on blue as the first colour theme during our launch. I also love the atmosphere of the flower markets in Paris that I had visited previously. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi quality about them that was really charming and I wanted to bring that quality in our offerings. That inspired the birth of our signature bouquet, encased in our exclusive newspaper print.

How do you approach the artistry and creativity of floral styling?

My imagination takes the lead, influenced by my love for Parisian lifestyle and guided by notes I picked up from reading about and admiring Japanese Ikebana and contemporary Swedish styling. I’m very often inspired by futuristic architectural elements too.

How did the collaboration with Willabelle Ong come about?

It came about as a birthday surprise for Willabelle. I know she’s a lover of the arts as well and I wanted to create a memorable experience that was a marriage of fashion, art, and flowers that could be immortalised.

What was the process of that birthday collaboration like?

It started with a lengthy brainstorming session, sketching out various ideas and incorporating her favourite choices of colours and flower types. After which we went into the crafting phase of transforming countless Chrysanthemum blooms into a wearable piece of floral art.

What is your approach when combining your dressmaking with floral styling and design?

It’s very similar to the process of creating a couture gown from scratch, except that we are working with a material that is much more delicate. It involves the same techniques of applique arrangement in couture. However, we definitely had to adjust our approach to ensure that the flowers remain intact and look fresh for the shoot.

Can you describe the aesthetic viewpoints of your Jessicacindy label as well as Merci Matisse – do they intersect or differ?

Both at the same time. They intersect in the sense that I take inspiration from nature when conceptualising a design, be it the shape, colour, pattern, etc. I always start by sketching the design I have in mind and both involve a lot of handcrafting and delicate workmanship.

The differences are that with Merci Matisse, I’m using actual flowers and they’re much more fragile and seasonal. In my opinion, gowns are much easier to shape to what I have in mind compared to floral art. Flowers have their own personalities, and rather than force them to conform, we need to let them “speak” to us. The approach is much more gentle and organic.