McQueens | Alison Lithgoe

McQueens Flowers is honoured to be dressing the LAPADA Antiques and Arts Fair for the third year. The decorative theme for 2017 and 2018 has been different incarnations of ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ - a tribute to its iconic surroundings. This year the inspiration remains the same - but with a new interpretation.

The six-day event (13 - 18 September) is internationally recognised as the foremost showcase in antiques and art, with 100 selected exhibitors presenting work from across the art, antiques, design and decorative arts spectrum. Including jewellery, furniture, carpets, tapestries, antiquities, clocks, ceramics, silver and fine art.

Leading the LAPADA floral design for the third year is Alison Lithgoe, the McQueens Events’ Team Lead Creative (a floral visionary no less). Very much a woman on the go, we managed to catch up with Alison to divulge the design inspiration behind this year’s floral installation.

A hint at the feathery ingredients that will be used within the LAPADA installations

Alison - start off by telling us about the design brief for the installation?

Owing to the location, for the past two years, the theme has been inspired by the song ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ - but with a different look and feel each time. Last year this included large, vintage-style bird cages and lots of sumptuous Dutch Masters inspired displays. Excitingly in contrast, this year the focus is very much on the feather, which we’ve had lots of fun interpreting. The colour palette is divine; oily blue, plaster pink and peacock green.

What are the key ingredients for the designs?

Some of my favourite flowers and foliage: Blue Bee Delphiniums, Moluccella (Irish Bells) and of course feathery foliage - palms and cycas. We have also designed a laser-cut paper feather which features heavily...

Can you share details of the designs you and the McQueens Events team have created for the event - and what to look out for?

Well in terms of theme - the floral designs are divided into two areas. The exhibition space downstairs predominantly features the pink and blue palette, with the entrance really making a statement. Visitors will be greeted with the wonderful delphs and the paper feathers which create a wonderful suspended installation. In the Brasserie upstairs there is a more earthy feel, with pampas grass and bamboo taking centre stage as part of a wave-shaped structure.

Do you have a favourite element of this year’s design?

LAPADA is always a very special floral commission - the team and I had enormous amounts of fun interpreting the brief. The suspended paper-feather display is a highlight - we really love experimenting with new concepts.

McQueens Events `Team, Lead Creative, Alison Lithgoe

Feathers or cycas palms?!

McQueens Flowers has been creating beautiful and memorable designs since 1991, building a reputation around the world for colourful and creative floral creations perfectly matched to every occasion and setting. With creative studios, workshops and ower schools in London, New York and Seoul – and more international cities underway, McQueens is a truly international affair.