Thick with flowers
- Nicolai has been living in Japan for more than 20 years
- He mixes Scandinavian style with Japanese sensibilities
- His signature product is the flower box
One day, many years ago, a customer came into Nicolai Bergmann’s shop in Tokyo and asked for 600 flower gifts for a press event. "He did not have much space to store them," says the world famous Danish flower designer, who has been living in Japan since the late 1990s. "So I had to come up with a new idea. As stacking was the key, I made many small bouquets and put them into boxes." This is how Nicolai's signature item was born: since then, in his studio, he and his team have been producing 15,000 flower boxes a month. "I still enjoy making them myself – it is such a meditative process." Yet his activities vary a lot, from floral art and floral styling for weddings and events, to teaching. "I love my job because there are new things going on every day. I am fortunate because I do what I like and with it I make people happy."
Interview
- Is your style more European or Japanese?
- I began my apprenticeship at 16, in Copenhagen, by the time I was 20 I was already an “educated” flower designer. But then I fell in love with Japan and moved to Tokyo. Nowadays, my style is very Scandinavian, with a strong Japanese sensibility to details.
- What do you like the most about working in Japan?
- People have a sincere appreciation of flowers. Of course we have seasons in Western countries like they have here, but the Japanese are much more focused on them because of their traditions. For me it’s a double joy when my customers not only enjoy what I do, but also understand it deeply.
- Where do you find your inspiration?
- Mostly in nature. I spend a lot of time in the mountains. That’s why I decided to build a park in Hakone, close to mount Fuji – open from April 2022 – where people can go and relax in the green. I planted 2,000 hydrangeas there, my favourite flower.
- Can you describe your creative process?
- I don't sketch, I'm an “on-the-spot” kind of guy. I always work in the same way, starting either from the choice of flowers or from the base, whenever I find a beautiful one. In the case of the latter, I pick flowers that will match it.
Nicolai Bergmann is a master artisan: he began his career in 1996 and he started teaching in 2000
Works
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Nicolai Bergmann
