Having worked in event planning and design for so long, my eye is naturally attracted to social media profiles that have something to do with events, weddings and beautiful floral design. That is how I noticed and decided to connect with Stefania Boiani, a talented Le Marche born florist living and working in New Orleans. We followed each other on Instagram a couple of years ago and I immediately started wondering about why and how a Marchigiana ended up on the other side of the world in a city, that for various reasons, has fascinated me for a long time. I don’t think there is one single person out there that has not been smitten by the southern city’s charm: the jazz culture, the colourful architecture, the tropical vibe, that old Europe feel and that unique Louisiana accent. Well, Stefania has been living there on and off for 8 years and it was a pleasure chatting with her, to hear her personal story and understand how she ended up in Louisiana.
Stefania, how does a pesarese (i.e. a person born in Pesaro) end up in Louisiana?
About 10 years ago I was studying languages at the University of Urbino and during the last year I won a scholarship to go to study in the US for a semester. As I was generally interested in music and I had already worked at international festivals, my dream at the time was to specialise in the music events industry, so New Orleans with its famous music culture was a natural choice. Of course, I could never imagine that 6 months would turn into 8 years and that one day I would even become a US citizen.
What did you like about the city?
First and foremost, its size. New Orleans it’s a lively city but not like a huge American metropolis. Secondly, it reminded me of Europe, thanks to the famous Spanish and French architecture. In New Orleans there is furthermore a large community of artists making this a truly creative city and this aspect really appealed to me. Lastly, Louisiana, the state where New Orleans is located, has amazing tropical nature which is lush and somewhat dramatic: definitely different to what I was used to back at home.
What did you do when your semester ended?
I had enjoyed my time in the States so much that I decided that there must be a way for me to stay a bit longer. I managed to apply and win an internship with an events company and that allowed me to extend my stay in the US. This internship eventually turned into a proper job and led me to move to California where I worked at the Coachella Festival for a year. This was a key experience because it made me realise that the events industry was way too hectic for me and [it] involved too much travelling around. California is a cool place, but also really expensive, so I decided to go back to New Orleans with an open mind, ready to embark on new adventures.
How did the shift from event organiser to floral designer happen?
It happened rather accidentally. When I moved back to New Orleans a friend of a friend told me that a well established florist was looking for an assistant so I applied and got the job at the Thibodeauxs Floral Studio. The shop had been going for 60 years and had a slightly dated approach, so while the owner was teaching me all the techniques of floral design, I helped him up his game a little. I created a new website for the business and handled the marketing side of things so that his business would reflect the new trends better. This combo turned out to be successful and we worked together for five years. I was even offered to take over the business at one stage, but I kindly declined, as running that type of parlour involved being present in the States at all times, and I wanted to have the freedom to travel back to Le Marche if and when I wanted to. I am currently working for a different floral designer doing design, consultancy with brides, working with planners and handling the budget.
I noticed from your Instagram page that you also work in Italy. How do you manage that?
Here in Louisiana the wedding season starts in late September and ends around April while in Europe it starts in May and usually ends in late September so my work engagements don’t overlap. In the recent years I had the opportunity to collaborate with Italian florists, including Olivia Brusca and Stiatti Fiori and these were valuable experiences. I am definitely aiming at broadening my horizons and finding more opportunities in Italy in the future, which will be easier now I am fluent in English.
How do you think your career as a floral designer can develop?
I still do weddings of course, although from a professional perspective I am no longer that interested in bouquets and boutonnieres. I love working with raw material and shape it to create large floral installations. I had the privilege to attend conventions organised by the American Institute of Floral Designers where I learned a lot about floral architecture and put my experience into practice whenever I can. Hopefully I get to do more creative work of this type in the future, both here in the States and also in Italy.
What do you miss about Italy and Le Marche?
First and foremost, my family and friends and how the Italian life revolves around community. It’s not quite the same over here in the US where it’s like everyone lives in their own bubble. I miss the Italian lifestyle and food. Here in Louisiana there is a fine culinary tradition based on creole and French cuisine and it’s great, but it’s not quite the same. The local traditional food is often fried and heavy so I struggle with it a little. I miss our Mediterranean diet, that nice simple food cooked with seasonal ingredients and seasoned only with olive oil, but even that isn’t that easy to prepare over here. New Orleans is not like New York or other major American cities and it is really difficult to source high-quality, genuinely Italian ingredients to cook homemade Italian food.
I also miss our nature. Over here the nature is tropical and so dramatic and as a floral designer it’s great as all you need is to step outside of your front door, pick a few leaves and create something really beautiful! On the other hand I miss the variety of the landscape that we have in Italy and especially in Le Marche. There is a bit of everything in my province: Pesaro is a lively cultural city, nearby you have the stunning slopes of Parco Naturale Monte San Bartolo, if you drive inland there are the Apennines, not to mention the rolling hills just outside of Pesaro. I also miss the many summer events in my area.
What types of festivals and events do you attend when you are back in Le Marche?
I really love Passaggi Festival but my favourite is Villa & Castella that organises cultural events in various beautiful places throughout the northern provinces of the region. Events like these give me the opportunity to discover more of Le Marche. I left Italy at 21 and I have spent most of my adult like in the US, so attending summer festivals when I come back home are opportunities to explore more of my own region.
Which are your go-to places when you are back in Pesaro?
I like to hang out at Lamusarauka, an independent club where artists gather and organise cultural events.
And whenever I am back I always make a point of having a pizza at C’era una volta in my home city Pesaro.
And I love Dalla Cira in the summertime: it’s an outdoor club right on the beach of Pesaro and they really promote alternative music, so I go there when I can.
Plans for the future?
My goal is to be able to split my time between New Orleans and Italy. My husband’s job is also quite flexible so I am positive that we will manage to live this lifestyle, even with our newborn baby boy!