Episode Details

https://youtu.be/IgB9f_-9SVc?si=Nd0prSpTRs6Sb7hc Designed by Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., the “Earth Dress” is a slender, floor-length gown that appears to grow from a demure pair of seed-embellished ballet flats. It seems fitting that a sustainable farmer-florist who once attended the Fashion Institute of Technology would conjure up this organic-looking garment using compost, soil, moss, roots, seeds, and vines. “I wanted it to be a concept piece with an organic, natural feeling,” Alanna said. Having designed botanical couture fashions for Slow Flowers Society’s past two American Flowers Week collections--both of which featured blooms, petals, and foliage straight from her cutting garden--Alanna wanted to highlight other aspects of flower-growing, so she turned to her potting shed. For 2026, she explores the lifecycle of a flower through botanical fashion. Her creativity helps us better understand what it means to grow and design. I know you’ll love our conversation as you learn about Alanna’s ideas and design process! Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co. Slow Flowers Society created American Flowers Week in 2015 as a community-focused floral holiday that allows and encourages participation from everyone in the floral industry — from flower seed and bulb producers to growers; from designers to retailers; from cutting garden enthusiasts to artists. Now in its 12th year, the campaign continues to engage flower farmers, floral designers, farmer-florists, wholesalers, retailers, grocery stores, and flower lovers! DESIGN + CONCEPT: Alanna Messner-Scholl, Waverly Flower Co. waverlyflowerco.com, @waverlyflowercoPHOTOGRAPHY: Victoria Lin Photographyvictorialinphotography.com, @victorialin.photographyMODEL, HAIR + MAKEUP: Amie Bantz, @amiebantzSTUDIO AND DESIGN ASSISTANCE: Morgan Feher, @morganbfeherFOLIAGE AND SEEDLING SOURCE: Waverly Flower Co.SOIL AND COMPOST SOURCE: Barnside Mulch and CompostSEED SOURCE: Johnny’s Seeds, @johnnys_seedsVENUE: Waverly Flower Co. Studio Our first botanical couture look began with Susan McLeary’s iconic red-white-and-blue floral Afro, an impeccable floral headpiece became the branding for American Flowers Week in 2016 and inspired a decade of botanical couture looks that followed: Garments, ensembles, and accessories created by Slow Flowers members and farmer-florist teams across the U.S. Since 2016, we have celebrated an impressive lineup of more than 50 American Flowers Week botanical couture looks, designed by our members and featuring domestic flowers and foliage as the inspiration. These floral fashions hail from across the continent -- Alaska and Hawaii; Maine and Florida; Missouri and South Dakota and beyond. Alanna's original inspiration board for the Earth Dress So today, we travel to Pennsylvania, to meet Alanna Messner-Scholl of Waverly Flower Co., and learn about her third botanical couture look for American Flowers Week. It’s great conversation and I’m happy to share it with you! Download free social media badges, including those featuring The Earth DressDownload flower-farming artwork by Amy Rice, whose work we licensed for this year’s campaign. Hot off the Press: Slow Flowers Journal - Summer 2026 https://issuu.com/bloomimprint.com/docs/slow_flowers_journal_summer_2026_--_american_flow And please enjoy our Summer 2026 issue of Slow Flowers Journal – out this week. You can read extended stories about our featured artists and botanical couture designers, as well as some fun features about what our members are doing around the world. The stories are mostly based in the U.S., but we have a very special article commissioned by Slow Flowers Society -- a report by Dee Hall Goodwin of Mermaid City Flowers who traveled to London this past May to cover the first flower farm installed at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. You’ll find all this inspiration in our 42-page digital magazine – Click on the flipbook above to read and enjoy! Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought t