Elle Bobier: The Picasso of Floral Art

Tucked away in trendy Edgehill Village, site of the old Whiteway Cleaners, is a jewel of a shop run by local celebrity of floral design, Elle Bobier.

Elle’s Marche des Fleurs is one of the most unique and avant-garde floral design studios in the country. Forget traditional roses and baby’s breath, every design by Elle Bobier is a one-of-a-kind arrangement that will spark conversations and your imagination.

As a child growing up in south Florida, Elle suspected that she had a special gift with flowers when she began bringing in branches from the starfruit, avocado, and kumquat trees in her yard to dress up the flowers her mother would buy at the market.  “I just remember going to the grocery store or flower markets and being floored by all these incredible colors,” she says.

She realized her calling “by finding moments of joy and serenity while designing flowers.  How can you not be creative when working with God’s natural beauty?  It’s taking the natural creation and appropriating it in an artistic way.  When I’m not designing, I’m not in my element.”

Inspired Design

Growing up in a strictly Christian household, Elle struggled to find herself outside of religion and found her spiritualism through her personal walk.  She even became a youth pastor and worked with special needs for a time.  “I had to rise above family struggles and seek the reasons for myself.  Was I a Christian because of my upbringing or do I believe there is a God that dwells within me?”  She credits her faith for her ability to fearlessly pursue her dream.

She has a favorite saying, “Stop, Look, and Listen.”

She explains, “When you stop, you look around and there’s all that natural beauty.  When you listen, you can hear so many different things…or you can hear the rushing of the crap flying by.  For me, it’s when I stop, look, and listen that I’m blessed to have to ability that I believe is God-given for me to do.”

Aside from nature, Elle’s biggest inspiration are her clients themselves.

“I know their personality.  I know their house, their style, I know what they’re like from the inside and that helps me design specifically for them.  I’m constantly trying to out trump myself.  You have to keep pushing yourself.”

“Do I have a typical bouquet?  No, I don’t.  You can’t just order a bouquet off my website.  You have to pick up the phone and call me and talk to me.  I don’t believe in copying even my own  work.”

She even takes pictures of everything she does to make sure she doesn’t repeat herself.

“I prefer to be called a floral designer rather than a florist.  Because I really am.  I push the envelope, that bar – I take it to another level.  One of my clients, Anastasia Brown, used to call me Elle’s Shabling Design. Everything I do, it’s got have shabling.”

Her standards are high, even with her staff.  “There are a lot of people who come to me and want to be hired…but they have experience.  I don’t really want people that have been trained to do certain looks.  I want people that showcase themselves as a person and it’s hard to do that by duplicating looks.”

Making It

Years ago, a stroke of luck, or a lot of hard work and prayer, landed Elle the opportunity to design for Ralph Lauren.  “It was definitely a crossroads…a test…and I passed, thank God.  Everybody needs that boost and that was mine.  That’s where I really took off.”

The road to success is often filled with potholes.  Elle drove around them.

“At times, I was told by other designers that I just didn’t have it… but I just didn’t believe them.  In life, you just have to have that kick ass and take names kind of attitude because life is tough.  It just is.”

She continues, “You’re going to have good days and bad days.  It’s great to get that validation but sometimes you don’t get that validation.  So, at the end of the day, you just have to pull up your big girl panties and say, ‘I believe in myself.  I know what my ability is.  I feel good when I am doing this and I know that others will see what I’m doing here.  At the end of the day, I’m not giving up on this dream.’  And that’s what it’s all about.”

Style

Elle’s Marche des Fleurs designs for just about any event imaginable.  From private parties to award shows, benefits, weddings and more, she incorporates her artistry into every theme.

“I love to use herbs, fruits and vegetables, unique flowers, and organic materials.”

“I don’t use ordinary roses, I’ll use Black Magic roses and Charlottes to give it that velvety texture.  I love to use Spider Mums, the green ones not the white ones, there’s so much you can do with that.”

When asked her favorite flower, Elle doesn’t hesitate.

“The orchid.  I absolutely love orchids.  They are so intricately formed, so sensual and exotic.  But as strong and tough as they are, they’re very delicate.  I look at an orchid and that’s the way I feel inside as an artist.”

While designing, the theme is always visual, literally from the ground up.

“I want people to appreciate all of it.  The whole thing.”

She’s not kidding.  If there is a square inch of visible space, Elle will use it.

“Inside glass vases, I’ll put leaves or rocks or colored glass or do creative things with willow or antherium or orchids…Pacific mossy branches, bamboo, coconut core, sand and shells…”

Pushing the envelope is Elle’s signature.

“I’ve even put a goldfish swimming around inside a vase once.  We named him George and he lived a long time,” she assures.

Elle’s method of operation is a mixture of heart, soul, and leaps of faith.

She emphasizes, “It’s about putting yourself out there.  Out of your comfort zone.  As a designer, you have to be out in the middle of nowhere.  That’s part of the learning process of creativity.”

Clientele

Counting the Gores, Anastasia Brown, Phil Vassar, Tiffany and Co., Bank of America among others in her impressive roster, Elle remains very private about her clientele.  However, she shares one story with us from her early days.

“At one of my first events for the Gores, we had these floating candles in the pool and it got really windy and they were blowing all to the side.  So, I was reaching in as far as I could and just went too far.  Meg Ryan’s ex-husband happened to be there and fortunately kept me from falling in,” she laughs.

“What’s so great about my clients is that I’ve been a designer in TN for over 16 years.  My clientele really believe in me.  We’ve become friends and even console each other.  It’s great to run a credit card at the end of the day…but it’s another thing to capture what they want, what they need, and deliver that.”

In a city of unique artists, Elle Bobier stands out.

Her philosophy, “Say what you mean, mean what you say.  Be honest and forthcoming and showcase yourself appropriately in any situation,” is reflective of her character and good old fashioned values.

Her talent, Anastasia Brown dubbed her “The Picasso of Floral Art,” is reflective of her free spirit, natural ability, and good old fashioned work ethic.

So, if you’re looking for a bouquet, go to the grocery store.

If you’re looking for a traditional florist, there are plenty of those in town.

If you’re looking for a unique floral experience that will blow you away…go to Elle’s Marche des Fleurs in Edgehill Village.

by Olivia Sarratt McCarthy

www.www.ellesmarchedesfleurs.com

1201 Villa Place
Suite 100
Nashville, TN 37212

615.340.4240 RING
615.554.0512 MOBILE