By Khaki Wennstrom

Whitney Bromberg Hawkings started her career in fashion working at Gucci alongside of Tom Ford, and then later became the SVP of Communications for the iconic brand. After many years at Tom Ford she made the bold move to branch out on her own, and started FLOWERBX, a luxury floral delivery. With FLOWERBOX Whitney realized she wanted to bring a consistent and beautiful floral delivery worldwide, now her gorgeous collections can be found in 24 countries across Europe and the United States. Whitney’s incredible FLOWERBX company also has a cut-to-order business model, which eliminates waste and has flowers delivered fresh and at a fraction of the cost of other florists. Whitney and her family reside in one of our favorite cities, London, and we could not be more excited to learn about all of her favorite places and things. Plus if you are looking for the perfect gift this Christmas learn more about FLOWERBX and find the link below in our interview…

Whitney, I love how after graduating from Columbia University, with a French Literature degree under your belt and consequently a master of the French language, you headed to Paris to live your best Jackie O life. Tell us how that looked in your dreams and what actually transpired, if you will.

When I was a teenager, I dreamt of moving from Dallas to France and becoming the editor of French Vogue. Alas, when I moved to Paris after graduating from university, Vogue wasn't hiring! It was the luckiest misfortune I could have asked for as, instead, I got my first job as Tom Ford's assistant at Gucci. This fateful job offer led me to a two decade love affair with Tom, introduced me to my husband, Peter, and ultimately created the impetus to launch FLOWERBX.

Fast forward, it’s 2015, you are about to turn 40, pregnant with child number 3, you have another idea formulating, and FLOWERBX becomes a reality! Tell us about a void you saw and how you filled it.

After working for TOM FORD for 19 years and feeling frustrated with the cost and inconsistency of the flowers I was buying and sending, I wanted to create a branded floral offering that guaranteed consistency and quality (with sleek, effortless and sustainable packaging). Also, as a working mom, I was buying everything in my life online; from my clothes and beauty to my farm fresh groceries, flowers were the one thing I couldn't buy, in a simple, chic way, online - for myself or as a gift.

You say flowers and fashion both appeal to people who have a passion for beauty on a fundamental level. What are some fun signature flowers you see Fashion icons love to choose?

Working in fashion, I found that all of the fashionable people in the world were sending single stem bunches of flowers. From Karl to Miuccia to Calvin, all of the gifts that were sent and received in the office were a large quantity of a single type of flower - a mass of hydrangea, a sea of peonies, a bunch of roses. I also found that when I was buying flowers for my own house when hosting a dinner party, I was looking for stems that I was happy to arrange myself, and not a pre-arranged, slightly old fashioned bouquet stuffed with filler which was what was on offer from most traditional florists. So, at FLOWERBX we sell flowers as we buy them from the growers in bunches of 10, 25 or 50, depending on the flower, and make sure that they are reconditioned, the quality is checked and the packaging and delivery experience are optimal.

I’m so impressed with your attention to detail including all the areas of sustainability FLOWERBX has addressed. Can you share these details with our readers?

We are all working hard to put sustainability at the core of the business. We have an inventory-less business model which means that all our flowers are cut-to order and eliminates waste. We source locally when and were we can and have fully recyclable packaging which is not without its challenges when working with water and perishable goods. Our flower food is compostable, our water pads are compostable and lastly, all of our green waste is composted across all territories to minimize our environmental impact in all of the places we can.

I love that FLOWERBX recognizes the importance of the imaginative, elegant language of flowers. That when your client asks for a profusion of pink peonies, only a single varietal of peony is sent! So beautiful and brilliant, thank you! FLOWERBX was born in England but it can now be found here in the States. Can you share with our readers how they can see this chic brand and the best way to order?

Please visit our website: www.flowerbx.com/us to discover the season’s best flowers. You can also look at THE CUT on our site which provides floral inspiration, whether it’s for a holiday tablescape or how some of our favourite floral friends style their signature blooms.

FAVORITE PLACES

City? Paris

Country? Italy

Hotel? Amangiri

Resort? Amanyara in Turks and Caicos

Destination with significant other? Le Sireneuse

Destination with kids? Borgo Egnazia

Solo destination? Buchinger Wilhelmi

Restaurant with significant other? Riva in Barnes

Restaurant with kids? River Cafe in London

Do you prefer the city or country? Week in the city, weekend in the country.

The mountains or beach? The dream is a winter spent in the mountains and a summer spent at the beach.

Beach club? I prefer secluded beaches!

Bakery? Good in Bread

Spa? Bamford at the Berkeley

Bar or nightlife spot? Le Fumoir at Claridges

Boutique for yourself? Emilia Wickstead

Boutique for kids? Amaia

Home decor store? Rose Uniacke

Jewelry store? Lisa Eisner Jewellery

Skincare store? Dr. Barbara Sturm in Mayfair

TRAVEL STYLE

Uniform? Paige denim, white ATM shirt, TOM FORD blazer, Gucci loafers, vintage gold bangles and (old) Celine Sunglasses

Accessories? Gold Bottega Veneta link bracelet and necklace.

Skincare on board? Dr. Barbara Sturm face mask and glow drops before I land.

Travel carry-on? Anya Hindmarch BE-A-BAG tote (that features a picture of my family) that Anya made for me – a treasure.

Luggage? Paravel

Handbag for sightseeing? Bottega Veneta large intreciato with gold chain.

Packing tips? Pack for the trip you want to have!

EN ROUTE

Favorite airline? BA

Must-haves for your carry-on? Cetaphil face cleaner, Dr. Barbara Sturm anti pollution drops, Vitamin C Serum and face cream.

Must-haves for your kids carry on? Ipad, apples, water and Indie Bay spelt pretzel snacks.

Favorite travel gadget? Sony noise cancelling headphones - comfortable for a long-haul.

Wellness tips? Pack healthy meals for the flight and drink lots of water.

On your playlist? Beyonce, always, and quite obsessed with the Dua Lipa and Elton track.

Recommended reading? Lisa Tadao, Jeanette Winterson, Michelle Obama and can’t wait for my college roommate, Liza Klaussmann’s new book out next year.

Tips for combating jet lag? Eat on the schedule of your destination and a glass of wine (or two) helps to fall asleep more easily the first night. NO NAPS!