NYC's Last Flower Makers Explain the Victorian Craft of Artificial Flower Production

[@MorganDonner]

Holy moly, THIS needs to be a Netflix series 👌

[@garrettrobinson3826]

HARD agree. This is exactly the sort of content the world needs: an in-depth, personal How It's Made for the lesser-known crafts of the fashion world.

[@basstrammel1322]

@@garrettrobinson3826 First of all, Netflix has a show called 'The Repair Shop' that goes in-depth on how a few crafts are done by the masters. But as the title says, it's more of a repair than the making of items. But second, KZbin is the perfect platform for everything Bernadette does. Netflix would offer a contract limiting the creator from ever going back to the original concept, and butcher the editing. For a good amount of money, sure, but creative freedom is valuable as well.

[@Lola-fn5ws]

Agree!!!!! This is amazing!!

[@louisetaylor283]

History is fascinating when you get to see the time and people involved in the work.

[@kelzbelz313]

I would love to have a series of craftsfolk telling the history of their trade. And explaining the skills involved

[@erinhowett3630]

Bernadette: using her youtube power to showcase artisans and small businesses. I'm here for it.

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

She is an amazing person!

[@Bane_Amesta]

Not all heros wear capes 💖

[@Psych.o.delica]

Hear Hear!

[@veronicableu]

Thank You! As a modern sewist and hobby enthusiast in California I find places like JoAnns Fabrics soul crushing. I long for some of the options I see more in Europe, so knowing a place like this exists gives me hope and options that are not mass manufactured for my projects. So again thank you for using your platform for good. P.S It is me who has watched your modernized Victorian walking skirt vid dozens of times to help me with mine, and while my hand felling skills need work, I have come a long way because of you. So thanks for that also!😊

[@nvaranavage]

Just a new shop for me to scope out when I go back to NYC....yay!!!!!

[@nanashouse202]

This brought back so many memories. When I was young, I’m 74, there was a widowed lady who made flowers. Mostly for Memorial Day but also for decoration. She was a burn victim covered in scars and had a heart of gold. She let me “work” with her with a smile and helping hands. I was grown when I realized this was her living . She and her twin children lived on what she sold.

[@allisonherr333]

This is one of the wisest, purest stories I have ever heard. Thank you for sharing your past and wisdom

[@身赤-w3w]

I'm tearing up 🥺

[@nadiaglasner6523]

What a nice memory to have. :)

[@maidenchynna2725]

Wow

[@darling_cheshire7725]

That's the most touching story I've seen for years of scrolling down comment sections. you madam are very wise

[@thebonk_]

you can see how elated this guy is to have someone to talk to who understands the thought process, and appreciates it so heavily.

[@anvy2000]

This!!

[@TheAngelofBlood]

You can definitely see that! ❤️

[@imogenmary9277]

I would adore a series centered around his family’s business, their history and how they make flowers, and more. That’s the type of stuff I wish Netflix had rather than another crappy “reality” show

[@judemelroses9920]

@@imogenmary9277 I hope so. It would be a treat to binge watch.

[@historiansrevolt4333]

This. History isn't boring. It is the people and skills that brought us to where we are today. I love how M&S has retained and modified to keep up and persevere.

[@stacyturner8330]

Oh Man! Back in the 90's when I was in the Bridal business I bought flowers from Schmalberg!! I recognize the boxes ; ) We had a hat with particular creamy roses with the lightest blush of rose and ivory, a bud, a 2" and a 4". Every year or so we would place an order for a box of these exceptionally beautiful, expensive flowers and all year we would parcel them out on one particular hat design, and the very occasional custom piece. I remember we got the hat form from a wonderful company much like this, I think up in Spanish Harlem, where they took the fabric we sent and steamed it onto the buckram frames. That hat was amazing and we sold it for years and years! Wish I had a picture of it to share. Back then all these companies were disappearing and I remember visiting the hat maker and how, like Adam, he was so happy to show my husband and I thru his facility and afterwards drove us to a station near his home in Forest Hills because he was appalled we had taken our baby on the A Train to come see him and no amount of protesting would convince him we would be fine walking back to the station we had come from! Oh how I wish that we had had smartphones that day to take footage of his amazing old school operation. It was amazing as was this!!

[@rebekahdavis5935]

Thanks for your story, yes that would have been cool to see the pics of the old workplace :)

[@vintag56h77]

Thanks again

[@prapanthebachelorette6803]

Thanks for sharing ❤️

[@alienozomspace9124]

That feels like a whole fairytale. So beautiful ✨

[@carleegg5506]

I teared up when they mentioned repurposing wedding dresses. That's such a sweet idea!

[@carleegg5506]

was that the one about dresses that had historical significance? I enjoyed that one :) (Comment seems to have been deleted, someone commented about this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGSxaJ-bbJqppas )

[@ArtemisScribe]

a family friend sadly lost her mother's dress to a burst water pipe in their basement, it wasn't salvageable to wear again, but she got some of the lesser damaged fabric turned into flowers that she had sewn onto her own dress when she got married.

[@junecampbell2152]

I don't know If my grandmother kept her wedding dress (I expect she did.) However my mother's wedding dress burned when our house caught fire, a few months ago. Neither one would fit me, because I have a different build, but I wanted to repurpose some of the fake pearls from my mother's for when I got married.

[@jessicacurtis5637]

We had my grandmother's turned into handkerchiefs we could all carry in out own weddings. (in case you don't have enough for flowers) ☺️

[@taritangeo4948]

I immediately rememebred Karolinas video about destroying vintage dresses.

[@MarialenaSarakatsianou]

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I remember, when I was a kid, this.. inability to grasp how many of the objects around us are made, step by step, by actual people, and do not just pop out of an extremely sophisticated factory-type machine. Although now I know that it is absolutely NOT the case, getting to take a close look at the inner workings of various crafts and the people behind them is just fascinating! Thank you so much Bernadette! Loving this documentary-series ❤️

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

@marialena I come from a rural area where schools are commonly surrounded by farms. I remember a teacher asking us where milk comes from and the first answer was, "From the grocery store," even though we could plainly see cows grazing just a few yards away. This was back in the 70's. It's even worse now. How did we come to embrace this disconnect?

[@estheri3424]

Children don't necessarily know where things come from, it's the innocence of childhood. But as long we grow in age and curiosity, there's nothing wrong with that.

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

@@Nicole-zy4vb ah sorry but I'm not so old that slavery was still legal in the United States when I was a kid. Also I don't recall any of us kids being forced to work on the dairy farms. Mostly we were shooed away because we made a mess and upset the animals and the farmers didn't want us breaking the milking machines by playing with them. I don't think they had secret kid slaves that they kept from going to school with the rest of us.

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

@@Nicole-zy4vb I have no clue what you're on about. I don't think you read my first post before you replied to it.

[@marilena84312]

@@lorisewsstuff1607 If you think that is bad , you should try Jamie Olivers series about food revolution , where he tries to get people to eat healthy food in the US . he actually showed preschool kids the most gross kind of procedure you could possibly imagine , with all the bits and pieces nobody wants to eat and made something that resembles chicken nuggets and just because it was in a familiar shape , they prefer to eat that , over lean meat. And to top it all off, kindergarten kids could not recognise a potato or a tomato! I’m still shocked at that show even though I’ve watched it like 100 times it’s like a car wreck you can’t look away. On the bright side I’m half Greek and half German so I can speak for at least a few people on both cultures. My German side is from the north of Germany and my Greek side is from Crete , where i mostly grew up. even though most kids at my school did not grow up at a farm , a lot of us still have relatives like grandparents or a house in some kind of village and usually needed to help with gathering the olives or feeding chickens or something like that so in my generation even though I grew up in the 90s it wasn’t as bad as the show I described or what you described seems to be so maybe there is hope yet.

[@plaidshirt9955]

I gotta say, I've always despised artificial flowers because of their obvious fake appearance but these guys are making ones I would actually wear.

[@epicwalrus7183]

The difference between mass-manufactured and artisan created.

[@TessaOswin]

I’ve always be similar against ‘fake’ plants and flower as the plastic seams and connects alway felt so jarring to this country grown lass. These flowers and leafs have none of the almost uncanny valley feeling I get off the cheaper more easily available flora with horrible plastic centers or clearly wrong connections to the stem. Don’t get me started one the Ruining of beauty Christmas ornaments with horrible plastic mini pine cones when the shop in the same year had real mini pine cones in a different ornament

[@Whocares158]

I 😊❤️ love fake 🌸🌹🌼 flowers because they are not harming real living sentient beings flower plants. 💚🌱

[@AllTheHappySquirrels]

I came here to say this too! Their flowers are stunning and my eyes are now happily drooling over their Etsy shop.

[@BJCMXY]

I wouldn't likely wear these, as men's styles rarely incorporate floral elements... But I'd certainly have vases filled with them for decor. 🤔

It broke my heart when he was talking about seeing his samples as mass manufactured knock offs.

[@magdahearne497]

You & me both

[@lishkaklein9330]

Amazon and China are notorious for this

[@lynnrichardson353]

I'm making the shift away from Amazon for several reasons : #1 I'd rather buy "American made 🇺🇸" & #2 I'm not at all happy with Chinas attitude towards the USA. Bernadette is a GENIUS, but she may never be recognized for that genius as long China still possess the ability to under cut $$ at every turn.. If it's imported.. I just take a pass & I'll just shop "Made in America" 🇺🇸 .

[@ReignBeauofTerror]

It's horrendous, and I hate big businesses for this shit right here

[@blacky_Ninja]

@@lynnrichardson353 China‘s companys are just following the rules of capitalism like every american company does too. Capitalism in it‘s core doesn‘t care about people, it cares about how to make cheap and sell high and you can‘t criticeze china for simply competing with the local shops. You can however criticize chinas laws for making it possible for companys to practically enslave their own people for a penny a day. Yet most other countrys aren‘t perfect either. The minimum wage is barely enough to survive and that should not be the goal. So yeah, support your locals if you want, but make sure they aren‘t ripping off their workers as well, otherwise you just support the same kind of behaviour in america that you criticise in china.

[@brezomateos6043]

Not only she finished the gorgeous dress but she also gave visibility to a craftsmanship business in decay, and she did all of it without breaking the calm and aesthetic atmosphere of her videos.

[@rj3892]

Bernadette is the master. This video is perfection.

[@lynne523]

Indeed....and all while wearing a mask. Would that we were all so calm and efficient.

[@colleencoover2189]

I love that the mechanical press has a two-handed push switch on either side of the machine, so the operator can't accidentally get his fingers squished!

[@patriciatinkey2677]

Yes, I noticed this, also! Intelligent process!

[@ReignBeauofTerror]

My only qualm is that it makes it inoperable by people who only have strength or use of one arm/hand. Could it be modified for differently abled workers?

[@jimmyeng663]

@@ReignBeauofTerror could probably modify it with a knee or foot press

[@theparrot6516]

@@ReignBeauofTerror meh I don't think many disabled people with their hands would be working in factories tbf

[@ReignBeauofTerror]

@@theparrot6516 they won't even have the option if tools are only usable by able-bodied individuals.

[@duncanaldrich2573]

"There are stories behind everything that was ever made." I don't know why, but that sentence really appeals to me.

[@tibicenlinnei4014]

It makes the creation of a 3 year old doll of my hair from my shower and brushes sound more profound than just fucking creepy. Her name is Harriette.

[@duncanaldrich2573]

@@tibicenlinnei4014 I can't say I appreciate the existence of a nightmare doll, but I definitely appreciate the name!

[@tibicenlinnei4014]

@@duncanaldrich2573 Well she appreciates you... ...especially when you're sleeping. 👀❤

[@duncanaldrich2573]

@@tibicenlinnei4014 welp, I'm going to be sleep deprived for the next few weeks. . .

[@southernmiss9923]

I could see the emotion cross this mans face when discussing how their designs were taken and done cheaper. I couldn't imagine how that would feel. You can see the passion for the art in his facial expressions. What a fabulous art! Now on to ordering flowers to support this lovely company. I think my children would love flowers in their hair more than bows anyhow 😂

[@olgahein4384]

Actually, that feeling is kinda familiar to artists all over the world. There is an artisan who creates fairy wings (and dresses) in all sizes in her studio by hand, either for Haute Couture fashion brands or private people: Her designs have been copied by cheap manufacturers, starting with a certain It-Girl wanting to have them for her Halloween costume. There is an online artist, whose digital pattern design was shamelessly copied by ZARA for their cheap shirts. There is a rather known digital painter, whose artworks have been printed on big banners and used for several stage shows by a certain 'Queen of Pop' , without the artists knowledge. Art theft, no matter which kind of art, has always been a popular pastime for big companies and rich celebrities. And there's not much the artists can do, against the armee of lawyers of those thiefs.

[@webwarren]

Of course, all the rip-off flowers are some sort of cheap polyester. Some time around the late 1970s, a version of this sort of flower-making became a bit of a home craft. There were two types of home-made flowers. One used a soap-bubble-like process to put a film of fluid across a loop of wire; that loop would then draw into a petal with a wire. These petals would be wired together to create a flower. The other used premade petals vaguely like the ones in Adam's shop (polyester fabric that was cut and shaped into petals). The wire stem used artificial stamens (like the ones you can buy to make gum paste flowers for cakes), the petals and sepals were added with a method similar to slipping, and a bell-shaped plastic cap was slid onto the back of the lot to create the calyx. The resulting flowers were a lot like the ones you can buy at Michaels, but flimsier.

[@MossyMozart]

@southern miss - My partner designs and builds custom woodworking projects. This happened a number of times before he started charging for designs and samples. Remember that this happened to Ms Banner HERSELF when the red medieval gown she created was swiped by a cheapy Halloween costume company. She did a video about the experience.

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

Every single person who looks for cheaper and cheaper products participate in this. looking for every-cheaper wedding gowns (like AliExpress) and off-the-rack corsets (like Corset Orchard) are making it harder and harder and harder for actual artisans to make a living. I've more or less had to step out of it. It's getting harder to find people willing to pay even $20 an hour for a skill I've honed over more than three decades when you can get an entire finished cheap Chinese-sweat-shop corset for $50, or the occasional midwestern mom charging $3 an hour to try to compete with that. The Walmart mentality has really been killing actual craftsmanship, and there's no way to stop it, which is crushing.

[@tariuswatcher]

We talk so much about cost but not enough about value. The value of shopping outside of Amazon, the value of paying an artist, the value of good quality.

[@BirdieBirdieBirdie566]

Could I *theoretically* get some of my mothers wedding dress-a silk polyester blend mid 90’s monstrosity- made into these lovely fabric flowers? Cause my mom already told me and my sister we could take parts of it to incorporate to our own dresses. And this would be a beautiful way to do it.

[@gordoswife]

It would be perfect!

[@lukethomas658]

That's a really nice idea!

[@Mettephobicemily]

Karolina Zebrowska is coming to haunt your dreams

[@ReignBeauofTerror]

Beautiful idea 💖

[@ReignBeauofTerror]

@@CustomFabricFlowers you're amazing and I love what you do! Do you have a website I could check out?

[@ilovechika1]

"hearing that clanging pierces his soul" that's the perfect line to describe when Bernadette cut the wire with scissors.

[@bernadettebanner]

😅😅

[@psybun]

I said "oh no" when it happened! haha

[@gabbyb9418]

I have cheapo junk scissors when I wanna be a heathen lmao Just not the nice scissors!

[@MossyMozart]

@Ilc1 - One can get inexpensive wire cutters from a hardware store that are specifically made for this task. Ms Banner's tool box needs to expand by one wire cutter!

[@donnellemorrison6761]

Same.

[@wandererclarisse]

I just wanna appreciate how Bernadette always writes down her sources in the description.

[@lemonsama52]

Yes yes and always yes!

[@liznorth4028]

It is too lovely to ignore in her spirit

[@emiliawilson4378]

She's a gem. A nerd gem❤❤❤

[@Sweetjudiblueyes]

The cited sources’ footnotes popped up during the video too! YaY for references!

[@iron6672]

Yeah, but she is a jew. What she is doing here, is cultural appropriation.

[@pyreflei]

One of the most engaging aspects of this video for me is the fact that your guide, Mr. Adam Brand, knew and used all of the names of his employees/coworkers consistently and respectfully. I wish more people who worked in skilled trades got this kind of recognition (in a video format) more frequently!

[@mllemelocoton8272]

Can we please acknowledge Bernadette’s new level up in her vídeos the magic, the understanding, the importance, the showcasing of small business!! I’m in love!

[@bernadettebanner]

♥️♥️♥️

[@lilibetp]

Thanks to Skillshare classes?

[@EH23831]

Yasss! Bernadette keeps getting better and better! 🥰🥰

[@nguyenchau2765]

@@lilibetp if it's thanks to skillshare then I'll subscribe right away 😂 That could actually be Bernadette's new promotion line: see the quality in the latest episode? That came from skillshare 😆

[@helenmcnair4284]

@@bernadettebanner and you insisted on paying in full and the universe sighed and became a better place. Thank you so much for this kindness and also for coming over to the UK. Knowing you are secreted somewhere on this island is amazing! 💖💖💖

[@tildessmoo]

I think my favorite thing is the safety switch on the electric press. You can see that it only goes down when both switches are pressed, and they're far enough apart that you need both hands, ensuring that your hands _aren't_ under the press when it's actuated.

[@hermenegildakociubinska6665]

I've seen something like that twenty-something years ago on a paper-cutting press in Europe. It's probably a standard safety feature on this kind of machines.

[@somebodyelse138]

@@hermenegildakociubinska6665 Probably introduced after a young woman in Scotland managed to amputate both her hands on a paper cutting machine. It seems about the right time frame for it to have happened.

[@lauren8627]

Isn't it so simple and yet so smart! Delightful. Injuries in manufacturing are a massive issue. I appreciate simple safety features that don't impede production.

[@somebodyelse138]

@@lauren8627 People whinge about 'health and safety gone mad' but they really have no idea what dreadful injuries are prevented by such measures.

[@lauren8627]

@@somebodyelse138 I find it really hard to think about in developing nations where they are being paid pittance, poor safety standards, and one wrong move you lose a thumb and can't work. Well there goes the income for the whole family. I don't understand why money is often put above health and safety. (I'll keep my fast fashion rants to myself for now - otherwise I'll have my own TedTalk).

[@cet1r1z1ne]

Before this video I hated artificial flowers, but now that I see the artistry and the care put into making them, I think they're very whimsical! "Making flowers" is like a concept out of a children's book.

[@JacquelineUnderwood]

There's also a fairly big difference in quality too. I'm not a fan of artificial flowers in craft stores and the like but these look a lot more lovely and high quality

[@forestenrory]

@@JacquelineUnderwood yeah, the plasticky, frayed mass-produced ones are horrid but these ones look beautiful

[@ammygamer]

@@forestenrory Yup, I definitely prefer using either fabric or paper ones for decoration. It's fine even if the intent is to not **look** like a real flower, but to shape something flower-like into a decor that focuses on flaunting the properties of the material chosen. Most plastic flowers make absolutely no attempt at looking flattering, smell odd and were obviously made with the intent to be cheap and sell fast. They remind me of so many very bad traits that plague human habits and economy nowadays... Things born out of consumerism. Look maybe pretty from a distant, until you look closer and you see rough edges and pieces falling off. So many mass-made objects feel are just like that nowadays. I think everybody feels that, even if they can't pinpoint why they don't like certain things exactly. Something about it just "feels off" or "looks unnatural/uninspiring". It's not about being artificial, it's about how soulless they obviously are.

[@CampingforCool41]

Most fake flowers in stores are shitty low quality. These are not.

[@hannahstraining7476]

Silk flower making is a craft with a very long history, and it is still done today. In fact, right here on KZbin you can find videos on how to make them. Lots of specialty tools and artistry. Many are absolutely to die for!

[@jessicamanion2326]

Okay but can we just like appreciate the fact that he knew the names of the workers, we don't get that a lot these days.

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

I've known some of them since I was a baby!

[@SatumainenOlento]

@@CustomFabricFlowers 😍😍😍 That is really sweet 💗💗💗

[@Vintagebursche]

So you do BBC-quality documentaries now? I'm speechless. 😳

[@bernadettebanner]

I mean, an Attempt was made 😅😅

[@rubytook8067]

Your skills as a story teller are chef's kiss! 🥰

[@laartje24]

@@bernadettebanner What do you mean an attempt? You obviously outdid them of their own job! Keep it up, this is great.

[@ragnkja]

@@bernadettebanner A successful attempt, in my opinion.

[@helenmcnair4284]

Even our venerable BBC isn't always this luscious in its quality!

[@courtgodley7789]

this is a masterpiece, bernadette really outdid herself and i think we are all proud to be followers

[@patriciatinkey2677]

This video made me subscribe & share!

[@ceruleanwake8876]

I am definitely proud of her and privileged to be a follower. I share this videos with my grandmother and she says Bernadette reminds her of me. Which, oh my goodness! What a compliment! I wish! Thank you Bernadette for bringing family together with wonderful content!

[@masterofpockets9273]

The word 'artificial' today has really negative connotations, and I kind of associate it with warnings on processed food. But this video really reminds me of the word's roots in art and the process of making things. There's wonder in the fact that many beautiful things are made by human hands, that they had to be engineered rather than just springing up from nowhere. Really neat stuff.

[@laurielegrand3162]

How about "Faux Flowers" :) that would sound even lovelier?

[@ragnkja]

@@laurielegrand3162 Eternal flowers

[@laurielegrand3162]

@@ragnkja perfect :)

[@katariina.poikela]

That is so true. That is "the original artificial" we see in the video.

[@daffo595]

As much as I despise some of the things the internet has begot, being able to learn more of the craftsmanships of otherwise niche or lesser known areas of expertise like this makes me very happy the internet exists as well as the bringing together of people who didn't know this was something they would ever care about and the sharing of knowledge by a few generous individuals like on this channel.

[@basstrammel1322]

It's possible you already know about this, but there are channels that focus on restoring old watches, old handbags, old shoes, and so on. It's quite zen watching experts tidiously bring beauty back to life, even for those like me that don't even own any items like that. It's not like this video Bernadette made, but still show people being craftsmen at forgotten trades.

[@daffo595]

@@basstrammel1322 yes! Because, ironically, thanks to one of the things i hate begotten by the internet, algorithms can now predict which content we might be interested in.

[@gianmarcorusso1713]

Yes! As someone from a working class background, born and raised in one one the poorest metropolitan areas in Western Europe, without the internet I would not be the person I am. I would not have known anything about things such as interior design, craftsmanship, niche perfumes and bespoke fashion. It's easy to blame the contemporary age and hi-techs, but it's also true the internet has given us so many possibilities.

[@naly202]

The internet is just another world. It has both good and bad in it. The wonderful (and sometimes scary) part of it is that it knows what you are interested in and the content they recommend is taylored to suit everyone's personality and interests.

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

Like all tools it can be misused. I absolutely love learning about the history and that there are still some places doing it the old way! I also enjoy the fact that there are others out there that enjoy the same and want to talk about it!!! Coming on here and seeing so very many people who love learning about everything I enjoy is wonderful!! Getting to interact and share comments is a bonus!!

[@cobraqueen89]

My mom's dad was the middle man between the fabric factories and the clothing designers. So he would buy the fabric sold by the fabric companies on bolts and then sell them to the fashion designers and clothing companies at a slight markup. This meant my mom and her sisters constantly had clothes that hadn't even hit the runways yet in the late 50s early 60s. He did this up until the early 70s when the fabric factories cut out the middle man and went straight to the clothing designers or started shutting down and went overseas. I think he retired in the late 70s early 80s. He died in 2011 and I miss him and his stories a lot. He also served in WW2 as a marine at Iwo Jima.

[@averyeml]

If there’s ever a company where you can FEEL the care being put in, it’s this one. I know my family’s gonna look at me like I’m crazy when we take a NYC trip in the future and I ask to go see the garment district for no other reason to admire

[@MicaRayan]

Same, lol😂 I already say to my friend from New York (Centerport) IF I have ever going there, I'm gonna visit Garment District...(because Bernadette popularized it haha)...and he is like how on earh you know that place.... It was extinct decades ago (maybe like in the 80s)! I was just haha, lol'd. I'm gonna visit anyway!

[@socalslk]

I once took a class through UCLA extension just to get a behind the scenes view of the Los Angeles garment industry. While at a sewing guild convention in San Francisco, I signed up for a designer studio tour. I need more of these adventures in my life. Virtual visits will have to do for now.

[@tatermister5045]

Yup, when I can finally go to NYC again I absolutely need to stop by too.

[@loading1345]

Make sure to stop by MOOD!

[@incendiadesigns782]

If and when I ever get to New York, I'm spending at least one day and every penny I can get away with, in the garment district. Fabrics, lace, buttons, embellishments- I don't care if I have to mail my clothes back home so I have room in my suitcases, but I'm going to splurge on all the goodies!

[@Nico6th]

Things I definitely don't need: silk flowers things I now definitely want: some silk flowers!

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

Same

[@WhimsyCourier]

Or those gorgeous velvet ones *drools

[@briarrose8631]

I appreciate how they've made the process safer while maintaining the traditional methods of constructing the flowers.

[@sofiaoutandabout]

I am loving this new direction of the channel, how wonderful to focus on passionate artisans still making their art in the times of cheap mass manufacturing! I find it so important to show the people and artistry behind a business; I find that the human connection helps the consumer make the choice to patronise them instead of getting the cheap, impersonal, industrial version.

[@scarletpimpernelagain9124]

Great comment 👍🏻

[@FashionDivaNY]

Here here, well put @sofia nobre

[@AngelaG-lt7my]

Agreed

[@Powerinplaywithemily]

He said they use the same tools. Can u imagine holding the same tools that your great grandparents used? What a beautiful and tangible legacy that's been passed down. I love how history connects us

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

4 generations...

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

Not too far off from what my fams cast iron pans are

[@elzekloen]

I just made an apron that contained the tools or supplies from four generations of women in my family, going back to my great-grandmother's 1922 Singer sewing machine. It's a very special feeling indeed. I also own and occasionally use my grandmother's bobbin lace supplies, and what I love even more than the bobbins and the pillow is the handmade bags and covers for everything. Looking after your tools and taking the time to make a bag that perfectly fits them shows so much care, it's wonderful.

[@EluraCorenBooks]

Lol. My coworkers were tripping yesterday when I said I still used grandmother's Kitchenaide mixer. I've had it for over 20 years, I have no idea how long she had it. The thing it possibly older than I am.

[@ragnkja]

@@EluraCorenBooks The fact that it still works is a testament to its quality.

[@lilahdenton7730]

I went to their Etsy page and I'm so happy seeing all the reviews of people who have purchased from them after seeing them in this video. What a great, supportive community!

[@DVD927]

I definitely want some

[@itschelseakay]

I don’t know how much flowers like this normally go for but the prices seemed extremely fair as well!

[@snitcheyes411]

All of these flowers puts every single mass-manufactured flower in retail stores to shame. And I thought fake flowers were tacky. Clearly I was wrong. Now.....I just need to think up a project to use some velvet butterflies, silk camellias, and leather roses. So much pretty stuff on this Etsy store!

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

Cheap fakes are very tacky. Nice fakes can be lovely. I have some that look so real that people have thought they were. But they weren't cheap. Far from it. You get what you pay for.

[@David-un4cs]

My grandma puts seasonal wreaths on her front door year round. In the spring/summer she has a few floral ones she puts up. That could be a fun project! My mom used to make and sell grapevine wreaths in the late 90s/early 2000s and I loved helping her when I was a child.

[@AppliedGlamour]

This was like the haute couture version of Mister Rogers's crayon factory tour. (Aka the highest compliment one can pay!) Very much enjoyed this!

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

lol thank you!

[@oywiththepoodlesalready]

That was always my favorite part of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood! This definitely made me think of that.

[@adriannewatrobka1807]

@@CustomFabricFlowers I loved what you said about your father and his worry over his tools that had been handed down to him.... I bet his father worried too.

[@AshofApocalypse]

This is like “how it’s made” but even more entertaining

[@sonofhibbs4425]

It’s got heart and soul.

[@kristynaplihalova]

My mother used to work as artificial florist when she was young and still had the tools. I remember she thought us how to do this as kids. It was magical!

[@soldelk8340]

Lucky you. I desperately try to find old flower molds 😭

[@audriehonsinger9608]

That so cool!!!:)

[@nodrux]

I was not aware this art even exists beyond the plastic flowers. This is so cool to learn about. I sure hope it will be preserved for many years to come partially thanks to you too.

[@Thelmageddon]

So glad to see someone is still making flowers out of non-synthetic fibres 💚

[@reginaromsey]

I love the idea of using fabric from a grandmother’s wedding dress for flowers in a wedding bouquet! My Grandmother’s dress did not survive storage, but my mother’s did, although not well. It would have been right for it to have made something for my or my brothers daughters to carry her memory.

[@janis6363]

This makes me appreciate my grandmother’s style. She made all her street clothes from patterns. Vogue suits with satin lining, pearl buttons, covered seams, funny things inside to make lapels sharp, collars do things, she made frogs for oriental suit style. At the end, these glorious wool suits looked haute couture and she would add a silk flower corsage to the lapel. She used an ancient treadle Singer machine. The flower was like her signature. She was so gifted and I was too young to appreciate. I wonder where all those lovely silken flowers are now? This company may have made them. 1950 and 60s.

[@JustMe-mp6vu]

WOOW Thats so cool!! Do you still have those beautiful suits!? 😲😯😊🥰

[@janis6363]

Sadly no, but she was buried in her very best. I don’t remember much about where things went.

[@TheAngelofBlood]

That is amazing!! And while you may have been too young to appreciate her talent at the time, it sounds like you've really learned to appreciate it as time has moved on and I'm willing to bet that means a lot to her, wherever she may be now 🙂❤️

[@jamesprovost2602]

Amazing ✨👀

[@Burning_Dwarf]

Beautiful process We need to preserve businesses like this, for the world is poorer without them

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

Thanks for saying that

[@marymcfarland2089]

Bernadette - CBS Sunday Morning needs to pick this up. Bravo for the journalism, not to mention the to die for dress. Long live our craftspeople, tool makers, laborers and the creative and curious.

[@namewithay]

The five dislikes were from Parisian flower makers.

[@Tazzie1312]

Or for all the slipping masks lol. Too many noses hanging out.

[@crankysister]

@@Tazzie1312 Oh my god seeing so many improperly masked faces gave me such anxiety. Cover your mouth AND nose! Also, even if you've had a negative Covid test, you should still wear a mask! A negative test doesn't protect you from future infection. It doesn't even mean that you definitely don't have Covid! It just means that Covid was not detected at the time of testing!

[@Tazzie1312]

@@crankysister I'm with you. It was uncomfortable.

[@hectorrobertocontrerasmiranda]

Lol, you think the employees at Lemarie or Parafection even care

[@crankysister]

@@hectorrobertocontrerasmiranda I mean, they should. You can't save a dying industry if the artisans in the industry actually die.

[@Velostigmat]

"How much of it is the age, and how much of it is what did it look like when it was new?" Thank you! I ask this whenever I clean/repair/restore anything vintage.

[@oliviapak2505]

I didn't realize we were doing full blown documentaries now! Absolutely here for it.

[@gearoidp]

These artisan businesses should be protected and subsidised. The value they bring is beyond monetary. The entire NY garment industry has been crushed by cheap foreign labour and local gentrification..among other things. It's unbelievably sad that the vast majority (around 90%) of clothing in the US was made in the Garment District. Now it's mostly gone. Now people wear clothing produced by people from god knows where and in what conditions. The US has miss spent it's discretionary budget for decades. These jobs and buildings need security beyond trends. It's great that this gent says that his company has always tried to evolve and keep overcoming the obstacles that global competition brings. But there comes a point when he may have to shut the door. Then just a little more of the soul of the city is lost.

[@emmabednall573]

Japan's Cultural Properties laws are a great example of how other countries can protect these industries.

[@cathryncampbell8555]

@@emmabednall573 Precisely *my* thought, too! Top notch artisans in Japan are designated 'National Treasures.' I *wish* that governments in the West would learn from this enlightened approach. The original recipes/techniques for creating a Stradivarius or a classical ballet slipper have been lost over time....

[@PandoraBear357]

Japan has living national treasures, and I wish we did too.

[@miglek9613]

In a lot of countries crafts like that are written into heritage registers and are being passed down through educational settings

[@olgahein4384]

@@cathryncampbell8555 Tbh, the original recipe/technique for creating a Stradivarius was never known to the world to beginn with. Stradivari took that secret to his grave.

[@redhairgrneyes]

As a leather craftsman, I appreciate the love and usage of the older tools. It never occured to me to me just how artistic this flower craft was at heart. Thank you so much for shining a light on craftsman who carry forward truly awesome traditions.

[@andykings4723]

This is actually a skill that's been passed down my family! My grandmother and mom make them out of foam paper for long lasting and have all the tools here!😲😲😲🤯🤯🤯

[@thenerdybunny1296]

I like that he knows the names of his employees. That just lends an extra bit of homliness to the work environment.

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

I've known them since I was a baby

[@loading1345]

Agreed!

[@CastielWillow]

I am now like, what can I order from this fascinating and extraordinary business? I also now dream of a movie set in the flower making shops of the 19-teens. Bernadette Banner as historical dress consultant. In at least one scene, a female character put her corset on OVER HER COMBINATIONS, laces it up comfortably, and gets on with her life. Ooo, making flowers for the hats of local suffragettes!!!

[@bernadettebanner]

10/10 I need this film to exist 👀

[@agimagi2158]

Can we please crowdfund this!!!

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

I want to write a novel about Queen Mary's first visit to Balmoral, when she was a young girl and Victoria wanted to check if she was a good enough to marry her grandson. I would totally ask for Bernadette to be the costume designer for the BBC adaptation.

[@InkanSpider]

I'm usually kinda effy about the suffragette movement, but this sounds too good not to exist. If this doesn't come into existence soon, I'll riot!

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

Lots of flowers I hope!

[@wildcardgal]

This changed my opinion of artificial flowers.

[@TehMomo_]

as long as you buy from small businesses such as these...

[@wolveshowling26]

I really like the idea of having a wedding bouquet with artificial flowers, so they never die:) if I'll ever marry, I will remember M&S Schmalbergs flowers and hope they are still in business

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

I hope we are too!

[@MossyMozart]

@Wolves howling - i made a bouquet from dried flowers, grapevine, and holly. Each table had a matching wreath for the candles. Some friends still have the wreaths!

[@wolveshowling26]

@@MossyMozart that sounds very nice!

[@debbiefox6846]

We have a dear friend who has made silk flower corsages & wedding bouquets for her whole family & close friends for over 45 years. She makes the brides bouquets out of silk & the one to toss out of real. She made a corsage for my mom & dad for my mom's 20 year high school reunion. My mom still has it under glass some 40 years later. I highly recommend having them make one for you. You can enjoy it fir years to come.

[@gemink7939]

my mum had an artificial bouquet for my parents' wedding, think it's what inspired her to have artificial flowers around the house (though, they are cheaper overall, considering the time and effort and potential cost of actual flowers and plants)- we do grow flowers and other plants, but leave them out in the garden, also have a veggie plot... we just prefer to leave the flowers on the plants rather than take them inside.

[@Aelfswythe]

Fantastic documentary! When doing research on child labor in New York at the turn of the century, flower making was always a job I came across. It's so fascinating to learn about the original process!

[@bernadettebanner]

Yep--there's a whole facet of this story I didn't have time to go into for this feature, but there's still so much to be explored in workers/worker treatment area. I found a statistic which I couldn't quite work into the video--but 77% of the flower workers they surveyed in the 1913 report were women under the age of 25, and 14% of those were under the age of 16; fortunately by the time the 1913 report was written, there were the beginnings of stricter labor laws and worker's unions forming in NYC, so there were strict laws against overworking underaged employees (and the survey seemed to find that factories were adhering to this); but child workers seemed to populate a substantial percentage of the flower trade earlier in the 19th century, particularly in London. Anyway, this is a massive subject and the more research I did, the more mindblown I was about just how big of a story artificial flower making was!

[@ArtemisScribe]

Fun fact: wreath making is still one of the few jobs where child labour is considered acceptable in the US! Discovered that a while ago while watching an interesting doc on child actor laws.

[@doris1826]

@@bernadettebanner I recently read a novel about a seamstress that escaped Paris at the beginning of WWII. The author spent enough verbiage describing the process that I could almost see it in my mind's eye. So lovely to actually see the process on video. Thank you for a well-presented overview!

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

Probably children were sought out to make the tiny fiddly bits because of small fingers. I hate thinking of all the terrible burns they must have gotten.

[@shoaibakmal3151]

@@doris1826 That sounds like a great novel. I'd love to read it. Mind telling me the name.

[@dr-k1667]

You are a credit to historical documentaries. There is so much here to love and appreciate as a person whose family was part of fashion in various ways and whose family immigrated to this country. I hope the love of artistry will not only continue but increase, because so much of "modern" life is sterile, boring, mass produced and soulless. Art stirs the soul and beauty the senses. We could all use more of that in our every day life. Thank you for showing us what was and I hope you are inspiring creators as to what can still be, with a twist!

[@TheAngelofBlood]

When Adam was talking about seeing exact versions of flowers that had been handcrafted, on garments from fast fashion manufacturers, it really broke my heart. I am aware that it is not a new concept but for someone to blatantly rip off someone else's design and sell it as their own is atrocious. There's nothing wrong with doing collabs or using someone's work as inspiration or even using an item that was made by another artist but then at least remember to give them credit. Thank you for introducing us to this unique piece of fashion history ❤️.

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

When it comes to the floral industry, an unfortunate reality is that none of it is unique and none of it has been unique for decades. The presses his company uses are mostly over a century old. His family company didn't create this industry. There are many other companies that did the same and even still have the same presses, and so we can't assign ownership to him and his company or say that his company os being ripped off--they started decades later in the same, and could be accused of being a company that ripped off earlier flower makers, and in fact, Bernadette mentions how New York flower makers got their color schemes and such from French flower makers. But no one would accuse this company of ripping off French makers, right? Using book pages, different fibers and weaves, etc. has all been done before by many, many others. The sad thing here isn't that there's "ripping off" of anything, but that most of society would rather buy lots and lots of cheap shit than to put some value in actual non-abusive hand-crafting. Cheap Chinese sweatshop shit has a foothold because of how many people prefer to ignore the human rights abuses for a lower price than to buy fewer pieces of higher quality made by people who aren't abused and who aren't literally children. That goes not just for flowers, but for clothing and so many other things as well. It kills artisanal industry. As someone who prefers artisanal craftsmanship (and who makes custom corsetry and gowns), it's aggravating how much the push for ever-cheaper stuff is making it harder and harder to find the stuff I want, and so most of what I buy these days is vintage stuff made before those companies went out of business. When it comes to the custom gowns I make, my prices are as high as they are because I buy the components from hand-crafters when at all available, even if there are cheaper things that look the same, not because the cheaper things are "ripped off" (they really usually aren't), but because cheaper shit supports abuse while buying the better stuff supports people being paid for their work, which keeps money flowing back to me, and then I can buy more stuff like that, and the people getting the money may buy your services, then you use that money to buy from me, then I buy from someone else making custom stuff, etc., rather than sending it to some conglomerate. Cheapness removes money from circulation. Supporting artisanal craftsmanship keeps money circulating instead.

[@TheAngelofBlood]

@@Author.Noelle.Alexandria I completely agree with you in that, it is very sad knowing that many of these manufacturers will do everything and anything to pump out cheap versions of various hand-crafted goods. It's even worse knowing just how poorly they treat their workers and how much of a negative impact they have on those who take the time and care to craft things by hand. That being said, I honestly wasn't even thinking about that. I know of a clothing company that will once in awhile, take design suggestions or input from their customers/fans; what styles might they be interested in. On one occasion, someone had submitted a drawing of a medieval-inspired dress design that actually belonged to another company. Thankfully, myself and a bunch of others were able to put in our comments and inform them that that design belonged to another company. If they wanted to make something similar, that would totally be fine but if they had decided to make an exact replica of this gown and claim it as their own, that would not have gone over well. After all of that, I think it's fantastic that you make custom gowns and corsets and by the sounds of it, you really take the time to think about the quality and care of each piece that you create 🙂. And for that, I commend you because that probably isn't an easy thing to do.

[@garrettrobinson3826]

This is one of the reasons that a strong middle class is so important. The more people are secure, the more people will be able to afford carefully made, beautiful items such as these flowers--and the more people will consequently be employed by small manufacturers. I really hope that the information age helps bring about a renaissance of this kind of product, made by real, highly-skilled people, accessible to a growing number of consumers. It occurs to me that centralized fast fashion only really works if the general public can't afford better. Style replaces quality in the modern day, in a sort of Vimes Boots Theory way that's very insidious. I hope we can build a world where we cherish arts like this as they deserve.

[@MrDonkrypton]

You've been in my head. Admit it. I could have written exactly the same words, including mentioning Sam Vines. My conclusion of all this is buying less stuff and from regional manufacturers in better and, if possible, organic quality. At least, avoiding Amazon wohld be a good start. Greetings from northern Germany!

[@MossyMozart]

@@MrDonkrypton - There are, however, many small businesses who sell through Amazon, just like through Etsy. A blanket rebuff of Amazon could harm those little guys, too.

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

Unfortunately, the middle class is decreasing as the disparity between rich and poor grows larger.

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

Don Krypton I refuse to buy from Amazon!

[@ariaalexandria3324]

"centralized fast fashion only really works if the general public can't afford better." Unfortunately this isn't correct. Even people who can afford better often won't pay it, partly because cheapness is so heavily emphasized, partly because of how much higher-end items are now made in Chinese sweat shops (high-end no longer refers to quality, but to name, and a disgustingly high amount of high-end name-brands are made in the same sweat shops) and how much stigma there is around pricier items, especially in tougher economies (spoken as someone who was Kate Spade and Tory Burch and other such brands for purses and Hervé Leggier dresses--I keep this stuff concealed because showing any of it in public is seen as crass, and yes, I've had a couple comments on my purses). Fast fashion became popular when people still could afford better. What happened was that the mindset shifted from having fewer pieces of better quality to having more pieces of lower quality. Quantity over quality became the name of the game. We all know people who claim they can't afford better than $10-pieces from Goodwill, but then they have a closet loaded with 100 pieces of stuff, mostly crap they never wear. They'd prefer to spend $1,000 on 100 pieces since the price *feels* cheaper at $10 each even if they only ever really wear 10 pieces, but if you suggest spending $100 on a higher quality piece, suddenly they can't afford that, even though that $1,000-closet for 10 wearable pieces effectively works out to $100 spent for each piece that gets wear. because andwardrobes But even the American upper middle class emphasizes more pieces at lower prices in trends meant to die out in months rather than fewer pieces of higher quality that are classics that can be accessorized to still be on trend.

[@kellyoconnor5684]

This was incredible to watch. My mom once found a cache of vintage silk roses at a garage sale; they now adorn special hats and costumes. Thank you so much for the history lesson--and the photos of the home-made flower-makers reminded me of the opening scene of Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, with the red velvet rose petals scattering in the wind and snow.

[@MsAerosensa]

I absolutely need and absolutely have no use for fabric flowers. Browsing their etsy now. Send help!

[@lauratheexplora5020]

I adore this comment! Have fun! 💖💖

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

They made pretty brooches. I have a black coat and I adorn it with two knitted flowers.

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

=) Thank you!

[@moonviolet27]

Same here😂

[@marialindell9874]

@@CustomFabricFlowers Holy shit! Uhhh... do you guys do shipping (and if yes, do you ship to Finland?)?

[@glorygloryholeallelujah]

Never once in my life have I looked at fabric/silk/fake flowers and thought *”hmm, how is this made?”* - and boy was I *missing out!!* Better late than never I suppose! They’re all just drop dead gorgeous!❤️

[@xJuliaGrimesx]

Unnecessary side note: Schmalberg means narrow mountain in German :)

[@brianaschmidt3509]

Where else do you find the prettiest flowers?

[@jimmyeng663]

Not unnecessary but a fun fact!

[@mangachanfan1556]

Hahaha Cool!! Thanks for that! Loved hearing that!

[@mikki1732]

I found a beautiful wool coat at an antique shop last month, and after watching this I've decided that it is in need of a beautiful flower brooch. I've just ordered one from their Etsy shop! And now, mere moments after I order it, I'm off to stare at my mailbox until it arrives.

[@lowercase_ash]

Mood 🤣 I hope your coat is nice and warm and you get to enjoy it lots 💕

[@mikki1732]

@@lowercase_ash Thanks! It goes down to my knees so it’s super warm. I love it so much! 🥰

[@sumrakdievca]

I feel you! The Etsy shop provided an excuse to finally get a brooch to pin my various shawls (I'm a knitter, shawls are easy, pretty, and like crack for most of us) shut, because OH MY GOD, SO PRETTY!!!!

[@InkanSpider]

If these guys can afford it, they should get in contact with someone who does iron molding, so they can copy these molds in case the original ones are damaged beyond repair. These are so beautiful, and I can absolutely se why they are scared they might get damaged over time. A copy will hopefully make them less scared, and will make sure later generations can keep using them

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

The way molds and such used to be made are nearly indestructible. Things weren't always made with the intent of them needing to be replaced. Things used to be made with the intention of it lasting forever. This is why so many antique sewing machines still work perfectly fine while modern machines often don't last longer than a decade. If a piece is somehow damaged, it would cost less to either repair that individual piece or get that individual piece replicated than to preemptively just copy thousands of molds that have already lasted over a century.

[@Kayenne54]

Just like a hard drive backup. Just makes sense.

[@mwater_moon2865]

Those are solid brass. They will LAST, just try asking Lofty Pursuits the candy co in Tallahassee, FL still using antique candy molds or Kokomo Opalescent Glass in Indiana still using the EXACT same glass texture rollers that were used for glass LC Tiffany purchased for his lamps and windows. Saddest part is/was a lot of those type of molds and presses were melted down to make bullet casings for the war effort.

[@animelogic8721]

Your idea is smart yeah they might last 100s of years cause it bras but accidents happen

[@TippyTot]

@@mwater_moon2865 Hey fancy seeing a fellow Lofty pursuits watcher here! Just ordered their peach candy :D

[@glendafulton]

I've been a Florist for over 40 years so I felt so humble to hear a tiny bit of history about this wonderful company. I pray this company is still around another 100 years from now💐❤💐

[@Godwinpounds4333]

Hi how are you doing?

[@ErynurTheElf]

I actually used to make fabric flowers when I was 10 years old. There was an afterschool "club" where we could use the special irons and tools for flower making (small manual ones). There were many of these activities offered in my school in eastern Europe.

[@sy-zu4uz]

Wow im so jealous 🥺 my school only focuses on academics unfortunately.

[@cricketcricket9749]

Awesome!

[@ErynurTheElf]

@@sy-zu4uz I used to take it for granted until I realized it's not the same everywhere. I think its really important to learn to make things with your hands. It makes it so much easier to adult :D

[@thewol7534]

When they were explaining the flower making process and the guy was taking the wet fabric out of the sizing and stretching it out to dry on that frame -- That frame was a "tenter's frame" from whence the term "being on tenterhooks" comes from. Tenter's frames were most commonly used in sizing ("fullling" i.e., felting/pre-shrinking) woolen cloth (source of the trade-surname "Fuller"). That dress turned out so nice, and the roses are the ice cream on the pie. I would have admired to see you in it again, Madame X.

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

Nice incite! I didn't know that

[@ModernJewelryMakers]

Is there a "Garment Center" Museum? Is someone planning one? As more & more of these crafts get replaced, I just hate seeing the history lost & think it's very important that it is preserved in some form.

[@MossyMozart]

@Modern Jewelry Creators - In the early 1970s, I remember walking through the garment district, having to dodge messengers wheeling huge racks and racks of clothing all over the sidewalk and street with a determined purpose. I see none of them now.

[@elisabetfinlayson8539]

Other then now having an unknown desire to have lots of silk flowers, I found this fascinating to see from a construction stand point. I have a feeling that in the near future I might be buying some. We’ll see. I love the dress, the flowers really pull it together and make it whimsical but also elegant at the same time.

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

We hope so!! Thank you

[@elisabetfinlayson8539]

@@CustomFabricFlowers I was looking at your Etsy shop last night. So pretty!

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

@@elisabetfinlayson8539 Thanks!!

[@Meskarune]

I just want to have flowers in my hair now XD

[@KacielNolwen]

I wish we still lived in a world that valued artisans and artistic skills. I wish I could buy clothes made by people who genuinely care about the quality of what they're making and love their work. Fast fashion is just killing my soul. But since I can't exactly do that I'll settle for thrift stores and making my own clothes.

[@Melpomenes17]

Totally understand. Growing up among taylors and seamstresses in my family, it has always been an obsession to look at the quality of how garments are made. It is better to have a few quality pieces that will last a long time than a closet full of clothes that are made cheaply and who knows in what inhumane condition sewn.

[@khaxjc1]

Loved this. More of this please. Also the idea of people getting family wedding dresses turned into flowers seemed wonderful to me. Especially for dresses that have been damaged.

[@nadjadambach703]

I love how Cesario just marched across your pattern there.

[@ArtemisScribe]

Like Napoleon marching on Moscow - just total confidence

[@graceho7479]

Time stamp?

[@lorisewsstuff1607]

Spoon flower needs to make fabric with Cesario footprints on it. I know it would sell. Call it Bernadette's Assistant.

[@nadjadambach703]

@@ArtemisScribe Absolutely

[@nadjadambach703]

@@graceho7479 0:22

[@SuperFoxdemon]

This whole time I thought the flowers on 100+ year old dresses and hats were real flowers because I thought silk flowers were a relatively new invention. Learn something new every day

[@deidraws2530]

All the cottagecore lovers would have a ball when they see all the flowers.

[@aw04tn58]

Love, LOVE that we got the artists' names. Craftspeople haven't gotten enough credit through the ages and I'm so happy to know these folks' names.

[@TheAgeofFabulous]

Such gorgeous talent that's being lost because we take it for granted that it'll always be there. Thank you, Bernadette for giving us a glimpse into this gorgeous world that I didn't know existed and now will loving support, much to the annoyance of my husband. Flowers for EVERYONE!! The cats, the bookcases, the mantle and even the man...he'll be decorated whether he likes it or not!

[@ragnkja]

The gentleman needs a boutonnière that doesn’t wilt, right?

[@bernadettebanner]

Excellent. 😎

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

Our flowers don't wilt. The cat definitely needs one

[@theHaru20]

Ohh I know your user handle from the kittenish behaviour channel 🥰. Lovely to see you here as well!!

[@lyreparadox]

They'd be an excellent replacement for bows on Christmas presents wrapped in cabbage!

[@sorrels4959]

This was delightful to watch. And now I have a poppy pin ordered that I didn't even know I needed until I saw it. : )

[@mandymouse1879]

Bern.a.dette. THIS VIDEO IS SO LEGIT AND PROFESH. All your usage of documentary style archive footage is OUT OF CONTROL AMAZING. You are killing it. That interview footage was PERFECTION. You’re not just building a KZbin channel. Girl, I predict you’ll be part of the future of fashion and garment mainstream entertainment media. This was not a vlog. This was a professional level how-its-made documentary. WE STAN.

[@mcollins630]

Had the same thought.

[@alli_mode]

Idk if the plan was to go for a full documentary on the making of the flowers when you started the dress, but I'm glad that you couldn't pick the flowers up right away, so we could experience this. 💕

[@emilygillespie563]

This was just next level Bernadette! So professional and beautifully produced, and wonderful that you are able to support M&S Schmalberg by doing this.

[@thecatofnineswords]

I came into this via Japan. wot? My grandmother was taught Japanese silk flower making some several decades ago, and she passed the skills on to my mum and me. We still have the irons too. It's really cool to see it as a trade.

[@mayyy4765]

That's very cool

[@lauramcastro4897]

That was my grandma's craft!! My grandfather worked at a bank, but they relied on my grandma's hand flower making to complement their income. She then sold her flower to fancy seamstress in the city. I was born long after she had stopped working, but she still speaks of it with pride.

[@applepie9806]

I've seen the knockoffs and I always thought that's what they all look like, kinda cheap plasticky and not very pretty. But these are gorgeous, I especially love the ones made out of velvet. I think custom stuff was a pretty good idea too, it's a pity I don't live anywhere close. Hope they survive.

[@milanopiano]

I'm glad that you give these artisans a well deserved spotlight. I hope your attitude and mentality towards clothing and the clothing industry will rub off on society and cheap fashion falls out of fashion. It changed my view completely and I'm thankful for that.

[@silvergypsylady]

This is so interesting. I love the fact that they were able to take the flower molds and use them in modern machinery. I imagine most of the molds are cast iron so they would be very heavy. Now I'm going to have to check them out on the internet.

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

Various metals - Cast iron, aluminum, brass, steel rule. Some are 50+ pounds

[@pahalloweenfreak]

As an artisan and near 60 year old, I deeply appreciate & thank you for doing this piece and featuring a business who has found a way to incorporate some modern niceties yet still maintain the skills & knowledge of how to do their craft. So many handcrafting trades & skills have already been lost to "Progress". I wish them a long & prosperous future! And Bravo to you for choosing them as the flower maker to complete your gown. You have done a fantastic job! To me it is not just a gown; it is a gorgeous masterpiece!

[@reddenver]

This shop is amazing I’ve been going to them for over 10 years to make floral crowns and flower clips just for myself ( not whole sale) and they are so nice and great prices not to mention the flowers are stunning.Adam is so sweet and I use to bring my kindergarten students for field trips. Can’t say enough nice things about them.

[@eyjabassadottir317]

I watched this with my 7yr old. He loved watching the process. He was sad to hear that the other places closed.

[@carolinavenger]

Someone needs to stop me buying everything on their etsy page, now. What a beautiful craft!

[@damnbabygirl8926]

In Vietnam, some schools make you take a class in crafting flowers. They’re not as elegant as these beautiful Victorian ones, but all of the vases in our home are filled with artificial flowers that my mom and aunt made themselves.

[@lilichong7941]

Bernadette this was expertly edited. This has the feel of a professional doc. Just WOW 👏🏽👏🏽

[@annahdawson2788]

Just went to shop here on my trip to NYC. Can confirm: the shop is fascinating, Adam and his staff are lovely, and the flowers are incredibly beautiful! Buy all the flowers from them!

[@sallys.2707]

I love love love this kind of video. I am A TRASH for craft history/craft documentary. That's the best quality content for keeping me company while I sew.

[@LaraMayBacani]

Because of this channel, I’ve steadily come to realize just how precious each item of clothing is in detail, material, and design - something fast fashion has totally desecrated. It’s a shame that so many from my generation did not not grow up appreciating quality and instead have a marred view of how clothing should function and feel. Thank you Bernadette for showing us how wonderful and important craftsmanship is.

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

Yes! I’ve never been able to get over the sheer amounts of clothing that people buy, week after week. And all of poor quality, synthetic fabrics and shoddy construction. They will admire someone else’s well made (or even just better made) garments, but state that they “can’t afford something like that.” It completely escapes them that they actually spend far more in a year for their endless supply of cheap stuff than the person whose clothing inspires jealousy.

[@Author.Noelle.Alexandria]

@@Lucinda_Jackson Exactly what I've been saying for YEARS. Sadly the emphasis is now on quantity over quality, even if that means spending more on crap that's already falling apart when you buy it.

[@Lucinda_Jackson]

@@Author.Noelle.Alexandria Yes...the constant desire to accumulate! The dumb 80s saying, “He who dies with the most toys wins” still applies

[@julieferdtorres1833]

I came across to this channel at the start of the pandemic and here I am now appreciating the craft more than ever and waiting for Bernadette's update haha

[@LaughingGenius]

It fills my heart with joy to see safety features like the two-hands buttons on the press at 10:07. Very impressive operation overall.

[@MuseAndDionysus]

Flower maker: we could've been the ones to have made these flowers!!!!!!!! Bernadette: This gown was made in France Flower maker: well then no, probably not

[@CustomFabricFlowers]

That made me laugh too. Doh!

[@MuseAndDionysus]

@@CustomFabricFlowers it was so innocent though and I think that's why it was so funny.

[@bernadettebanner]

Let me tell you, when I then found that quote about NYC flower makers struggling to compete with the French, I nearly died at my unbeknownst impertinence--but it made for nice comedy 😅

[@zoenightshade3053]

I loved how you closed with how a lot of consumers don't think about the people and production process that goes into the things they buy. My family runs a small, private, specialty beef business, that focuses on no antibiotics, no hormones, an regenerative land management. It really bugs me when people just assume the food they want is in the grocery store, and they don't give a single thought to how that food was grown/produced or who did it. Fast fashion is to you what processed, mass produced food is to me.

[@Violet-qf8dr]

I remember hearing on Democracy Now how Tyson foods was not allowing their employees bathroom breaks so they had to resort to wearing diapers.

[@ocdplaylistmaker7032]

@@Violet-qf8dr that -

[@mjean6762]

This video was top notch. I have never had a second thought about an artificial flower, other than not really liking them aesthetically. I now have been inspired to see them in a different light and see how much they really can add that special touch to a garment, hairstyle or what have you. So much more than the faded, droopy, outdated bunch stuffed into a broken flower pot lining someone's walk. Bernadette's right, there is a special story behind everything and if we can take the time to acknowledge that then our "things" may once again become treasures.

[@cathryncampbell8555]

M Jean, I agree with you! I have never liked artificial flowers -- but I now realize that my dislike was fed by bad, mass-produced artificial flowers. The artistry found at M&S Schmalberg has opened my eyes to new possibilities! Thanks go to Bernadette for her investigative reporting on this niche business.

[@kammieheff]

This felt like the BEST episode of "How Its Made" lol

[@Chibihugs]

My goodness this was fascinating. I had no idea of the history of flower making, no wonder the Victorians and Edwardians had such beautifully decorated hats and gowns. Hopefully this craft can continue on. Delightful!!

[@HaileyGault]

A HUGE thanks to Adam for allowing us all behind the scenes to see the exciting process! Absolutely loved this video Bernadette, I hope we'll get to see another like this format! :)

[@acey850]

I hope special shops like this thrive more in the coming years. Hopefully they get used more like in Paris

[@basstrammel1322]

If sea shanties can spread through TikTok like wildfire, I would not be surprised if artificial flowers suddenly can become fashionable.