The one company after another cancelled its flower subscription," Marielle Keldermans recalls of the financial crisis in 2008. Six years earlier, she and her brother Jeroen Keldermans had taken over the renowned flower shop Regina on Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië and things had gone crescendo.

Brother and sister Jeroen and Marielle Keldermans are the driving forces behind Regina.

"Suddenly our corporate clients - SMEs, governments and multinationals - wanted sobriety, and it was a quick cut." Brother and sister did not sit back and delved into artificial flowers, until then a stepchild in their product range. Jeroen: "This allowed us to offer a more economical and sustainable alternative: flowers that are only changed every season. That fell on good ground."

Amid hundreds of handmade ranunculus, sunflowers, gloriosas and more - an explosion of colour - the entrepreneurs tell how they came to this brand new boutique. "For a long time, artificial flowers had a corny image, but since the footprint of fresh flowers has become better known and techniques have improved, interest is increasing," Jeroen lectures. "Especially the younger generation is choosing a beautiful vase of artificial flowers more often."

Artificial flowers

During sessions with a brand architect, a gift the entrepreneurs gave themselves for Regina's 70th anniversary, everything came together: the artificial flowers deserved a place of their own. "And then this building opposite our flower shop became available. It couldn't get any better," says Marielle.

"Here we have shaped our dream. We take you into our fairytale world," Jeroen continues, looking around proudly. "We did all the styling ourselves; we knew exactly what colours we wanted on the walls. And it works, because we notice from the people who walk in here that it has the wow factor."

Artificial flowers and plants are interspersed with stunning vases by Royal Leerdam.

Artificial flowers and plants are interspersed with gorgeous vases by Royal Leerdam, cushions, scented candles by Trudon, chandeliers, handmade tiles by StoryTiles and other home accessories that are as cheerful as they are high-quality, and which Marielle and Jeroen choose by feel. "Everything you see is for sale!" the two exclaim in chorus, after which they look at each other, laughing out loud.

But Silk-ka's artificial flowers are the foundation. "The founder has 20 years of experience and comes from the flower world himself," says Marielle. "As a result, he knows exactly how a flower behaves. The secret is that perfection lies in imperfection." Contrary to what the name suggests, these are not silk flowers. "That would not be sustainable," Jeroen says. "In fact, the raw materials are largely recycled."

Additional advantage: arranging a bouquet is a little easier than with real flowers. "The craft remains the same - you do need to have a floral heart for a correct composition and choosing the right flowers for the season - but you are more in control of the flowers."

Indian almond tree

"The inspiration bouquets that are there, I made," confesses Marielle, who mainly deals with the conceptual side of Regina. "You can easily bend them and make them longer or shorter if it suits. For the artificial plants, light also plays a role. In full sun or in a dark corner, you can put them anywhere in the house or office." Jeroen points to a two-metre-high, indistinguishable from real artificial tree, an Indian almond tree. "The live variety is actually impossible to keep in the Netherlands, just because of the many leaves they naturally lose. But they are beautiful and very sought-after, so this is the ideal solution."

The shop at 38 Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië.

In Jeroen and Marielle's experience, these endless possibilities sometimes cause customers stress when making choices. "That's why we like to guide people. Flowers last for years and we want our customers to enjoy their purchases for a long time," Jeroen explains. "We know exactly what is needed for the right ratio in filling, height and colour, which listens quite closely. We usually start with a colour group: which one appeals most to you? What does your interior look like? Sometimes a bouquet is composed in five minutes, other times it takes an hour and a half. And if it's a gift, the flowers and vases can simply be exchanged. As long as it makes the recipient happy."

Always looking at the same bouquet is not necessary - no, it is not even the intention. Marielle: "Think of your artificial flowers as a good wardrobe that you can combine with each other. In summer you use different colours and textures than in autumn. By taking out a few flowers each time and adding new elements of the season, you can play with your bouquet and evoke a totally different but equally natural atmosphere."

Trend

She therefore discerns a trend. "It's quite an investment, so individual flowers are often bought as well. For a birthday, for example, after which a new flower follows on each occasion, as a kind of growing diamond. Or by a group of people who all pick a flower for a joint gift."

Cut flower becomes luxury product

The Cellar Men foresee the cut flower eventually becoming a luxury product. "It will be like with meat: not a meatball every day anymore, but a special piece once in a while," argues Jeroen. "Yet they will always exist, because impermanence is an age-old theme and there is nothing more beautiful than fresh flowers on high days and at a farewell, so symbolic."

And their own future? "We can handle quite large assignments with our team and we don't need huge expansion. Our strength is in the personal, so we like to keep control ourselves," Marielle analyses. "However, we did get into the design world through our accessories. The first collaborations taste like more."

www.regina.nl