Fresh from FLORIST

October 09, 2019

The last time I visited a florist I left with a dozen orange roses, a bouquet that I thought hit a sweet spot between romantic and spontaneous. The last time George Banks handed off a FLORIST creation, it was in the form of a leather bag, in a style both sentimental and refined.

Banks is an Australian-born maker who moved to New York three years ago and has since started the brand FLORIST, a word embroidered in bubble letters at the bottom of some of his bucket bags, accompanied sometimes by soft fabric flowers or fleecy smiley faces. FLORIST is a small batch operation, and each bag is handmade by Banks, who drops them off from his bike to customers who feel like they’ve just gifted themselves a bouquet that never spoils.

Text and Interview by Savannah Whitmer
Photos by FLORIST

In fact, FLORIST proved itself an instant classic. What was once a brand as underground as your favorite Chinatown knock-off stop is now a booming business. office spoke with the up-and-coming designer about fake flowers, spaghetti westerns, and what’s next for FLORIST.

How did you get into making embroidered bags?

I always like to add little expressions to my clothes, through either painting or embroidery. Hand embroidery was far too time consuming, so I taught myself to chain stitch. Initially I was making bags as a little side project after hours at my old work. I loved working on large motifs and loved the idea that someone would be walking around the streets with my work on display, in the form of a bag.

What kind of technical training do you have?

I'm not technically trained, I’ve just taught myself everything through trial and error. I really enjoy the process of trying to figure out how to make something or how to use a particular machine.

I also think that the fact that I'm not technically trained has added to my aesthetic. The audaciousness of trying to make something without the technical know-how––I think this kind of resonates with people.

Your pieces seem very sentimental, but refined, too. They’re also sort of Western. What are you influenced by?

I'm really inspired by the use of color and shape throughout the 70s and 80s. I love the way people designed things in that period––beautiful, sleek, but also aggressive.

I enjoy working with simple silhouettes but adding flavor and vibrancy to them. I’ve always found it really interesting how people can take a particular theme or narrative and then re-interpret it in their own way—like how Italians loved American Western movies, so they developed their own spaghetti Western genre that is totally unique and cool in its own right, but is based off an existing theme.

I often associate leather goods with cowboys and bikers, people who love hearty products that they can thrash for decades. I guess when it comes to bags I'm reinterpreting that, but making them cute! The idea of Florist is that the pieces elevate you, you feel brighter and bubblier, in the same way that giving or receiving flowers makes you feel.

How long does it take to make a bag?

The bags take anywhere between three and six hours to make depending on the style. It's quite a hands-on process when you consider that every piece of the bag has to be cut and then all the edges finished and then embroidered and assembled.

Does that make you feel protective over them?

I don't feel protective at all over my bags. I enjoy making them, but I enjoy even more what they mean to their owners. If I'm working on something custom for a customer I'm constantly questioning whether or not they’ll like what I'm doing, as I'm doing it.

How much of your personal style is reflected into the bags?

I think a lot of my personal style is reflected in the bags and products I make. It's hard for your own style to not bleed into your work when the process is so involved and hands-on.

What flower shops do you frequent?

There are a couple fake flower shops near my studio on Myrtle ave. I often find myself in there looking at all the different imitation flowers, they are really amazing. I also really like lots of the flower shops in Chinatown such as Confucius Florist Inc and Lucky Florist and Goods.

I’m surprised you like fake flower shops!

I think imitation flowers are amazing, as with anything imitation really. I guess that goes back to what I was saying about people interpreting and reinterpreting themes.

It is an amazing feat of expression if you’re trying to replicate something. You’re never going to get it exact, and often you include details that weren’t on the original which adds something more.

I guess I’m thinking in relation to bootleggers, which are super cool. Part of how I ended up making bags is because I couldn’t afford nice bags, and I kind of apply that same approach to my clothing, too.

Can you tell me about the process of buying a bag? I’ve heard you sometimes hand-deliver them.

Initially to buy a bag people would send me a DM on Instagram. I now have a website that people can buy from too. It's a little tricky to get every single bag I make up onto the website as everything needs to be photographed, so often if people don't see the one they want online, they purchase it through Instagram. I always try and meet up to deliver the bag if the customer lives in New York City. It's super fun to meet my customers and I have made lots of friends through that process.

If you stitched any other word or phrase into the side of the bag, what would it be?

I haven't really put all that much thought into that. One of my favorite dishes is Mapo Tofu, I was making it a lot last winter and at one point I almost embroidered it onto a bag for myself... Unfortunately I never did, maybe this winter.

You’re starting to make chains now too! What’s next for FLORIST?

I'm currently working on a knitwear collection. I have always wanted to make clothing, and I love how there are countless techniques you can apply to achieve amazing results with regards to knitwear. I’ll have scarves and sweaters available before the year is out!

Fashion

ECCO.kollektive collaborates with Louis-Gabriel Nouchi

November 21, 2024

ECCO.kollektive has teamed up with Paris-based designer Louis-Gabriel Nouchi for a bold and innovative Spring/Summer 2025 collection. Known for his thoughtful exploration of masculinity and storytelling in fashion, Nouchi brings his unique perspective to this collaboration, blending his modern aesthetic with ECCO’s skill in craftsmanship and material innovation.

The collection features a range of footwear, clothing, and accessories, each designed with attention to detail. The collection uses a mix of black, deep red, and pearl white. Sensual touches, like Nouchi’s signature slits, combine with structured tailoring and flowing shapes, showing how the designer blends bold and refined styles.

We spoke with Louis-Gabriel Nouchi about the collection and his inspiration. From the textures of the human body to his love for stretch leather, Nouchi shared how the collaboration allowed to experiment with new ideas.

By Enzo Holdt
Photography by courtesy of ECCO.kollektive x LGN

The collection debuted at Paris Fashion Week and draws inspiration from the textures of the human body. “The idea came from the textures of skin,” Nouchi explains. “I wanted to create something sensual and fluid, using leather in a way that felt both strong and soft. Leather has this amazing quality—it can feel like armor, but also like a second skin.”

Nouchi worked closely with ECCO to develop designs that showcase the versatility of their materials. High-shine biker nappa leather with a waxy finish appears in tailored separates like a single-breasted blazer, trousers, and long-line shorts. For a more experimental edge, he created a column dress and a pencil skirt using strips of leather embroidered onto stretchy tulle—a design he says was inspired by his younger self. “When I was young, I was obsessed with stretch leather because of designers like Jean-Claude Jitrois. It’s something I wanted to explore and bring into this collection, almost like fulfilling a dream for my past self.”

Footwear is another major highlight, featuring Derby shoes, Helsinki loafers, and the standout Truck Lace loafer with a bold platform. The shoe’s futuristic design draws from Nouchi’s fascination with brutalism and technology. “It might be a bit controversial,” he says, laughing, “but I really like the Tesla Cybertruck. The sharp, angular lines and futuristic look combined with that raw, brutalist vibe—it’s something that resonates with me. The platform on the Truck Lace loafer feels like a nod to that kind of design.”

Another unique detail is the inclusion of removable coins on some of the shoes, adding a playful yet personal touch. “You can take the coins off—it becomes almost like a lucky charm,” Nouchi says. “It’s one of those small details that make the pieces feel more connected to the wearer.”

Louis-Gabriel Nouchi’s signature slit motif, which adds subtle hints of reveal and concealment, runs throughout the collection. “The slit is about teasing the eye,” he explains. “It’s never about revealing too much—it’s about creating tension, a little mystery.” This motif appears on everything from loafers to hems, blending seamlessly with the collection's sensual yet structured aesthetic.

When asked about the versatility of his designs, Nouchi emphasizes their adaptability to different occasions. “You can wear these pieces in super casual situations on the street, looking super chic at night—super sexy,” he says. “From one garment, you can style it in so many ways during the day. For example, the tank top—you can wear it with pants, or without. It’s super hot, super cool, and it works for so many moments.”

For Nouchi, the collaboration with ECCO was as much about innovation as it was about creative freedom. “There are no limits with ECCO,” he says. “As a designer obsessed with materials, having the freedom to push development this far was an amazing opportunity. Fashion, for me, is like a laboratory. It’s about testing ideas and seeing how far we can take them.”

The ECCO.kollektive x Louis-Gabriel Nouchi collection is available now, combining high-quality craftsmanship with bold, modern design that showcases Nouchi’s vision and ECCO’s craftsmanship.

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Escaping the Glass Cage

November 19, 2024

For years, she stood still, watching life rush past her, a quiet observer behind the glass. Now, the glass is broken, and she steps out into the unknown. She walks through the city, caught between two worlds—part of it, yet apart from it.

Her journey is quiet but bold, searching for something she’s never understood, something just out of reach. On church steps and under glowing city lights, she questions everything: the rules, the past, and where she truly belongs. Each step feels both freeing and uncertain.

A curious soul in a borrowed life, she keeps moving forward, leaving behind only whispers of her escape, like a fleeting shadow in the night.