The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is starting spring strongly with the opening of its 21st annual orchid show titled, “Florals In Fashion.” This elaborate display showcases intricate fashion designs along with over 2,000 kinds of orchids. Attendees are encouraged to ponder ways in which this plant family inspires them, as “fashion and orchids exude possibility: of self-expression, multiplicity, and the magic of the unexpected.” This year’s floral fashion designers included Hillary Taymour, Olivia Cheng and Kristen Alpaugh. The show is in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and will be open until April 21, 2024.
I attended the show this Saturday and was shocked by the hundreds of people in attendance. The rain did not stop anyone from seeing the hybridity of fashion and the natural world. The moment you enter the show, you see the first fashion display made by “Dauphinette” founder, Cheng. According to the NYBG, “In 2021, Cheng became the youngest designer to showcase her designs as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’ exhibit, and last year she was named to [Forbes’] 30 Under 30 Art and Style list. There are five abstract designs with flowers as fabric, whether that be to make a dress, top or headpiece. Seeing these designs elevated in the conservatory pool filled with orchids was out of this world, and an exciting start to the show.
On the way to the main designs in the middle of the conservatory, guests had the opportunity to see different types of orchids dispersed along the pathways. Some included the Cane Orchid, Dendrobium Chocolate Chip Orchid, Paphiopedilum Berenice Orchid and the Slipper Orchid. These pigmented plants ranged from bright pinks to deep blues, and it was really interesting to see how many orchids there really were.
In addition to getting to see these beautiful flowers from across the world, I enjoyed that the show had an educational aspect to it. To my surprise, I learned that many of the orchids in the show are hybrid. The NYBG informed attendees that many of these plants were invented “with new shapes, colors, and scents that could never develop in nature.” Furthermore, these orchids are distinguished by an “x” symbol in their botanical name. Some include, x Rhyncattleanthe Dan O’Neil ‘Jubilee,’ which is a neon orange orchid, and the Phalaenopsis OX Little Prince, which is a white orchid with neon pink spots. My favorite was the x Oncidesa Lemon Heart ‘Sd-1’ because of its vibrant yellow color and heart petal shape. These names are far from simplistic, highlighting how unique each particular flower is.
After making your way down many paths, you will find yourself greeted by designer FLWR PSTL’s “Divine Nature” centerpiece. This shows a levitating mannequin, raised from the ground by a skirt made of green moss and small bright pink orchids. The skirt is adorned with several chromatic artificial leaves and other plant embellishments. According to the NYBG, this seeks to reference a “divine feminine figure, rising to meet her future. This semi-autobiographical display celebrates the artist’s origins and looks optimistically at what’s to come.”
Towards the end, the show also provided attendees with information regarding the NYBG’s efforts in rescuing rare orchids. Poachers, habitat destruction and environmental changes have hindered the growth of wild orchids, ultimately making them “the most endangered plants in the world” (NYBG). Due to this devastating environmental crisis, the NYBG serves to protect and rescue wild orchids as a certified Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Plant Rescue Center. It is really amazing to see that right outside the Fordham gates, a major ecological impact is being made.
Following the show, I visited the gift shop, which had an abundant amount of orchid paraphernalia. From T-shirts, postcards, bags, pens, cups, magnets and actual orchids, the gift shop gave attendees a multitude of options to choose from. I,of course, had to get a pink orchid, which currently sits on my desk in O’Hare Hall.
Overall, I had a wonderful time at the Orchid Show, and highly recommend you visit this spring. If interested in purchasing tickets, visit NYBG.org. For more information, you can follow @NYBG on Instagram.
