We decided to create an iris flower as inspiration for the Endangered Flower Collection, bringing the concept of the collection back to its roots and highlighting the beauty and fragility of flowers that are at risk of disappearing.

Katie has always been incredibly creative and enjoys bringing this creativity into the collections, so she wanted to create something that felt deeply connected to the story and meaning behind the project. We chose to make the iris much larger than life to create a strong visual impact. By exaggerating its scale, the flower becomes impossible to overlook, drawing attention to its beauty while also emphasising the importance of protecting and preserving endangered species.

HOW WE MADE THE GIANT IRIS

A larger-than-life flower, made by hand.

For the Endangered Flower Collection, Katie and Virginia created an oversized iris by hand — taking one of the collection’s central motifs and bringing it into the physical world. The iris was deliberately made larger than life. At this scale, it becomes impossible to overlook — drawing attention to the beauty, detail and fragility of flowers at risk of disappearing. Built from crinoline, wire, cotton and paint, each petal was individually shaped and painted before the flower was assembled by hand.

FROM FLOWER TO FORM

The process began by looking closely at the iris itself — its irregular petals, veins, colour and natural movement.

Patterns were drawn by hand before each petal was cut from crinoline and structured with fine wire. Layers of purple, blue, violet, yellow and white were then painted across the surface, referencing the markings of a real iris.

A fabric-wrapped stem and wired cotton leaves completed the flower. The result became part sculpture, part prop and an extension of the Endangered Flower Collection itself.

MAKE YOUR OWN

We documented the process so you can recreate the iris yourself.

Download our step-by-step guide for the complete materials list, patterns and instructions — and put on a Silk Laundry playlist while you make it.