They are loved by celebrities and are a staple on Instagram. However, fake flowers walls have been called ‘tacky” by experts and are damaging to the environment.
In recent years, UK shops and restaurants have used popular floral displays in order to seduce customers and make their business Instagram friendly. However, in order to avoid the high cost of fresh flowers, many have turned instead to fake blooms that last longer and are cheaper.
The trend has been influenced by Kim Kardashian and Stacey Salomon, The Observer reported. The demand for fake flowers online – whether on Amazon or Tesco’s website – has risen in recent weeks.
Experts disagree with the public’s enthusiasm about the walls. William Hanson, an expert in etiquette, called them “tacky” and others pointed out how harmful the plastic-made plants can be to the environment.
Fake flower walls: Trendy or tacky? Celebs and British influencers like Stacey Salomon, pictured, swear by them, but experts call them damaging for the environment
Demi Jones, 23, of Love Island, celebrated her 22nd birthday in 2020 with a floral wall to go along with her Instagram photos
Starting the trend: Kylie Jenner, 20, had a pink flower wall during her baby shower ahead of her daughter Stormi’s birth in 2018, and posed in front of it with her friends during the pyjama-party-themed bash
Flower walls have become a very popular feature in social media posts over the last few years. They are used to create whimsical backgrounds for photo shoots.
Kim Kardashian, 37 years old, married Kanye West, 40 in front a cream flower wall in 2014. Kanye gave his then-fiancee an identical arrangement for Mother’s Day in the same year, not too long before their nuptials.
Kylie Jenner, 20 years old, had a pink flower wall installed at her baby shower to celebrate Stormi’s birth in 2018. She posed in front with her friends during the party-themed pyjama bash.
Stacey Salomon (Insta influencer) and Mrs Hinch (Mrs Hinch) have popularized the trend in the UK. Rose, her newborn daughter, even made one.
A spokesperson for Tesco told the publication that fake flowers are becoming more popular to decorate their interiors.
Model Ella Richards, pictured, at a dinner hosted by British Vogue and Estee Lauder in London on October 14, at the Ivy. Some Ivy restaurants will feature displays of plastic mushrooms, autumn leaves, this month.
William Hanson, an etiquette expert, has labeled fake and colourful floral walls as tacky. Pictured: A influencer in front a green and blu floral wall
Instagram users love to pose for photos in front of colorful flower displays.
‘We’ve seen a nearly threefold year-on-year increase in sales of artificial flowers,’ they said.
Amazon has also created a sub-section within their ‘Home & Kitchen’ section where fans can get their own fake florals.
The trend has been embraced by elite clubs and restaurants like The Ivy and Annabel’s in London. Their beautiful, seasonal plastic flowers attract a lot of tourists and fans.
However, the fake blooms have failed to convince author and etiquette expert William Hanson, who told FEMAIL earlier this week: ‘I detest the fake electric blue and neon pink flower walls. Flowers should be real and muted just like the garden an aristocrat has.
William explained: ‘Bright colours are garish. Aristocrats have gardens that are quiet and suburban lawns that are full of vibrant colours, like busy Lizzies.
Experts pointed out that restaurants and shops change their displays according to the seasons. Pictured: A woman poses in front of an autumnal flower wall
Experts have criticized fake flower walls such as this one in the UK and said they were not sustainable.
The walls are very popular on Instagram and can be used to promote events (pictured in the UK) or businesses
A fake flower display of strawberries and sunflowers covering the front of Wimbledon’s Ivy restaurant.
The move was also criticised by plastics and recycling expert at innovation charity Nesta Challenges, Constance Agyeman, who told The Observer: ‘In Europe, we produce nearly 30 million tonnes of plastic waste a year, and less than a third is recycled.
It can take as long as 450 years to completely decompose the simplest plastic. As it breaks down, micro-plastic remnants are formed that can be found in rivers and eventually the food chain.
‘To learn that we’re now seeing a surge in popularity for plastic flowers is utterly depressing. She concluded that we need less plastic in our lives and not more.
The cost of making and maintaining fresh flower walls is high. Some brands have turned to plastic flowers in recent times.
Social media fixture: Kim, 37, was presented with a cream flower wall by Kanye West as a Mother’s Day gift in 2014. She immediately posed in front of it for photos
Miley Cyrus displayed a floral arch when she tied the knot to Liam Hemsworth.
The Telegraph reported that Selfridges was one of many shops that tried to cut costs by using fake flower, which are less expensive, as early as 2019.
Jonathan Moseley, one of the UK’s top florists, told the publication at the time: ‘I agree that there has been a definite increase in the use of faux flowers to dress both interiors and exteriors of retail premises, most notably hotels and restaurants.
“I feel that this reflects an apparent dumbing down of natural living plants materials’ transient beauty.
He said, “As a British Flower Ambassador and a champion for seasonality, the escalating usage of fake flowers degrades their importance and places these living natural jewels in direct competition with manufactured, resilient, and artificially color enhanced fake flowers.”
And Dr Trevor Dines, the Botanical Specialist at plant charity Plantlife, noted that bees, bugs and butterflies depend on living, breathing plants for their survival.
One florist stated that these displays were not environmentally-friendly and lack imagination.