Buddhist Priest’s Crown
Victoria Clausen Floral Events
Victoria Clausen
2022 installation
2nd Floor - English Drawing Room
The Inspiration
This three-tiered gilt copper crown was worn by Buddhist priests during religious ceremonies in Nepal, where it was made ca. 1610.
The Flowers
Florist’s inspiration: Warriors protect their land, their people, their homes, their culture. But warriors are not invincible. The metal helmet is a badge of honor for those heading into battle to represent their nation, but also a much-needed aid to protect a vital piece of human existence-- our brains and minds.
The suspended kokedama (the ball of moss) is just that. It represents this fragile piece of humanity. A stark red color grows from its center, red like the blood that carries the adrenaline of a man readying to face the fight. With proper protection, the beating heart and the perceptive mind can forge victory as successfully as physical dominance.
The metal cage surrounding the kokedama becomes the industrial barrier keeping enemies at bay, much like armor. The twisting wood and vigilant palms stand alert, the elements of the land aiding in guardianship where man-made defenses lie flawed.
Turquoise and ruby colored accents, like the gems tucked into the helmet, conjure meanings of luck, peace, and prosperity while lending energy to the body.
These different elements combine in the armor to protect the warrior, while simultaneously creating a beatiful outlet to proudly and ornately display emblems of heritage and culture. Likewise, these palms shield that which is fragile to allow it to continue blossoming in its truest form.
THE DESIGNER
Victoria Clausen
Victoria Clausen Floral Events
You wouldn’t guess it from her ability to name almost any flower and explain how to care for it, but Victoria didn’t grow up thinking floral design could be a career. In Ukraine, there was no such profession as a florist. Still, her love of beauty led her to gather flowers from the local market and arrange them for friends—never imagining it would become her life's work.
That all changed when she moved to the U.S. at 21 with a green card, determined to finish the business degree she had started back home. Looking for a job to improve her English while earning a living, she came across an ad for a position at a flower shop. And just like that, a simple job sparked a lifelong passion. Within a few years, Victoria launched Romance of Flowers, her at-home floral company—founded right in her laundry room.
What started as a small business quickly flourished. A few years later, that humble beginning grew into Victoria Clausen Floral Events—an award-winning, full-service floral and event design company. Today, her portfolio has expanded to include The Tannery Barn, a charming venue, and a small flower farm where she grows unique foliages and blooms to elevate her designs to the next level.
She’ll tell you she’s one of the lucky ones who truly loves what she does, and it shows in every thoughtful question she asks and every detail she brings to life for her clients. She’s the team’s ultimate floral expert and an expert “doodle” artist when words just aren’t enough to convey what’s in her colorful mind.
Victoria’s favorite kind of spontaneity? Booking a last-minute plane ticket abroad. She has strong opinions on chocolate (only the good stuff, please—Hershey’s won’t cut it). On event days, you’ll most likely find her right in the middle of the design process—floral knife in hand or up on a ladder, bringing her vision to life. And when she’s not creating floral magic, she’s spending time with her family and her beloved Bernadoodle, Bella.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Aimee Custis
Aimee Custis is a wedding and portrait photographer based in Washington DC. Her rich, luminous, and emotive style draws artistic inspiration from classical painters, street photography, and storytelling. Her inclusive, client-centric approach to wedding photography is informed heavily by a background in hospitality, non-profit event planning, and college summers as a camp counselor. Aimee's wedding work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Washingtonian Weddings. Her non-wedding clients include non-profits, hotels, and elected officials. Aimee (she/they) lives in a rowhouse in Washington DC’s U Street corridor with her husband Greg and golden retriever Whiskey.
