‘During chemo I only wore black... now I'm back in colour’
Hazel Gardiner is not one to let her glorious floral displays and installations outshine her, even when she has an early start at the flower market. ‘The people I work with are like, “How do you look so good at two in the morning?” But it’s really important that I feel great through what I wear. It really does change my mood.’
For those early mornings, Gardiner will reach for a lilac jumpsuit or a much-loved pair of khaki trousers, both by workwear-inspired label YMC – but she’s just as often found gardening in a bright print dress. ‘I wear the most inappropriate things in the garden; I’ll just pop out for 10 minutes but two hours later, I’m like, crumbs I didn’t mean to be out for so long,’ she says.
It’s more than just hanger appeal that’s behind her love of colour. Back in 2007, Gardiner was working in TV production, but was forced to hit pause on her career when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. ‘I had chemotherapy and there are lots of things you have to tackle. Because I put on weight, the only thing I wore was black leggings. I never really wore black before and I don’t wear black now.’
When her hair started coming out as another side-effect of the treatment, she decided to shave it, seizing the opportunity for a positive change. ‘Having natural hair – as in not straightened – is such a movement now. I’d straightened my hair for years, but I was like, wait, I’m gonna go for natural curly hair.’
Gardiner discovered gardening while in recovery and although she enjoyed success with a roaming vintage fashion boutique, flowers proved a greater love and she made the career switch official by retraining in 2016.
‘My wardrobe has really changed since I’ve been working with flowers and just getting that bit older. I definitely look for sustainability. Anything I buy now is a classic, hero piece. I don’t do trends, I’m just shrewd in what I buy.’ She prefers linen, silk and wool to viscose or polyester. ‘It’s about longevity as well as who I’m buying from.’
Her go-to labels include APC, King & Tuckfield and Sessùn. She buys staples at Uniqlo, dresses at Thought, and can’t resist a Depop bargain. ‘It’s definitely my husband Andrew who’s made me this way,’ she says. He doesn’t work in a creative field, but you’d be mistaken for thinking otherwise: ‘I call him Mr Porter, he’s very stylish. We went to the Officine Générale shop in Paris for him, and I was like, ooh, womenswear!’
The couple married in 2016 in a former monastery in Le Marche, Italy. Gardiner wore a second-hand strapless Pronovias dress. ‘It’s quite traditional with loads of lace and a fishtail skirt. I never thought I’d choose something like that, but once we confirmed the venue, it felt right.’ Naturally, she did the flowers herself. ‘I used locally grown long-stemmed red “freedom” roses, loosely arranged, no foliage. It was all very Sophia Loren, la dolce vita.’
Since launching her studio, Gardiner has become an authority in floral design, known for her nuanced use of colour and sustainable sourcing. This year she created the RHS lettering installation at the Chelsea Flower Show. The fashion industry loves her too; she’s worked with Levi’s, Barbour and Matches. ‘Now, when I work with a fashion brand on their flowers, it’s amazing because I’ve come full circle.’
Five personal style rules
Organise your wardrobe by category and colour – it will stop you buying multiples of the same item.
Familiarise yourself with the size of your clothing off the hanger. Not relying on changing rooms means I’ve not missed out on sample-sale or car-boot gems.
I stay away from synthetic materials, sticking to linen, wool and silk, and look for labels that consciously produce their clothing.
Understand the colours you are drawn to. My palette rarely includes black, orange or bright red. This is super helpful when faced with overwhelming options.
Some styling hacks from my time in fashion… Silk hairbands are perfect for keeping shirt sleeves up. Cable-knit sweaters look great slung over the shoulders with the knot positioned to the right. A belt worn over a fitted coat will cinch the waist and add a layer of polish.
