Dagmara and Paulina Kozik tell Anna Paluch about their business, producing floral arrangements for special occasions - especially weddings
“Every time I start to set a bunch of flowers, I see a smile on the person for whom it would be,” says Dagmara Kozik, who together with her sister Paulina runs a small flower business in north Dublin.
Back home in Kraków they had worked together in their family’s flower shop. With that experience behind her, Dagmara decided to look for similar work when she left for Ireland three years ago – and to further her qualifications in the craft.
“I had passed Interflora’s exams and received a certificate in floristry,” she says, explaining that this required a lot of work to improve her theoretical and practical skills.
“Later on, while working in a different flower shop I was signed up for the Wedding Design Show in Portlaoise, where over 30 Irish florists participated, and had found myself among five people on the shortlist [for the event’s awards]. I also had a part in preparations for the 2008 Interflora Conference in Newcastle, UK, where I assisted one of the best Dutch florists.”
When Dagmara’s sister Paulina followed her to Ireland in 2007, they decided to open their own business, ordering flowers from the Netherlands and producing arrangements in their own workshop on Dublin’s northside.
“We complement each other perfectly,” says Dagmara about working with her sister. “We have different preferences and this allows us to satisfy more clients.
“Paulina presents something that I would call ‘candy’: she uses plenty of add-ins in her compositions, like coral beads, feathers, colour ribbons and twigs. She expresses herself in pink, creamy and violet tints. She can match colours in an incredible way.”
Dagmara herself leans towards natural sets. When she finds herself lacking a concept, she starts to think about the flower in its natural environment. “Believe me, the ideas pour into my mind after that.”
Their business is by delivery only at the moment. The sisters take orders from friends and those who answer ads placed in the Polish press and on noticeboards across the city.
“We try to do the best quality work,” says Dagmara. “but we also keep the prices lower [than our competitors].” She admits that the business was not easy at the start, and they had to be very stubborn about not giving up when something went wrong.
Dagmara’s particular interest is wedding floristry, and the shop naturally specialises in that. “I always try to create a unique set for each wedding couple,” she says. “We always want to meet them a little. Even a short conversation helps a lot if it comes to choice of flowers and style.”
It is very graceful work, in the sisters’ opinion, as it brings joy to people. “A single rose can cheer up even the saddest heart,” adds Dagmara with a smile.
