White House hires new floral designer
September 18, 2015 |06:11 AM
The White House on Thursday announced that Hedieh “Roshan” Ghaffarian has been selected as the White House chief floral designer.
According to a biography released by the White House, Ghaffarian was born in Tehran, Iran, and immigrated to Northern California with her family as a young child following the Iranian revolution. She was raised in Los Altos.
Ghaffarian started a business called Flower Affairs from her parents’ garage when she was in her early 20s, the announcement said, noting she was now an entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience, including designing for more than 1,000 events.
The White House reported that she trained with United Kingdom-based floral designers Jane Packer, Paula Pryke and Kenneth Turner, and that her work has been featured in magazines such as Ceremony, Today’s Bride and The Knot.
“Roshan’s life story is a powerful reminder that the American Dream endures and the president and I look forward to seeing her creativity flourish for White House guests to enjoy year-round," First Lady Michelle Obama said in a news release.
Ghaffarian will be on hand for the China State Dinner and will start full time on October 18, after she she moves to Washington.
Kasey Cronquist, executive director of the California Cut Flower Commission, congratulated Ghaffarian “for landing one of the most interesting floral design jobs on the planet.”
“We are grateful that she hails from California, the largest flower farming state in the union,” Cronquist said. “We look forward to speaking with her about the virtues of featuring American grown flowers in the White House.”
Ghaffarian succeeds Laura Dowling, who held the job for six years until she left abruptly and somewhat mysteriously earlier this year, saying she was resigning to “pursue exciting new opportunities and explore my passion for floral artistry and design.”
Although some White House floral designs must follow tradition, Dowling became known for arrangements that looked more like they were growing in a garden than for formal arrangements.
Dowling used only American flowers for a state dinner for French President François Hollande, but at other events the White House has used a mix of American and imported flowers.
According to a biography released by the White House, Ghaffarian was born in Tehran, Iran, and immigrated to Northern California with her family as a young child following the Iranian revolution. She was raised in Los Altos.
Ghaffarian started a business called Flower Affairs from her parents’ garage when she was in her early 20s, the announcement said, noting she was now an entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience, including designing for more than 1,000 events.
The White House reported that she trained with United Kingdom-based floral designers Jane Packer, Paula Pryke and Kenneth Turner, and that her work has been featured in magazines such as Ceremony, Today’s Bride and The Knot.
“Roshan’s life story is a powerful reminder that the American Dream endures and the president and I look forward to seeing her creativity flourish for White House guests to enjoy year-round," First Lady Michelle Obama said in a news release.
Ghaffarian will be on hand for the China State Dinner and will start full time on October 18, after she she moves to Washington.
Kasey Cronquist, executive director of the California Cut Flower Commission, congratulated Ghaffarian “for landing one of the most interesting floral design jobs on the planet.”
“We are grateful that she hails from California, the largest flower farming state in the union,” Cronquist said. “We look forward to speaking with her about the virtues of featuring American grown flowers in the White House.”
Ghaffarian succeeds Laura Dowling, who held the job for six years until she left abruptly and somewhat mysteriously earlier this year, saying she was resigning to “pursue exciting new opportunities and explore my passion for floral artistry and design.”
Although some White House floral designs must follow tradition, Dowling became known for arrangements that looked more like they were growing in a garden than for formal arrangements.
Dowling used only American flowers for a state dinner for French President François Hollande, but at other events the White House has used a mix of American and imported flowers.
