Today is Floralia, the festival day of the Roman goddess Flora, mother of flowers, vegetation, and fertility. I created my logo and business in her honor, and so I thought I'd share how florapothecarie came to be...
Sometimes, the universe sends you signs that you are absolutely, unequivocally, on the right path. On May 12, 2015, I purchased the domain name florapothecarie.com. For a few years, I had been making + selling natural skincare under the name Poor & Pretty, but by 2015 the name didn't fit anymore.
I was way undercharging and not paying myself a dime. I was making — by hand, with love — 100% natural and vegan beauty products using ingredients that were very carefully sourced to ensure fair trade standards, ethical + sustainable sourcing, and organic certification. These products should not be labeled "poor" in any way. I was devaluing my products, my work, and myself. (Being with a partner who devalued me didn't help, either.)
Some time in the spring of 2015, the name florapothecarie came to me, and I bought the domain. I sat on it for a while. I rolled it around in my head and mouth. I talked to friends and colleagues about it. I went to Being Boss NOLA and sought advice from Emily & Kathleen about it. After the holidays were over that year, I shut down Poor & Pretty for a complete rebranding. (I also broke up with my un-supportive boyfriend.)
On January 1, 2016, I was stuck between four logos for florapothecarie. I had a favorite, definitely, but it's always nice to hear what others have to say when you're a little too close to it, so I posted them in the Being Boss NOLA Facebook group and asked for advice. It was pretty mixed! But I slept on it, woke up the next day, and went with my gut.
Bethany of B.Meyer Studio was so inspired by my logo, she made this for me shortly after I rebranded. ❤️
This logo spoke to me because it has a face. She had a name and a story. Her name is Flora, and she keeps the flowers in bloom. She is a forest faerie and garden guardian. She is a lover and fierce protector of nature. She is the Roman Goddess of flowering plants. It was only natural, therefore, that she become the iconic representation of florapothecarie.
On Friday, January 22, 2016, I was ready to launch. My launch was set for the following Sunday. I had re-designed all of my labels, business cards, created a new Shopify website... I was pumped. My colleagues in the creative department at Timex were probably tired of looking at my business card and label designs. (But they were all incredibly supportive!) That night, my co-workers and I all went out for the grand opening of Palette Art Studio in Woodbridge, family-owned and operated by our freelancer, Vitaly. I walked in the door, turned to my right, and almost called out in shock. There, on the wall, was Flora.
The painting brought tears to my eyes, and it hit me. This was one of those signs from the universe that I was on the right path. I sought out Vitaly and asked him who the painting was by. His whole face lit up (it usually does - he's such a sweetheart!) and he said it was his daughter, Vasilisa Romanenko's. The painting is called "Roost."
Though prints of "Roost" are not yet available, Vasilisa assures me they will be soon, and when they are, one will hang proudly on my office wall. In the meantime, you can find many of Vasilisa's paintings turned into prints, pillows, iPhone cases, tote bags, and more in her Society6 shop.
