Jānis Buševics could be envied by many brides these days - he quite literally spends his days surrounded by flowers. He knows which flower suits which and most often also feels which ones will be the right ones that will suit the bride.  Jānis is the director, decorator, esthete and, in his essence, a romantic. And he truly loves what he does and does exactly what he loves.

That is why his life motto is: do what you love and you will never have to work.

What is so special about flowers that you have connected them your whole life?

I have always been interested in nature. That is why I decided to study horticulture at the Bulduri Horticultural Secondary School after elementary school. You can say that I had green fingers since childhood - I collected plants, studied nature, visited zoological groups, in a word, my life was about and around nature. In the later years, however, I decided not to work as a gardener, and my path rather fatefully led to the very creative flower design. It may seem a bit paradoxical that now I am surrounded by artificial flowers more on a daily basis, but I certainly do not see any internal contradictions in it - I continue to work with live flowers as well.

I have to ask what many are probably thinking - isn't floral design a feminine profession?

If flowers are associated with women, then of course it can be said that there is some femininity in it. But as soon as we think more deeply that it is not just enjoying flowers, but working with flowers, it is already the other side of the coin, which no longer has anything to do with femininity. Rather, it might have something to do with a certain dose of romanticism. I am definitely a romantic and an aesthete. I will not deny that I like beautiful things in all areas of life. But flower design is actually also physically very hard work – event decoration is associated with short deadlines, irregular working hours and hundreds of different non-standard situations. And since I myself admit that I am a rather morbid perfectionist, I demand the highest quality indicators both from myself and from my colleagues.

I have realized that flower design is a special art and not everyone can do it.

In this life, everyone must find what, first of all, he likes. Call it talent, call it heaven's gift,

but I can't imagine myself doing anything else anymore - I don't want to live on this planet if I have to do something under duress. Then it is existence, not enjoying life, but I like to enjoy life and here SHISHI , I do.

You had your own flower salon, your own clients, how did you get to the position of director of SHISHI Home of Beauty Latvia ?

SHISHI are my teachers who have given me the most professionally. I met SHISHI for the first time while visiting an exhibition in Riga. After that I also decided to take a course with one of the founders of SHISHI , so I went to Tallinn every month, where from morning to night we were taught really simple classics that every floral designer and decorator should know. I am saddened that there are many pop-up designers, artists and decorators out there today who don't really have the basics. Yes, they can pick and combine beautiful things with their taste, but I believe that art is not looking at Pinterest inspirational pictures and putting eucalyptus leaves on the table in a seeming mess. I would like to say that it is a bit unfair, because I really think that any person needs to learn to become a master little by little.

Would it be a stone in the field of wedding decorators?

Yes, too. It is definitely also a question of costs - there are people who decorate a wedding for a friend and then decide that it could become a profitable business. I have no doubt that these people have talent and taste, but any talent needs to be developed. I am sure that you become a professional only when you are able to create a beautiful and classic thing. You need to know how to make a beautiful round decorative bouquet, so that there is no feeling that the flowers are compressed, because after all, they are not bricks.

In flower arrangements, flowers should look natural - so that they look relaxed.

Is there something that goes beyond your taste and that you would refuse your customers?

Yes, of course, there have been clients who bring in a photo of something very tacky and ask me to prepare it. In such cases, I always refuse. In my opinion, the master should still have his own quality indicators and he cannot engage, so to speak, in professional prostitution.

How would you describe yourself as a decorator and designer?

As in life, I am a perfectionist at work, and I think this describes me best. I like order both in flower arrangements and in my everyday life. I also always try to understand the connection - because flowers are no longer just flowers.

Flowers symbolize something, are in honor of something, therefore, both before weddings and corporate events, I usually try to find out who will lay the tables, who will play the music, what guests are expected during the evening and other details.

Wedding decoration is always a big team effort and if the rest of the details are known, it is much easier to do this job. Event - it's feelings.

What are the current trends in wedding decoration?

By its nature, a wedding is a very classic event and I have observed that people's thinking about weddings is also classic - most often the performance will be rich and romantic. The trends in wedding design are also basically unchanged, not deviating much from romantic opulence and luxury. Today's classics have been modernized into an elegant, sophisticated fashion direction with the use of modern materials, interesting shapes, textures and interplay of tones.

The other trend that is having a winning streak right now is all natural. These are natural materials that create an interesting interplay between raw surfaces, natural fiber fabrics, wood, ceramics, glass.

In today's fast-paced technological era, we start to think more and more often about our origin, our roots and ethnographic belonging, thus the role of ethnography in the marriage ceremony becomes more and more relevant. Long-forgotten values, traditions and materials become relevant.

Often, people choose to use traditions and materials typical of other folk cultures to create a wedding mood. Like, for example, a wedding in the style of French Provence, southern Italy or the Far East.

As time goes by, we tend to look back at long- or not-so-long-forgotten values ​​and return to them again. Now is the time when the fashion features of the seventies of the 20th century are becoming relevant, but with the technical possibilities corresponding to the 21st century. The good old brass with the appropriate laconic and functional product forms is becoming relevant, thus replacing the luxurious and baroque pseudo-gold. Brass's ally in this revival march is caper, which has become no less relevant and has taken its fashion metal positions. A modern and bold couple will definitely choose both metals in their wedding decorations.

How would you answer the question: the living vs. artificial flowers?

I always have live plants in my home, but from the point of view of professionalism and event decoration, I would say: 50 to 50. There are situations and events when live flowers are not necessary, but at weddings, live flowers must be.

I am convinced that the bride's bouquet should be made exclusively of live flowers.

However, it is often better to put even artificial flowers in the hair, because they will be lighter, will not wither and fulfill their function completely. Also, when decorating the event, I believe that it is better to put live flowers on the tables to feel their scent. I stick to the principle of one hand - if the decorations are within arm's reach, then at the wedding these decorations should still be natural.

Currently, it is also relevant to mix living with artificial flowers, which, for example, can be a great solution in the summer heat.

However, there are still various stereotypes about artificial flowers...

Yes, true, but I can see them changing. It should be understood that in the past the quality of artificial flowers was completely different - now these flowers resemble natural ones. It is often the case that there are people who shop in our store and do not even recognize that they are artificial flowers. I have no doubt that there are men who have stopped by our shop and bought flowers for their ladies, but have not fully realized that they are not live plants.