Florists in Manhattan are filling one rather popular order in the days leading up to the Grammys: a white rose boutonniere.
With the music industry’s biggest names set to hit the Grammys red carpet donning the flowers in support of sexual harassment victims Sunday, local city florists were hit with a sudden increase in orders.
“We received two orders today of all-white rose boutonnieres, which we’re delivering for the — rumor has it — for the Grammys,” Rob Palliser, the owner of Scotts Flowers NYC on 37th Street, said Friday. “There has been an uptick.”
News of the white rose show of solidarity for the Time’s Up movement began to spread only days before the ceremony was scheduled to hit Madison Square Garden, leaving local florists with little time to prepare. Many said they hadn’t ordered any extra flowers in advance.
Palliser said his shop was in the process of filling an order of 20 of the white flowers, priced at $20 each.
Richard Sonnick, the owner of Flowers By Richard in Hell’s Kitchen, said the orders were coming in without an explanation.
“We’re not sold out yet, but people have been ordering. We’ve sold about 100 white roses; normally we wouldn’t have,” he said Friday. “They want the same for men and women, and white corsages.”
Peter’s Flowers NYC, just three blocks from Madison Square Garden on 36th Street, had completely sold out of white roses by Friday afternoon after filling orders of nearly 500.
Come Saturday morning, some wholesale florists in the Flower District on 28th Street were selling out of the white blossoms, too.
“I normally sell 5,000 to 6,000 [white roses] a week,” said Brian Luebcke, the owner of Empmire Cut Flower. “I sold 11,000 this week.”
“Everyone’s calling, and we really think it’s because of the Grammys,” he added.
The push for the flower comes after two execs at labels Roc Nation and Interscope Records, Meg Harkins and Karen Rait, reportedly sent a letter to industry insiders asking them to clip a flower to their tuxedos and gowns.
“Please join us in support of equal representation in the workplace, for leadership that reflects the diversity of our society, workplaces free of sexual harassment and a heightened awareness of accountability that our sisters started on January 1st and continued through the Golden Globes and onward,” the letter said.
According to Billboard, Halsey, Rapsody, Kelly Clarkson, Cyndi Lauper, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Tom Morello and others, including host James Corden, have said they plan to participate. The choice of a white rose is symbolic of “hope, peace, sympathy and resistance.”
The Grammys, returning to New York City after a 15-year absence, will air Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
With Nicole Levy
