POMELO, MINT & VANDA ORCHID IN COLLABORATION WITH SEAN COOK OF MR COOK, SYDNEY.
After 10 years working at Grandiflora in Potts Point, Sean Cook launched his own business in 2011, working from a studio in Alexandria. Known for subtle, gorgeous use of colour in unfussy, uncontrived arrangements, Mr Cook is one of Sydney’s best loved florists.
Cook is also known as a consummate entertainer, an accomplished cook and host who goes to great lengths to make dinners at his Vogue- worthy home feel special. That generosity of spirit and attention to detail can be seen in his business, in small particulars like the beautiful handwriting that accompanies a Mr Cook bouquet, and the thoughtful way flowers are chosen based on the person they’re intended for, rather than just what’s trendy or readily available.
Raised in Homebush, in a house with a big garden, Cook’s grandmother also kept roses and fruit trees at her house in Parkes, and Cook would spend school holidays watering her collection of ferns.
In the 90s, he honed his hand-to-eye design skills while working as a merchandiser in David Jones’ food hall, compiling elaborate window displays filled with a profusion of produce and flowers.
Today, Cook works alongside a team of experienced designers, using market-sourced blooms and material from specialty growers for small and large orders, and special events, as well as running the occasional hands-on workshop for anyone wanting a masterclass in floral design. “Although I work with flowers and fragrance all day, every day, capturing my perfect fragrance required a lot of consideration,” he says. “I loved the creative process of playing around with the notes and understanding how a perfect scent is curated.”
His bold, refreshing fragrance is an uplifting blend of citrus top notes — pomelo and orange — infused with mint leaf and vanda orchid, blended with a velvety base of tonka bean.
Photography—Damien Milan
