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Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, CEO & Co-founder of FLOWERBX
After almost two decades of being the right-hand woman to one of the most powerful men in fashion; a role she had landed at 23, you would have probably thought that was the pinnacle of said woman in question right? Not so for Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, who launched her luxury online flower delivery service FLOWERBX in 2015, aged 40, and inevitably disrupted the industry in the process. Turns out, she is quite the powerful woman herself. The company operates in 25 countries across the globe, with clients and partners including Max Mara, Emilia Wickstead, Tiffany & Co, Louis Vuitton and Dior.
The learned businesswoman recalls always sending and receiving beautiful bespoke flowers on the behalf of Tom Ford - all thank you gifts to or from the fashion mogul.
Hawkings’ mind began to question why it was possible to order luxury-anything at the click of a button, but no services were available for flowers; an industry currently estimated to be worth over $42.4 billion USD. Flowers are a language in itself, and one that the fashion industry spoke well. Outside of that, many of us can agree that flowers proved to be a great gesture in most, if not all dilemmas or circumstances from birthdays, to simply saying “I’m sorry”.’
Hawkings had been frustrated that typically, sending flowers online; a quicker, more convenient process though it was, it still wasn’t the luxury service or experience she wanted. She wanted single-stem bunches, not mixed and she didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it either. She also wanted direct contact with the grower, meaning that her flower deliveries would be fresher than her competitors, who were selling off-the-shelf and market bought pieces. FLOWERBX offers its customers both.
“In 2021, #IPLEDGE to continue to use my position as CEO of FLOWERBX to provide exciting and challenging senior management roles for women and women of colour. I believe that a female-led and culturally diverse senior management team can forge a new path with intention, direction and empathy, and I am proud to employ like-minded, professional women who are helping me achieve my dreams. In leading by example, I hope that my young daughter, Wallis (4), will grow up believing that anything is possible for her and that my two boys, Barron (12) and Snowdon (10), will grow up believing and seeing women as equals both at work, and at home.”