When I was first approached about running a recurring floral program for a hotel property, the opening question surprised me. The director didn't ask about pricing. She asked: who else have you worked with, and can I call them?

That question has shaped how I think about institutional work ever since. A floral partner is not a vendor in the conventional sense. They are a daily presence — something guests experience on arrival, that clients see across a boardroom table, that establishes a tone before a word is spoken. The selection process should reflect that.

Here is what I have observed, from working with IHG, Resy, Sotheby's, American Express, Coca-Cola, and Conde Nast, about what institutional buyers actually evaluate.

Consistency of aesthetic

The first thing any hotel director or brand lead reviews is the body of work — not just whether it is beautiful, but whether it is recognizable. A studio with a clear visual language is easier to trust on a recurring contract, because those commissioning the work know what they will receive each week. At Pinker Times, the aesthetic is restrained, sculptural, and rooted in material study. That consistency holds whether we are doing a hotel lobby subscription or a large-scale installation for a brand activation.

Reliability at scale

A studio that produces exceptional one-off work is not always equipped for weekly delivery across multiple locations. The right questions to ask before signing anything: how many active recurring programs does this studio currently run? What happens when a key material is unavailable that week? How are substitutions handled without disrupting a brand palette? The answers reveal whether a studio operates as an atelier or as a vendor.

Brand fluency

Studios that have worked on editorial shoots and brand activations — Vogue, Cartier campaigns, American Express experiences — develop a literacy around brand standards that retail-first studios often don't. Luxury brands have specific expectations around color, proportion, and presentation. That experience transfers directly, and it is difficult to fake.

A named creative director

In premium contexts, who composes the work matters as much as what is composed. Hotels and brands increasingly want to associate their floral program with a named artist who has a public profile and press history — not an anonymous production operation.

What the studio offers institutional clients

Pinker Times works with hotels, corporate offices, restaurants, and brand partners on three kinds of engagement: recurring botanical subscriptions for lobbies, reception areas, and private dining rooms; event and installation work at scale, from suspended ceiling pieces to branded flower bars for product launches; and bespoke executive gifting for VIP appreciation and opening presentations.

To begin a conversation, inquire at pinkertimes.com/pages/services.

Pinker Times is an Atlanta botanical studio founded by Skye Lin (Forbes 30 Under 30, 2024). Recent institutional partners include Vogue, Architectural Digest, Disney, Netflix, IHG, Resy, Cartier, LVMH, American Express, Coca-Cola, Diptyque, Sotheby's, Conde Nast, and TED.