Niki has developed her own technique to use vintage velvet flowers for covering a traditional wire crown, binding thin wreaths with silk thread. The crown is flexible, comfortable, and is kept in place by ribbons tied at the back of the neck.
In Niki’s family, learning a trade in which she could work with her hands was a matter of course. Having been trained by her mother in different manual skills including sewing dolls, binding wreaths and making Christmas decorations, Niki decided to dedicate her life to the tradition of flower headdresses and garlands – after all, she had been collecting silk blossoms since her childhood. She acquired the first pieces relevant for her professional life at vintage fairs in New York and London. Today, she has the most extensive collection of vintage silk flowers in Europe. Restoring the old material is part of her craft. At the famous Viennese Opera Ball in 2015, each debutante held a bouquet of Niki’s flowers in her hand.
Read the full interviewPhoto: © Jenni Koller
Niki has developed her own technique to use vintage velvet flowers for covering a traditional wire crown, binding thin wreaths with silk thread. The crown is flexible, comfortable, and is kept in place by ribbons tied at the back of the neck.
Photo: © Jenni Koller
A bouquet of vintage silk flowers in pastel colours has been arranged over a hair clip. The bouquet is tied with wire and thread on the back.
Photo: © Jenni Koller
This Alice band was fashioned from vintage silk flowers and butterflies, with a centrepiece of an exclusive silk flower from the present day. Niki attached them with wire and thread and added Swarovski crystals to the visible part of the metal band.
Photo: © Jenni Koller
This elegant headpiece of vintage flowers in pastel colours was assembled using wire and silk thread, and finished with a clip on the back.
Photo: © Jenni Koller
To create this Alice band, Niki used vintage flowers, an ancient beaded flower hand-crafted in a nunnery, paper ears of wheat, a velvet bow and a brass bee, all tied with wire.