Sebastien Lathuile, often referred to as The French Floral Artist, is the creative force and brains behind the innovative floral designs that have set an indelible benchmark on the Shanghai scene since 2005. That was when the visionary Frenchman, then 31, set his sights on the city, confident that his skills and creativity would breathe new life into Shanghai's discipline of floral art.

As owner and General Manager of Sebastien®, Sebastien is focused on his vision of exposing and instilling in the Chinese and Asian markets, a passion for original floral artistry, through the art of unique and innovative floral design. From the moment he stepped foot onto Chinese soil, Sebastien quickly rose to prominence as one of the most impressive floral artists in the country.

His deep-rooted passion for flowers started as a young child growing up in Albertville in Savoy, France, where summer holidays in the mountains acquainted him with the world of nature and flowers.

In 1998, after a two-year apprenticeship in a florist shop in Annecy, France, Sebastien’s love for travel brought him to London where he worked under the tutelage of world-renowned florist Paula Pryke, whose eye for detail and the artistic combination of flowers and complementary colours were naturally absorbed by the young Frenchman.

To further expand his creative horizons in tandem with the demand of the ever-burgeoning London flower industry, Sebastien launched himself into the world of freelance floral artistry, and has never looked back. During this time, he was also able to hone his skills while working with another prominent florist Robert Van Helden, from Holland.

The timely decision to freelance was both a creative and professional move which shaped the kind of florist and businessman that he is today = inspired and artistic, yet in tune with the times,

His six-year stint in London enabled him to scale new heights of achievements. Sebastien worked on high-society events including parties for the Royal Family, Elton John and the wedding of Pierce Brosnan, to name a few. The icing on the cake was the extravagant and lavish Parisian wedding of the daughter of Indian steel magnate, Lakshmi Mittal.

In 2004, a fateful recommendation from a friend to explore Shanghai led Sebastien to another adventure in the Paris of the East. He soon gave up his life in London to begin a new chapter in Shanghai, China in 2005, when he established Sebastien®.

Formed with the intention to cater to the city’s progressive lifestyle, the company has since become a leading purveyor of unique tailor-made floral solutions to five-star hotels, event organizers and companies across various cities in China.

Very much the preferred florist at prestigious events hosting visiting heads of state, dignitaries and captains of industry, Sebastien’s floral artistry has graced high-profile social and corporate gatherings in Shanghai and other major cities in the country.

The list of clients reads like a ‘Who’s Who in China’ and includes gala events like Pirelli, Swarovski, Mont Blanc and Louis Vuitton, while dignitaries that top the list are former French First Lady - Madame Bernadette Chirac; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; Prince Albert of Monaco; US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, amongst others.

A perpetual optimist, Sebastien believes that in order to firmly expand on his vision of sharing his love of floral art throughout the major and secondary cities of China and Asia, he needs to continually improve his level of services, and to develop his pool of talent with professional training, the way he himself was taught.

What, one wonders, drives him? With a serious look, Sebastien says “A floral artist has a responsibility to go beyond the beauty of flowers, which are fragile and only have a few hours of glory. The flowers are the ‘stars of the show’ and it is for us to stage the best setting to further enhance their beauty – even if only for a precious while.”