As the grand prize winner of the 51st annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition, Donald Yim, AIFD, PFCI, receives the coveted trophy and $3,000 prize.
An award-winning floral designer from Vancouver, Canada, is the winner of the Society of American Florists’ 51st annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition. Donald Yim, AIFD, PFCI, of West Van Florist wowed the judges and bested 12 talented competitors in a series of three design challenges during “Buccaneers & Blooms,” this year’s pirate-themed contest, held during SAF Amelia Island 2019.
The hardest part of the competition for Yim? Not psyching himself out. “The people in this competition really set it apart for me,” Yim admitted. “It’s a lot of pressure and it’s hard not to look around while you’re working — because there were 12 other designers in the room, and everyone is amazing. When I looked at the competitors, I just thought, ‘Oh, wow! Everyone here is already a champion.’”
“I think this competition, the trophy and the prize, it isn’t just for me,” Yim added. “It’s for the industry, and for all of the opportunities it’s given all of us to make ourselves better.”
Bob Tucker, AIFD, FSMD, of Miss Daisy’s Flowers & Gifts in Leesburg, Florida, took home first runner-up honors — $500.
Alejandro Figueira Fernandes, AIFD, of Ornatus Events Productions in Davie, Florida was named second runner-up and received $250.
“For me to compete in the Sylvia Cup is a great challenge,” Fernandes said. “This year I could say that it was a very tight competition, with high-level floral designers, which made the competition exciting. Learning to manage the times is a very important factor. A designer can have a lot of creativity and talent, but the use of minutes is an extremely fundamental factor.”
During the competition, each contestant received the same assortment of product, courtesy of Certified American Grown and Smithers-Oasis, a two-hour time limit and surprise challenge to create three floral designs.
Those themes, along with the category winners for each:
Floral Crown
In a nod to Amelia Island’s history, contestants had to create floral crown fit for Princess Amelia, the daughter of King George II.
First Place (tie)
Donald Yim, AIFD, PFCI
Rodrigo Vasquez Montero, AIFD, FSMD, R. Varito Designs and, Institute, West Palm Beach, Florida, Sponsor: Florida State Florists’ Association
Rodrigo Vasquez Montero
Second Place (tie)
Bob Tucker, AIFD, FSMD
Alejandro Figueira Fernandes, AIFD
Third Place
Sam Prom-Chiem, AIFD, Sammy Chiem Events, San Diego, California, Sponsor: California State Floral Association
Sam Prom-Chiem
Funeral Easel Piece
Designers were required to dream up a monochromatic white and green memorial piece inspired by the sails of a ship, with special attention paid to the principles and elements of space, contrast, rhythm and depth.
First Place
Donald Yim, AIFD, PFCI
Second Place
Alejandro Figueira Fernandes, AIFD
Third Place
Bob Tucker, AIFD, FSMD
American Floral Art Concepts
Contestants were asked to look to nature for inspiration in this special challenge, in which they incorporated unique fresh products and new products in development from Smithers-Oasis: hand-hewn natural containers made of quarter-inch thick hardwood and strong, malleable, lightweight wood strips with a wide surface area to care form, structure and line.
First Place
Donald Yim, AIFD, PFCI
Second Place
Bob Tucker, AIFD, FSMD
Third Place
Alejandro Figueira Fernandes, AIFD
Tucker said he was able to enjoy himself during the competition — in part because novel new choices kept his mind racing and his creative juices flowing.
“I was very focused and was really not aware of a lot going on around me,” he admitted. “My mind kept racing: ‘What can I do really cool with this product?’ My favorite piece was the sympathy pieces to reflect the sails of a pirate ship. I wanted it to be abstract with very clean lines.”
Professional Floral Communicators-International Trustee Jenny Behlings, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, SDCF, of Jenny’s Floral in Custer, South Dakota, said the American Floral Art Concepts design was a standout element of this year’s competition.
“The contestants received a teaser to what new proto-type items we would be receiving from Smithers Oasis, as well as the fresh product that they would be required to include in their interpretive piece that showcased nature as their inspiration,” she said. “Everyone from suppliers to contestants and audience were on board and ready to let their floral art shine.”
Behlings added that industry partnerships helped the celebrated competition come off “without a hitch.”
“The fresh product from Certified American Grown farms was exceptional and we were thrilled to show the flowers and foliage in action,” she said. “Smithers-Oasis again came to our aid with donation of not only hard goods, but also the prize money.”
A panel of three judges evaluated the contestants’ designs — Ruben Consa, AIFD, PFCI, of the Yola Guz AIFD, School of Floral Design in Miami; Deborah De La Flor, AIFD, PFCI, of De La Flor Gardens in Cooper City, Florida; and Chris Norwood, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Tipton & Hurst, Inc. in Little Rock, Arkansas. Each judge scored each design based on several factors including principles and elements of design, mechanics and creative application. The highest combined score determined the winner.
A panel of three judges evaluated the contestants’ designs
Videos of the competition and the awards presentation are available on SAF’s Facebook page.
Mary Westbrook is the editor in chief of Floral Management.