The Sylvia Cup, the country’s longest running live floral design competition, was even livelier than usual this year. Hundreds of spectators, including industry professionals and members of the public, dropped into a hotel ballroom turned design room/dance club (complete with disco balls, a DJ, and a few costumed announcers in gold lame and bell bottoms), on Aug. 16 to watch 25 designers compete in the Studio 54 Revisited themed event during the final day of SAF Marco Island 2014, the Society of American Florists 130th Annual Convention.
 Grand Prize Winner: Jacob McCall, AAF, AIFD, FSMD, design director at The Elite Flower in Miami, Fla. McCall also placed First in the Bouquet and Sympathy categories and Second in the Floral Jewelry category. His Sylvia Cup entry was sponsored by The Elite Flower.
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Jacob McCall, AAF, AIFD, FSMD, design director at The Elite Flower, Miami in Fla., won the grand prize — a silver trophy cup, $3,000 and a complimentary registration to SAF Amelia Island 2015 — which was announced at the Stars of the Industry Awards Dinner later that evening.
“It is an honor to be among the elite alumni who have won this prestigious award in the past,” McCall said. “I love competing, and this competition has been a lifelong dream to win.”
Derek Woodruff, AIFD, PFCI, CF, owner of Floral Underground and Fleur Couture Cabaret in Traverse City, Mich., was first runner-up and received $500; and Jeanne Ha, AIFD, owner of Park Florist in Takoma Park, Md., was second runner-up and received $250.
Each contestant received the same materials from the competition’s sponsors — flowers and foliage from the California Cut Flower Commission and design supplies from Smithers-Oasis — and challenge. Inspired by renewed interest in “all things 70s,” the Sylvia Cup hosts, SAF’s Professional Floral Communicators-International Board of Trustees, devised three Studio 54-themed design concepts:
- Dancing Queen: Create a memorable presentation bouquet for the female winner of the coveted Disco Competition.
- Let’s Dance the … Last Dance Tonight: The most recognizable and oldest patron of Studio 54 passed away (on the dance floor — YIKES!). Create a memorial design piece for her Celebration of Life. Remember, she only wore gold!
- Shake It, Shake It … Show ‘em How We Do It Now: Create an original floral jewelry piece to be worn on the upper arm of the Disco Queen. It better be shake proof because she will be shaking her groove thing all night!
“It’s all coming back — the neons, the metallics, the white furniture, bridal gowns in lace and with halter necks,” said Sylvia Cup coordinator D Damon Samuel, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, NAFD, NMF, of the Bill Doran Company in Omaha, Neb. “You see the style in blockbuster films like ‘American Hustle,’ on runway shows and in magazines and catalogues.”
A first for the Sylvia Cup Design Competition: music. Disco classics, including ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” Donna Summer’s “Let’s Dance” and Peaches & Herb’s “Groove Thing,” played as contestants worked feverishly and spectators walked around (more than a few of them boogying).
“I’ve been watching the Sylvia Cup for many years, but have never seen one as fun as this,” said Sarah Mischler, of Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses in Williamsville, N.Y.
“I just love this,” said Katie Kennicott, of Kennicott Brothers, Inc., in Chicago. “This is where it all comes together. I’m used to seeing flowers at the farm level or in a bucket, but it’s the talent, in full display in this room, that sells products.”
Marco Island resident Lindy Kowalczyk, who heard about the competition on the local news, said she’s bringing back “loads of ideas” to her garden club, along with business cards from vendors and designers she met at the convention.
“We have lots of design competitions, which I thought were pretty intense until I saw this,” she said. “First of all, ours are never live or timed. And the creativity here is simply astounding.”
A panel of three judges appointed by the PFCI Board of Trustees evaluated the contestants’ designs. The judges scored each design based on nine factors covering design elements, design principles, mechanics and execution, and creative application. The highest combined score determined the winner. Judges were:
- Tim Farrell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Farrell’s Florist in Drexel Hill, Pa.
- Joyce Mason-Monheim, AAF, AIFD, CFD, PFCI, AzMF, of Designer Destination in Tucson, Ariz.
- Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, CAFA, of Blumz by…JRDesigns in metro Detroit
The top three scores in each design category received First, Second and Third Place recognition:
Floral Jewelry
First Place: Jeanne Ha, AIFD, owner of Park Florist in Takoma Park, Md.
Second Place: Jacob McCall, AAF, AIFD, FSMD, design director at The Elite Flower in Miami, Fla. Sponsored by The Elite Flower
Third Place: Bob Tucker, FSMD, owner of Miss Daisy’s Flowers & Gifts in Leesburg, Fla. Sponsored by Florida State Florists’ Association
Bouquet
First Place: Jacob McCall, AAF, AIFD, FSMD, design director at The Elite Flower in Miami, Fla. Sponsored by The Elite Flower
Second Place: Libbie Deering, CF, designer at Vogt’s Flowers in Flint, Mich. Sponsored by Michigan Floral Association
Third Place: Derek Woodruff, AIFD, PFCI, CF, owner of Floral Underground and Fleur Couture Cabaret in Traverse City, Mich.
Sympathy
First Place: Jacob McCall, AAF, AIFD, FSMD, design director at The Elite Flower in Miami, Fla. Sponsored by The Elite Flower
Second Place: Derek Woodruff, AIFD, PFCI, CF, owner of Floral Underground and Fleur Couture Cabaret in Traverse City, Mich.
Third Place: Libbie Deering, CF, designer at Vogt’s Flowers in Flint, Mich. Sponsored by Michigan Floral Association
Save the date! The 48th Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition takes place on Sept. 12 during SAF Amelia Island 2015, SAF’s 131st Annual Convention, Sept. 9-12, 2015, at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island in Florida. For contest details, contact SAF’s Jenny Scala at jscala@safnow.org.
The Sylvia Cup Design Competition began in 1967 and is named for Sylvia Valencia, a prominent designer and long-time SAF supporter.
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See photos from the Sylvia Cup.
