UNDERNEWMGMT: Not All Floral Companies Wear Capes

Alex Floro has never scaled down her dreams. As long as I’ve known her, they’ve only gotten bigger. She sees possibility in every obstacle, and exhibits a work ethic I find incomparable to any other. There’s really no better way to say it; Floro’s got the juice.

I met Alex when she sat on the other side of my desk at a job that didn’t pay us enough and demanded everything we had. Overworked, underpaid and unappreciated, we both knew we had to get out before the exhaustion took the place of our passion.

(Alex threw me a going away party in the conference room, two weeks after I had submitted my notice. There was caviar. A powerpoint. Custom-made donuts. She took up three hours of company time to make sure I knew I’d be missed. My supervisor was absolutely fuming. That is the beautiful audacity of Alexandra Floro.)

Two years later, I’m on my own as a freelance writer and Alex has created UNDERNEWMGMT, a break-the-mold floral design company that aims to shift traditional power structures by exclusively hiring people of color, immigrants, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. These groups are notoriously under-represented in the floral industry, and their work is often exploited. If there is untapped creative potential, Alex will find it.

From where I’m standing, it feels like everything in Alex’s soul led her to the the creation of this remarkable little company. She grew up in a family of plant people, her florist mother leading the pack. She coordinates and designs and executes events better than I’ve ever seen, and she does it almost entirely on her own. She celebrates colors and textures and juxtaposition and the unknown. Alex knows no bounds of the bright and the bold; the experimental and the abstract; the whimsical and the fascinating. And she fights for the underdogs every single chance she gets.

UNDERNEWMGMT focuses on creative innovation by way of vintage finds and recycled materials. A little extra work and research allows for unique, sustainable designs that make you feel as good as they look. She seeks out local farmers to source from and work with, and stays away from single use floral foam and plastics. Everybody benefits.

“If it sounds like we bit off more than we can chew, great. I love a good buffet.”

-Alex Floro, Founder.

UNDERNEWMGMT does weddings, events, photoshoots, workshops, custom designs and whatever floral madness you have on your mind. Each project begins with a complimentary consultation, and ends in nothing short of a friendship. Alex’s work is loud and beautiful and in your face; subtlety simply doesn’t cut it here.

When the current pandemic hit, Alex realized very quickly that small businesses would suffer, and in true Floro nature she created a relief program called ROSIE. Consider it a gofundme-adjacent gift card system in which you can essentially pre-pay for services, thus keeping small businesses afloat until they are able to work again. For those who are able to give a little extra, donations are also graciously accepted. UNDERNEWMGMT covers all web processing fees, and 100% of donations are sent to their freelancers to help with rent, bills and food. If you are a small business owner looking to implement ROSIE for your own business, please email [email protected] for more info. Freelancers not directly tied to UNDERNEWMGMT are also encouraged to send inquiries for support.

Hit her up for your next floral venture. UNDERNEWMGMT works with any budget to create something wonderfully personal for you and your people. During these particularly uncertain times, Alex is doing periodical masked & gloved contactless deliveries. For more info on that and everything else, find her on instagram @undernewmgmt, online at undernewmgmt.co or email her at [email protected]. Let her bust your dreams wide open.