Ilga Ziegler

Ilga Ziegler (* in Mallersdorf) is a German flower designer and florist.

Ilga Magdalena Ziegler finished College in Kaufbeuren, Germany, and subsequently moved in 1986 to Berlin, Germany, to take up a three-year apprenticeship with the flower shop “The Blümchen”. The floral design style of the times involved elements of metal, jewelry, found objects and painting leaves with color spay cans. At the same time she learned the classic craftsmanship in making garlands, wreaths, festive arrangements, bouquets and bridal bouquets. After finishing the apprenticeship she continued to study with the German flower designers Ursula and Paul Wegener, who had developed their very own organic floral style. Flowers, greens and branches are interwoven in wild overflowing arrangements.

White Chrysanthemums are contrasted by a black silk flower

After moving to Los Angeles in the 1990s, Ilga Magdalena Ziegler worked in the fashionable flower stores “Campo Dei Fiori”, owned by Simona Ennas, “The Woods” at the Four Seasons Hotel, owned by Wayne Woods. Next she was working as the wholesale flower buyer for “Velvet Garden”, owned by Kimm Birkicht.

In 2000 Ms. Ziegler and her partner Andrea Roth established their own floral design studio and art space “Gardenia” on San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles. The designers developed a unique floral design style in keeping flower arrangements simple, classic and color orchestrated. In their studio they also exhibited vintage vases and furniture and presented art shows for example of paintings by German-American Marjam Oskoui. Their designs had also found their way onto Hollywood film sets for commercials and movies, for example in scenes from the action-detective thriller “Minority Report” starring Tom Cruise.

A typical floral design by Ilga Magdalena Ziegler for her floral design studio "Magdalena's Flowers"

In 2005 Ilga Magdalena Ziegler moved on and founded the floral design studio “Magdalena’s Flowers” in Hollywood. She describes her style as "luxurious minimalism". For her arrangements she usually limits herself to one or two kinds of flowers and colors. Her designs occasionally incorporate silk flowers and vintage vases. A main contribution to Californian floral design is her re-introduction of flowers like Chrysanthemums, Carnations and Baby’s Breath, which before had been regarded by many designers as “old fashioned” or “tacky”.

She finds inspiration in vintage wedding and classic glamour photography and the modern Hollywood Regency style. She shops most of her flowers at the Los Angeles Flower Market and uses local flowers as much as possible. Ms Ziegler's clientele notably includes Pamela Skaist-Levy, founder of fashion label Juicy Couture and Artist/Fashion Designer Kime Buzzelli.