Mahvash Amid of Mahvash Designs

Who: For more than 35 years, Mahvash Amid of Mahvash Designs has perfected the art of couture silk flowers. She has designed one-of-a-kind pins, headpieces, and neckwear for Nancy Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor, and even the queen of Iran. Her career has seen her hobnobbing with celebrities in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles, but eight years ago love brought this world-renowned artisan to live in the Twin Cities.

Je Ne Sais Quoi: As a young child in Iran, Amid would fashion flowers out of paper and scraps of her mother’s fabric. As a teenager, she learned to make silk flowers from the French wife of the Iranian ambassador to France. “She was a master flower designer, and she taught me everything she knew,” Amid says. “She only had three students, and I was one of them.”

Handiwork: Amid is one of only a few people in the world trained in this particular method. And considering the expense and time-intensive handiwork that goes into each piece, she may be one of the last. Because of the intricacies of hand painting, beading, and working with different fabrics, a flower can take anywhere from an hour to several days. Every piece, while it may follow some type of pattern, is unique.

Multiple media: While most of her creations are fashioned out of silks, Amid’s workroom overflows with furs, feathers, satins, skins, and Swarovski beading—all of which make it into her camellias, lilies, orchids, and roses. She has pins in black mink and satin (perfect for black-tie events) but also in more whimsical, oversized styles that would make Carrie Bradshaw cry. Her intricate lilies and roses in shades of ivory and white are perfect for brides.

Fashionable friends: “In New York, I worked with Henri Bendel and I made all of their bridal flowers. But my business really took off when I moved to Los Angeles, because the movie stars would come to my atelier,” she says. “Elizabeth Taylor was one of my first star clients.”

Designer collaborations: In addition to her celebrity clientele, Amid is well known in the fashion industry for this particular type of art. She has worked with the likes of James Galanos, Bob Mackie, Cartier, Monique Lhuillier, and Valentino. “When I work with designers, they mostly send me a sketch of a dress and then I go into my head and create something for them, with that particular piece in mind.” But it’s worth noting: She’s just as happy to collaborate with private customers on one-of-a-kind creations.

Find select styles of flowers at L’atelier Couture, 493 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-602-9492, lateliercouturebridal.com. For customization requests, call Mahvash Amid at 763-473- 3427, mahvashdesigns.com