Ipoh Echo speaks to brilliant duo Nureen and Yus who are florists and co-owner of Maryamflwrs (pronounced as Maryam Flowers) that provide fresh flowers for various occasions such as birthdays, weddings, decorations and installations.
Their journey began in 2016 when Maryamflwrs started. Yus had finished her backpacking trip while Nureen had just completed her degree. After a quick coffee session sharing about their experiences and dreams, these best friends decided to open a flower business together.
“Yus graduated in fine-art while I completed my degree in accounting. We are friends from years ago but only in 2016 did we have a chance to catch up and realised that we shared the same dreams. Our background and skills might be different from one another, but that is also what makes us good business partners,” said Nureen.
As for Yus who is also a published writer, setting up a business might be risky but that’s the risk she was willing to take and with a great partner like Nureen, nothing is impossible for Maryamflwrs. “We had our fair share riding the storm in this ship but it is all worth it. We started selling flowers by the side of Polo Ground and the response was great. Our family and friends also supported our business and they definitely helped to shape Maryamflwrs like you see today,” added Yus.
Aside from selling flowers, MaryamFlwrs also did several flower installations including their latest collaboration with GuntingBatuKain, an Ipoh-based clothing brand where the duo provided flower props for the brand’s latest collection. When asked about the future of Maryamflwrs, these girls aim to open a physical store in Ipoh next year and hopefully in five years time there will be a Maryamflwrs shop in their favourite city, Melbourne.
“I would love to see if we can do more fresh flower installations. We have started collaborating with a few friends but we are looking forward to doing bigger artistic installations. We personally believe that flowers offer more than just props; they have a soul that needs to be expressed. And only then, would we call ourselves floral-artists,” said Nureen.
“If anyone is interested to start a business, don’t you ever give up. It might be hard, so find your style, do your research, have a lot of practice, explore a variety of design and believe in yourself,” said Yus.
Readers who are keen to see Maryamflwrs’ sample of bouquets, flower installations or more, please visit their social media account at www.instagram.com/Maryamflwrs.
Ili Aqilah
