At 5:30 a.m., while much of New York is still quiet, Alex Crowder is already awake. The florist and founder of Field Studies Flora likes to rise early, taking time to gather her thoughts before stepping into the rhythm of work. Mornings are unhurried with a cup of tea or coffee, a few pages in her journal, and the quiet ritual of dressing–a cherished moment she looks forward to every day.

A friend of Sam’s for many years, Alex is one of a plethora of women we so very admire, and whose values we share. Her work with Field Studies Flora has become synonymous with a kind of modern naturalism. Arrangements built from hyper-local blooms and wild, foraged elements sourced from within a 200-mile radius of the city have garnered her a loyal following among clients who value her discerning eye and ability to coax beauty from what others might overlook.

This precise intentionality is, perhaps unsurprisingly, reflected in how she dresses. “I see my wardrobe as both an extension of my work and self,” she says. “I love to layer, much like I do when I’m making an arrangement,” Though her world is filled with flowers, Alex’s style leans towards the architectural and androgynous. “Often people project a very girly image onto me, and while I do have that side, my days are long and physical and I need to be able to move and lift. Women like Katherine Hepburn and Georgia O’Keeffe have always been my icons.”


When it came to getting dressed for this particular day, Alex had the entirety of our new collection at her disposal, and her choices were guided by instinct. “The Glean Coat led the way, but I could’ve chosen any of these pieces and been thrilled,” she says. “Sam is designing the uniform for my team, so I’d seen several iterations of it at the studio and knew instantly that I wanted to wear it. The fit, the weight, the drape is all perfect.” Watch on for how she wears her favorites from the calm of the morning to martinis at night.

Photography and Super 8 by Kristina Dittmar

Words by Elsa de Berker