Now more than ever, personalized advice matters
Floristry Without a Formula
By Elizabeth Johnson
During a recent morning popup at The Levine JCC, the containers of brightly hued flowers sold quickly. What lingered, however, was the energetic conversation around them.
Members paused to ask about unique colors and origins. Some returned for the next event. Others carried stunning bouquets home for Shabbat, birthdays,
partners or no special occasion at all.
Behind this event is Breathtaking Blooms CLT. Its founder, Lilach Asofsky, is a floral designer who resists what she sees as the industry’ s quiet drift toward sameness.“ Owing to the challenges of the floral industry and the increased focus on price rather than artistry, florists of today are typically forced to create based on profit margins and recipes,” she says.“ This, however, is not a business model I want to invest my heart and soul in.”
In her heart, she deeply believed there would be a clientele who would not only appreciate artistry and innovation but also seek it out. And so, when she relaunched her business, she made an executive decision. She would design by instinct and emotion rather than by stem count.“ My aspiration is always to include a flower, or at least a variety or color, that someone has never seen before,” she says.
While she does have her favorite flowers, Asofsky’ s intentional, bold and creative designs always begin with color. Shape follows. Movement also matters. The way one bloom leans into another is just as important as the bloom itself. When engaging with customers, she speaks knowledgeably about origin, rarity, and care, eager to explain why she selected a particular stem and how best to care for it. The exchange, she says, is part of the entire experience. When someone becomes animated and begins sharing their own memories or associations, she knows her flowers have done their work.
A self-proclaimed“ southerner,” her move from New York to the Queen City only sharpened this instinct. In Charlotte, she found the space to slow down, focus on her craft, and cultivate community. At this stage in her life, she says,“ I want to find enjoyment in every moment I can, continue to build meaningful relationships, and play my part in making the world a kinder place.”
She is equally candid about the role her family plays in that vision.“ They believe in me more than I believe in myself,” she says. The support is not symbolic. One family member manages social media. Another serves as a strategy partner. The business, in many ways, is a collective effort.
Throughout her career, she has learned that flowers mark both celebration and loss. And the latter stayed with her.“ It’ s no surprise that flowers mark wonderful occasions, but the weight they carry in times of loss has also surprised me,” she says.“ In essence, sympathy bouquets become a quiet offering of comfort. To be in the position to deliver even a trace of warmth to someone who is grieving is an enormous and profound privilege.”
When the time arrived to reintroduce her work to the Charlotte community, she was calculated about where it would first take root, and The Levine JCC felt like the most natural and obvious place. Asofsky, the daughter of Israelis, has long felt closely tied to her Jewish identity. Being part of people’ s holidays, mitzvahs, and traditions, she says, is the ultimate honor, especially when those moments are such an important part of who she is.
Her first event at“ The J” far surpassed her expectations. She created 88 bouquets that day, and each subsequent pop-up has sold out. But numbers are not what she measures.“ The true measure of being in the right place is the reception I get from every single person there,” she says.
From the friendly staff who stop to say hello to loyal members who return because they know she will be there, she describes an atmosphere shaped by curiosity, warmth and genuine appreciation. She also cites the continued support from Michelle Rusgo and Randi Seffinger, who first brought Breathtaking Blooms CLT into The Levine JCC, as extraordinary.“ They are true mensches,” she said.“ These incredible women are deeply committed to strengthening the Jewish community in every way they can. And through Breathtaking Blooms CLT, I hope to do the same.”
In an industry increasingly
The Charlotte Jewish News- March 2026- Page 21
shaped by margin and repetition, Asofsky has chosen a different standard: not volume, not velocity, but connection, human emotion, and ultimately, emotional impact.“ I’ ve spent my career understanding that connection is emotional before it is anything else,” she says.“ When that feeling takes hold, the moment becomes lasting. And that’ s when the flowers have spoken.”
“ My goal,” she says,“ is for every arrangement I create to take someone’ s breath away.” She continues,“ I genuinely believe that every person, in their own way, appreciates the value of making any moment more beautiful or joyful.”
The flowers may leave the table quickly. The intention behind them does not.
To secure your Lilach-curated bouquets, be on the lookout for more pop-ups at The Levine JCC. To learn more, visit breathtakingbloomsclt. com, call( 980) 445-9948 or email breathtakingbloomsclt @ gmail. com.
Lilach Asofsky( L) is pictured with Michelle Rusgo at a recent pop-up
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