New blossoms are budding over at She Loves Me, where Victoria Williams has taken over for Holley Simmons as the woman-owned avant-garde floral design studio’s new owner.
Williams, a lawyer whose résumé includes campaign trails and management consulting, says she was drawn to She Loves Me’s team, flowers, and vibes after hiring the flower studio to design for her birthday party. She joined the team as an events assistant last July, where she worked hand in hand with the creative team and Simmons. When she learned that Simmons was thinking of leaving, Williams jumped in, becoming the official owner as of January 8. “I’m excited to kind of . . . catch the bouquet, if you will,” Williams says.
Simmons (leftt) and Williams (right), celebrating the new chapter of the floral design studio. Photographs courtesy of She Loves Me.
The future of She Loves Me is bright—with bold unexpected color combos, extravagant asymmetrical floral designs, and art-like seasonal blooms. While only local ground delivery is currently available, Williams plans to offer national delivery options in the next 18 months. She also wants to expand to open new studios and pop-ups throughout the country over the next five years, while concentrating on brand activations.
But with all the change, Williams emphasizes she will keep the strong community that the studio has built over the years and support its growth. “I definitely want the culture of the team here to stay the same, because I think it’s a really fun place to work,” Williams says, giving much of the credit to the creative team and her predecessor, Simmons.
Simmons, a former editor for the Washington Post’s free tabloid Express and a journalist at NBC Universal and NPR, turned to flowers and founded the company in 2019, but says she’s ready to turn over a new leaf. “Now is the right time for me to pass the bouquet on to Victoria,” says Simmons. “After collaborating with [Williams] as an extension of our team, I am wholeheartedly confident in her vision for the brand and am excited to see her bring it to the next level.”
She Loves Me is located at 1550 Harry Thomas Way NE., Suite 180, and open 10 AM–6 PM Tuesday through Friday and 10 AM–2 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
Samantha is an Editorial Fellow at the Washingtonian and a senior at American University, studying Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies. She lives in Washington, D.C.
