Follia delle Rose is an Event Planning and Design Studio in Milan with a passion for Italy, art and conviviality. With an appetite for beauty and a joy of creating atmospheres that connect people, Follia delle Rose curates events that celebrate love and remain in the memory of guests and couples forever.
Tell us about Follia delle Rose!
Founded in Milan, Italy in June of 2021 by the Californian planner and designer Erica Markert, Follia delle Rose blends the joy of the Italian dolce vita and the spirit of artistic freedom of the 1920s années folles, bringing a sense of playfulness, a romantic imagination and an eclectic approach to weddings and events.
What would you like couples to know about you and Follia delle Rose?
If Follia delle Rose were a mood board, it would be one where eras and inspirations converge, a world made up of the Nouvelle Vague and Italian neorealism, of Paris in the 20s, Mediterranean summers, neoclassical sculpture, English gardens and pastel pinks.
People sometimes ask me why pink, why roses? It started while living in Paris. I had to read a lot during my graduate studies and rather than staying indoors, I’d often get on my bike and go read at the Rodin sculpture gardens. I loved the harmony between the nature and sculptures as well as the May roses. Upon finishing my thesis defense, my mother greeted me outside with a fragrant bouquet of Prince Jardinier roses. I had never seen such majestic roses before! Their scent, full petalled beauty and color stayed with me and later became the symbol of Follia delle Rose, evoking timeless beauty, love and memory. As for Follia, literally meaning madness, it stands for a dream of impossible possibilities and a restless imagination that fuels my creative direction.
Do you travel for weddings?
Traveling to new places for each event is one of the things that excites us most in our work! We’re always on the lookout for magnificent and soulful venues throughout Italy and elsewhere.
How would you describe your style?
Contemporary, colorful and sophisticated, whimsical, festive and joyful, eclectic with a touch of glamour and a kind of simplicity.
That said, we always endeavor to enter our clients’ universe to find a harmony between their style and ours. We love contrasts, mixing patterns and textures as well as styles and eras so we’re totally open to tastes that deviate from our own.
What is your most memorable career moment?
The mother of one of my bride's grabbing my hand and pulling me into a circle dance. The guests were having a great time and so were we. It crystallized our purpose - to create events that bring people together and are alive with good vibes.
What inspires you?
A mix of influences from the past and present, from fashion and art to interior design, theater and literature. We draw a lot of inspiration from the bold colors in the Spanish director Almodovar’s films for instance as well as from expressionist art and Vogue in the 60s. We’re also drawn to the bistrot aesthetics of Maxim’s in Paris, 19th century Viennese coffeehouses and Roman trattorias and love to revisit them in our work from a contemporary point of view.
If we were to capture our inspiration in a photograph, it would look something like Jean Cocteau and Diana Vreeland attending a wedding in Monte Argentario circa 1980, photographed by Mario Testino while sipping Champagne and discussing Fellini’s 8½ before sunset.
How would you describe your working style?
We’d describe our working style as comparable to making a film. If the couple writes the script, we focus on scouting the ideal set, finding an exceptional crew and casting the right actors to bring it to life in the most personal and meaningful way.
Once we’ve come up with a design that our couple loves, we share it with our team and then let it evolve in unexpected directions. A team is essential to bringing a momentous party to life - it’s never the doing of one single person. Much of our work involves inspiring our team to have fun and be daring in their work. This is the beginning of the festive energy that’s palpable to guests we find, even if it’s invisible.
Do you have custom packages according to individual needs?
Yes! We provide concierge level service and take care of all aspects of the planning and concept design process so our packages are entirely made to measure according to our clients’ dreams and desires.
Where would you love to travel to for work?
I’d love to plan an intimate wedding at the Chapelle Saint-Pierre painted by Jean Cocteau in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.
Who is your dream client?
A couple who is bold in their choices and confident in their love and can’t wait to celebrate it with the world! These qualities inspire us to be imaginative and exhaustive in our work.
