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The Smoked Gold Snail
- by Al Jowder Flowers
The Opulence of the Final Coil
In the quiet rhythm of the First Class Lounge, where the world passes through soft light and muted gold, a sculpture blooms — The Smoked Gold Snail. Conceived by Damien Overputte, this installation celebrates the dialogue between nature and design, between European artistry and Middle Eastern luxury. It is a floral meditation on serenity, created for travelers who understand that beauty, like time, is best experienced slowly.
The Inspiration: The Beauty Within the Spiral
The form itself is an artwork in motion. Twisted branches of Salix Golden Curls are meticulously shaped into a coiled shell, a living architecture that recalls the fluid geometry of nature. Its spiral form suggests a gentle inward pull — a refuge that invites reflection, intimacy, and calm.
The shell, as in nature, protects something precious within: a floral heart composed of rare Cymbidium “Choco Bar” orchids, whose smoky, chocolate hues resonate with the richness of fine wood and aged cognac. This heart of brown and bronze tones evokes depth, warmth, and an almost tactile sense of comfort.
The Palette of Autumnal Luxury
Contrasting this dusky center are flashes of radiant color — the luminous Ilex Audijks Orange berries and the warm, golden tones of Leucadendron “Pen-Pen”. These fiery details bring the composition to life, like threads of sunlight breaking through amber glass.
The dialogue between shadow and flame reflects the duality of autumn itself: a season of harvest and stillness, of golden warmth fading into serene coolness. The palette embodies both European refinement and the vibrant energy of the Middle East — the perfect harmony of two worlds.
The Craftsmanship: Where Nature Meets Design
Every line and curve of The Smoked Gold Snail reflects Damien Overputte’s mastery of structure and proportion. His Belgian background in floral artistry combines precision, architecture, and movement, resulting in a composition that feels both spontaneous and meticulously balanced.
The arrangement transcends decoration — it becomes sculpture. In the subtle interplay of gold and smoke, the viewer discovers a sense of time suspended, as if caught between nature’s rhythm and human design.
The Sensory Experience: Luxury in Stillness
The Smoked Gold Snail is more than an arrangement — it is a sensory experience. It brings together the artistry of European floristry and the grandeur of Luxury Flowers in Dubai, fusing two worlds into one sculptural expression.
It is at once grounded and ethereal, traditional and contemporary. Its organic movement recalls nature’s own elegance, while its refined composition speaks to craftsmanship and intention. For travelers, it becomes a meditative space — a moment of calm within motion, a reminder that beauty often whispers rather than shouts.
The Art of Contained Beauty
“The Smoked Gold Snail is a meditation on contained beauty,” says Damien Overputte, Creative Designer.
“Its form captures what I love most about floral art — the dialogue between motion and calm, between light and depth. It’s a reflection of nature’s ability to comfort and inspire at once.”
This final coil of autumn, elegantly suspended in gold, speaks to the universal desire for balance — a harmony between earth and air, shadow and light, movement and peace.
A New Symbol of Floral Luxury in Dubai
As one of Damien’s most poetic compositions, The Smoked Gold Snail elevates floral art beyond aesthetics. It transforms the First Class Lounge into a place of reflection and artistic immersion — a reminder that in Dubai, even transience can be touched by luxury.
Here, nature is not tamed but celebrated. Each petal, curve, and hue serves as a reflection of life’s cycles — abundant, fleeting, and profoundly beautiful.
