Frenchman Louis Houdart trades in both crude oil, a necessity, and flowers, a luxury -- though some would call them a necessity as well because they bring sweetness and beauty into our lives.

 

For Houdart there is no contradiction, in fact, there's a "perfect equilibrium." As one of six partners in the new Secret Garden florist in Xintiandi, the 28-year-old oil charter broker says the shop provides "a little oxygen bubble" in the stressful city where he works as a go-between for oil companies and ship owners for the French company BRS.

 

He tends shop on weekends, often at lunch and in the evenings, and he gets up early on weekends to buy fresh flowers at the flower market in Pudong. Sometimes he even fashions bouquets for lovers.

 

"My work basically goes from a job for a huge company that no one knows about, working with big customers, numbers and a product that everyone needs but does not think of -- to a beautiful product that everyone loves and looks at yet is not a necessity," says Houdart.

 

Though happy with his job as a broker, he says, "It's nice to be able to get back to the products that people love. Everyone including myself loves the beauty, fragility, colors and fragrance of flowers."

 

Houdart has lived in Shanghai for one and a half years. His previous experience is in luxury products -- wine and fashion. He studied business and marketing in London and did internships in Barcelona and Singapore. Then came a quick language course in Shanghai, an internship in Beijing, and he finished studies back in London.

 

He worked with wine company Summer Gate in Beijing, Shenzhen and elsewhere in south China. When the SARS epidemic broke out, Houdart went back to business school in Milan, also studying fashion and design. He worked for Salvatore Ferragamo. Then in Paris he joined BRS and came back to Shanghai to open their crude tanker desk, "so here I am."

 

Having always worked in product marketing, his current position in commodities is quite a shift: However, the florist shop that opened a month ago helps to balance these two different areas.

 

"I think there is a gap in the market for flowers that are Western-style yet affordable. But the real purpose of this shop is to transmit a message, as each bouquet is embedded with stories of romance, affection and love."

 

"All the people who visit the shop come in for an occasion. They are always buying the flowers for a nice reason, for a lover, as a gift, because someone has had a baby, and so on. I really like seeing that," Houdart says.

 

Houdart occasionally fashions bouquets himself, making up orders for lovers. He also is determined to ensure high quality, visiting the Pudong flower market to arrange sourcing.

 

"It is not easy because we really want this shop to give high-quality service, which means getting up very early to be there when the shipments of flowers arrive."

 

Although now most of his flowers come from Yunnan Province, his passion for flora came from France.

 

"My grandparents have a beautiful country home just outside Paris by the river Seine. I used to spend time in their garden, and so I think it must have been from there that my love of flowers grew."

 

Always dreaming of opening his own "little store," Houdart says, "When I came to Shanghai I had loads of ideas but then the city was so crazy that I found that this was my moment of tranquility. Now my two jobs are a nice contrast, and this florist is my little oxygen bubble."

 

The future for Houdart, for the time being is Shanghai: He has found the perfect equilibrium.

 

"My two jobs combine stress and calm, but like Shanghai, they are dynamic, stressful but when you add up all the good and all the bad it always comes out positive."

  

Louis Houdart

 

Nationality: France

 

 Age: 28

 

Profession: Crude charter broker and co-owner of a florist shop

 

Q&A

 

Favorite place in Shanghai?

 

50 Moganshan Road because it is a place to get "fresh air" in terms of creativity.

  

Worst experience?

 

fighting with taxi drivers or just driving with them.

  

Favorite weekend?

 

I have never been to the real Moganshan, so I would like to go there.

  

Strangest sight: The gap between the super-modern buildings and the old. This city is all about contrast.

  

What can be done to improve Shanghai?

 

It has already improved so much since drivers don't use their horns as much but what it still needs is more fresh air. That's why I am happiest when I am surrounded by all my flowers.

  

Advice to new expats?

 

Buy fresh flowers to improve your home.

 

(Shanghai Daily July 10, 2007)