From Mexican food to “me time,” this flower phenom knows what he can’t live without

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Jeff Leatham’s projects are always in full bloom. When he’s not at his art-directing job at the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris or designing flower arrangements for the likes of Tina Turner or the late Alexander McQueen, he might be at a book signing, working on his fall fragrance collection, or designing the 2015 holiday windows for Bloomingdales. Yet, amidst it all, the celebrity florist took the time to share his ten favorite things with Urban Agenda NYC.

1. Mexican food

2. Tom Ford suits 

 “I really look up to Tom Ford as far as my brand is concerned. I admire the way he handles his empire so to speak. When you look at his ads in magazines, or go to his stores, there’s a certain elegance, a way you feel, and it’s not so much about how much it costs, but you put on a Tom Ford suit and it kind of changes the way you feel about your day.”

3. Venice, Italy 

4. Beau the bulldog 

“I’m never home, so it’s great when I get to be with my English bulldog named Beau because he’s so ugly, he’s beautiful. Kind of like a lot of things in life, right?”

5. A clean house 

“I’m a crazy double Virgo so those kind of things are really important to me.”

6. Art 

“I’m a big fan of Andy Warhol and Richard Avedon. I collect these Andy Warhol polaroids that have become so popular in the last year, I also have his Dolly Parton and Farrah Fawcett portraits.”

7. Art books 

“One of my favorite things is to go into a bookstore like Taschen, Assouline, or Rizzoli and being immersed in all of their beautiful books. Most of the time, I’m just one of those guys that buys a book for its cover. You look through a bookstore and you’re like, ‘Oh, this cover is so beautiful!’ Then you buy it, put it on your bookshelf, and never open it again…well, sometimes I look through them, I guess.”

8. The perfect cocktail 

“The older I get, the more I like old man drinks like a dirty martini.”

9. Not having internet

10. "Me time"

 “When you’re working in the art business where you’re constantly giving to others, it’s nice when you can give to yourself, which rarely happens for all of us. One of the best times to do this is when I’m siting on an airplane with a glass of champagne. That’s one of the only times that I have to myself.”