Narrator: This factory crafts flowers
for the likes of Beyonce, Lizzo,
and Sarah Jessica Parker.
There used to be more than 100 factories
like this one in New York City,
making fabric flowers for clothes and hats.
Today, M&S Schmalberg is the last one in the area.
Narrator: One of their biggest challenges?
No matter how creative or unique their blooms are,
cheaper copycats are never far behind.
Narrator: So how did this family business
manage to attract so many celebrity clients?
And how is it still standing?
Adam Brand grew up in this store,
but he never expected to take over his family's business.
Narrator: But slowly, as he watched customers
marvel through these walls of flowers,
he fell in love with it all.
Narrator: Today, he's the fourth generation co-owner
of the business.
He and his team work with all kinds of materials,
from organza to leather.
And customers often bring their own.
Narrator: Today they're transforming
a man's late wife's wedding dress.
Narrator: They starch the fabric
with the same mixture they used 100 years ago.
It seals the fibers and helps it hold shape.
But it has to be done in small batches,
otherwise it could taint the whole container.
Narrator: The handmade frame was built specially
for the factory 35 years ago, and is ideal for big orders.
Workers use it to stretch the cloth, which prevents it from wrinkling while it dries.
Adam's father introduced
the die cutting machine 50 years ago.
Before, workers would cut the flowers by hand
using a rubber mallet.
Narrator: Nowadays, they can cut twice as many flowers
in the same amount of time.
Narrator: Over the last century,
they've collected more than 1,000 die cutters and molds
in different sizes and shapes.
Narrator: And Alex Nelson is the only person
keeping track of them all.
He's been die cutting at M&S Schmalberg for almost 40 years.
Narrator: Adam still keeps some of the machines
that have been here since the store opened its doors,
like this gas-powered press that gives shape to the pedals.
Narrator: He says his family has always been selective
about what kinds of technology they bring in
without sacrificing quality.
This hydraulic electric press
is one of the most recent additions,
and it's been here for 30 years.
It shapes the flowers in seconds
and is easier to use than the gas press they used before.
But Adam's father was still skeptical at first.
Narrator: Dyeing the petals and assembling the flowers
is still done completely by hand.
Miriam Baez has worked here for over 40 years.
She retired in 2013, but missed it so much
she ended up coming back full time a year later.
Narrator: Some of the dyes she uses
are over 50 years old.
Forming the flowers requires a delicate touch
and attention to detail.
But the team of five has it down to a science.
They can form over 500 flowers a day.
Many have worked in the factory for decades.
Narrator: Some started out working
with Adam's grandfather, Harold Brand,
who bought the business in 1960.
Harold moved to New York City from Poland when he was 17,
after losing his whole family in the Holocaust.
Narrator: Adam says it's been this way
since his grandfather's uncles opened the business in 1916.
Artificial flowers had just gained popularity
during the Victorian era in the late 19th century.
They were a popular alternative to fresh flowers
because they could be used year round.
By the early 1900s,
M&S Schmalberg was one of 114 shops in New York
producing almost 75% of America's artificial flower supply.
But in the 1950s, overseas manufacturers
started selling the same flowers
for just pennies on the dollar.
By 2016, almost 70% of the artificial flowers in the world
were made in China.
Narrator: Adam says he's seen his family's designs copied
by overseas manufacturers.
The competition put a strain
on an already unpredictable industry.
Narrator: By the 1990s, many other shops
had closed their doors permanently.
Still, Adam's father always found a way
to keep business going.
Narrator: In 2017, M&S Schmalberg
became the last artificial flower factory
in the garment district.
Narrator: Eventually, being the only one around
made them stand out,
and designers started looking to them for flowers.
The factory's location in the heart of Manhattan
has also helped.
Over the years, they've built strong relationships
with designers like Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs,
and Oscar de la Renta.
Narrator: And when Adam least expected,
he started seeing his designs on celebrities.
Narrator: Over two decades, dozens of celebrities
have worn their flowers including Anne Hathaway,
Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Kaley Cuoco, Sarah Jessica Parker,
and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
They've also worked on floral arrangements
for productions like "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
and the Rockettes, and for Rapunzel at Disney World.
But Adam's favorite projects are small and personal,
like the wedding dress they were turning
into a dozen flowers.
Narrator: And he is most proud of continuing the work
of his ancestors.
Narrator: One of Adam's main challenges today
is recruiting new workers.
Over 4,000 flower makers worked in the US
when M&S Schmalberg opened over 100 years ago.
But today, the team of 13
are believed to be the only ones left.
Narrator: It's why he's finding ways
to educate people on the craft.
He hosts factory tours and offers internships
through local fashion schools across New York City.
Adam is already thinking about his family's next generation.
Narrator: And while he doesn't know
what the future holds,
he's grateful to be a part of the business's story.