Edinburgh's St James Quarter to host Fleurs De Villes FEMMES tour celebrating inspiring women like Marilyn Monroe and Michelle Obama

Marilyn Monroe, Cleopatra and Annie Lennox will be among many iconic women brought to life through flowers in a beautiful new exhibition coming to the St James Quarter this month.

Fleurs de Villes Inc, a Canadian company which connects with different cities to deliver bespoke floral events, will travel to Edinburgh later this month as part of its global tour FEMMES, which celebrates women throughout history who have changed the world.

The exhibition will see Fleurs de Villes’ all female team partner with local florists who they will work with to create floral tributes to the women based on famous paintings or portraits of them.

Among the Edinburgh florists involved are Ollie & Ivy, based on Comiston Road, who are making Marilyn Monroe, KDM Event Styling, in Fernieside Drive, who are responsible for The Lone Piper sculpture, and Bruntsfield Place florist Quate & Co, who will be working on Mary Queen of Scots.

Elizabeth I will be among those created in flowers

Having debuted in Miami, Florida, in March - coinciding with International Women’s Day - the tour has already visited Chicago, Costa Mesa, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

Edinburgh’s St James Quarter is its next stop, with the exhibition due to run at the shopping centre from June 24 to July 3.

Women from various periods and roles in history will inspire the floral creations; from actress Audrey Hepburn and singer Diana Ross to author Jane Austen and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Jane Austen's floral sculpture

Images and QR codes will be included on the sculptures, allowing visitors to visit profiles of each woman and learn about their cultural and historical significance.

The FEMMES series will also see free, self-guided floral trails installed in city shopping districts and centres as well as floral workshops and talks.

Fleurs de Villes menus, cocktails and culinary events will also be running in collaboration with hotels and retailers, and flower markets, cars, swings and benches also set to pop up in host cities.

Tina Barkley, co-founder, said: “We felt this was the ideal time to launch Fleur de Villes FEMMES as people are starved for in-real-life, tactile and inspirational experiences that they can enjoy safely with friends and family.”

Oprah Winfrey is also featured in the FEMMES series

Her business partner Karen Marshall added: “Most of our events are outdoors and their size and scale lends itself to social media engagement and brand building for our partners and sponsors extending reach exponentially.

“Flowers make us happy is our company motto and we can’t wait to spread joy as we raise a bouquet to remarkable women in each city we launch in.”