Kenyan influencer Kabinga Jr has sparked conversation online after openly criticising flower arrangements sold locally ahead of Valentine’s Day, saying most bouquets lack originality and creativity.
Taking to her Instagram Stories, Kabinga Jr began by admitting her opinion might be unpopular, but she chose to say it anyway.
“Ok, unpopular, uncalled for opinion, I should probably be minding my business, but no. 😝”
She then went straight to the point.
1. Flower arrangements in KE are wrack 2. Roses are not the only flowers. 3. Most Flower arrangements in KE, not all, please note that, are lazy, no original ideas, just copy & paste. There, I said it 🤷🏽♀️ 4. Petition to make it artsy.”
Nothing Out of the Ordinary
In follow-up Stories, Kabinga Jr shared photos of common Valentine’s bouquets dominated by red roses and baby’s breath, questioning the creativity behind what is being marketed.
One image showed a bouquet of red roses paired with a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
She wrote: “Nobody should come for me, so this is what I’ve been seeing online being advertised as Valentine’s bouquet, whatever, whatever, I’m not criticizing by the way.”
Kabinga Jr//Instagram
She added on another slide:
“Or this, not bad but nothing out of the ordinary, everybody gets this.”
Her comments appear to target the repetitive nature of Valentine’s floral designs in Kenya, particularly the heavy reliance on red roses as the default romantic gesture.
Roses vs Creativity Debate
Kabinga Jr’s remarks have quietly stirred discussion about Valentine’s gifting culture, especially at a time when florists are aggressively marketing pre-packaged romantic bundles online.
Every year, red roses dominate the market, often bundled with chocolates, teddy bears, or money bouquets, becoming the standard formula for romantic expression.
Her statement that “roses are not the only flowers” suggests a call for:
More variety in floral choices
Unique, artistic presentation
Personalised arrangements
Less “copy & paste” design culture
While she clarified that not all arrangements are lazy, her tone made it clear she believes the industry could push boundaries creatively.
Kabinga Jr//Instagram
Will Vendors Respond?
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it remains to be seen whether florists will respond directly to her critique or whether the conversation will remain within social media commentary circles.
