The 50th annual Macy’s Flower Show opened in Herald Square on Sunday, transforming the iconic department store into a breathtaking garden filled with thousands of lush plants and flowers. In honor of its semicentennial, this year’s event has been extended to three weeks of festivities, running through May 18. The show also features a partnership with YSL Beauty, offering an immersive experience that encourages guests to embrace freedom and celebrate the transformative power of nature.
For five decades, the cherished event has given visitors a chance to witness thousands of vibrant flowers blooming together across the store’s famed window displays, balconies, and main floor.
The show debuted in California in 1946 to promote fragrances in the cosmetics department before coming to Herald Square in 1975 and quickly becoming a beloved yearly tradition, as 6sqft previously reported.
Hours of careful work go into producing the spectacle, which features 8,000 plants and 50,000 stems that blend together in banana-yellow blooms, pink swirls, and purple necklaces, according to the New York Times. Each night, watering the display takes approximately six to nine hours, as workers carefully climb ladders to reach plants tucked into high and hard-to-access corners of the department store.
The installation is designed to conform to the building’s unique interior—”defined generations ago” by architects and engineers—with each pillar encased in “column surrounds” that are first wrapped in cloud-printed blue vinyl and then adorned with layers of vibrant flowers, according to Will Coss, the Macy’s executive who oversees events like the Flower Show, in an interview with Times.
This year’s show features an immersive installation from YSL Beauty, “Beauty Art of Flowers.” The exhibition invites visitors into a world where natural beauty reigns and challenges the norm. The experience begins outside, where guests are greeted by colorful floral decorations adorning Macy’s 34th Street facade.
Inside, the journey continues with a bold landscape showcasing the main olfactive notes in YSL Beauty’s new Libre L’eau Nue line—the brand’s first alcohol-free citrus floral scent. According to a press release, the scent uses unique oil-in-water “fragrance proprietary technology.”
Next, visitors encounter a captivating display inspired by the powerful scent of Libre, with fresh lavender and golden orange blossoms decorating the space. The Flower Show then evolves into a dazzling experience, adorned with ferns and geraniums, channeling the energy of YSL Beauty’s “MYSLF” line
Guests then move through an engaging blue space inspired by Y, where fresh sage and stunning blue geranium flowers surround and excite onlookers. The journey culminates in a pop-up boutique, where guests can try YSL’s new Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss.
Visitors will also receive gifted lily-filled bouquets, couture personalization exclusive to Macy’s Flower Show, on-site bottle engraving and watercolor art, and limited-edition flower charms.
“YSL Beauty US is thrilled to be partnering with Macy’s for their 2025 Flower Show, a true retail statement from an iconic retailer. Flowers, in their daring and raw beauty, are at the heart of our products, but also our brand—and have served as a constant source of inspiration for M. Saint Laurent,” Juliette Ferret, U.S. general manager at YSL Beauty, said.
“They represent the vulnerability, beauty, and possibility in our world, which we try to always amplify. The YSL Beauty Art of Flowers experience epitomizes the spirit and vision of the brand and we’re honored to bring this to life.”
Other exciting partnerships for this year’s show include Lego Bloom and Beyond, an intricate, floral-themed display, a mosaic wall, and flower carts showcasing Lego Botanicals. Visitors can also participate in a “brick in hand” build experience called “Build-a-Bloom” on select days.
Additionally, Holland American Line will celebrate over 150 years of its history with a wave-inspired tulip garden that flows throughout the store, inspired by vibrant spring tulip fields.
This year’s event also includes a dedicated Macy’s Flower Show and Surrealist Garden product collection, celebrating the vibrant color experiences featured throughout the display. The collection offers exclusive items such as home goods, jewelry, and sleepwear, along with special collaborations with brands like Kendra Scott, MarieBelle, and Lovery.
“We believe in bringing events to life in our stores and this year’s 50th Macy’s Flower Show is a breathtaking example of that commitment. We create spectacular experiences throughout the year and transform our iconic Herald Square flagship into an immersive destination that inspires and delight,” Sharon Otterman, chief marketing officer at Macy’s, said.
“This spring we will welcome more than one million customers to Macy’s Flower Show to experience wonder and joy that only we can deliver.”
This year’s Flower Show comes as Macy’s continues its “Bold New Chapter” strategy, which includes closing roughly 150 underperforming stores by 2026, including five locations in New York City. In January, Macy’s sold its location at 422 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn for just $23 million.
Macy’s Flower Show turns 50 with surrealist gardens and thousands of blooms in Herald Square
May 1, 2025
All photos courtesy of Macy’s, Inc.