The Face Behind "Arugula Tango"

Greetings and welcome to the Arugula Tango experience! I want to introduce myself, you may have heard this unusual name come about recently or maybe you have even received one of our beautiful bouquets or arrangements and want to know a little more about us. Well, let me start off by saying THANK YOU! We love striking fresh flowers and are glad we share the same interest. Arugula Tango is a floral studio based in South Norwalk, Connecticut. We specialize in sophisticated and classic floral designs for events, weddings, photo shoots or just because.  I am the founder, Elena and let me tell you a little about the journey I created a little over a year ago.

I grew up in Siberia, Russia (and yes, it is very cold) and moved to Moscow where I studied at University and graduated with a degree in Art History.  I worked for an architectural company in Moscow after I graduated; I have always had a liking for design no matter what the context may be. Five years ago, I made my move to the big and bold NYC. This is when the “spark” appeared and the magic began to happen. Coming from an Art history background, its probably obvious my admiration for art. But my favorite style is Dutch Still Life and this is where I drew my inspiration. I started making bouquets from vegetables and fruits; shortly I started to add flowers to them and viola! I had discovered my passion.

I worked at a floral boutique on 5th Ave in Manhattan for a few years, where I developed my craft even deeper. During this period I help design many events and weddings. I made Christmas decorations for Beyonce’s apartment in NYC, floral arrangements for Hillary Clinton, Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian, Giuseppe Zanotti, Elie Tahari, Badgley Mischka, Cartier Boutique, Prada, Chanel Store, Wempe Show Room and many more.

A year ago I took a leap (yikes!) and decided to open my own floral studio. It has not always been easy and can be difficult when you start your own business, but I have been enjoying this journey with everything in me! I keep learning and evolving my technique by keeping up with the latest floral trends as well as techniques from masters. I continue to take master classes in NYC, as well as I have taken master classes in Moscow and Montreal, which has allowed me to take my skills and passion to a deeper level.

So you might be thinking why the weird name “Arugula Tango”, right?  Well, when I started thinking of names for my company of course I wanted a name I liked but I also wanted it to be unique and unusual. I thought of my good friend who came up with the phrase, “ If there is no Arugula on the dinner table, Elena will not come”. My friends always laugh at that fact that I love Arugula so much (how can you not?) and yes, I thought Arugula it is… it’s organic, natural, tasty, and a nice edible plant. But what else…  I remembered a professor I had at University who always told us for a good catchy name, combine incompatible.  Arugula leaves started dancing in my mind as I searched for another word…. and it was tango, an organic, passion dance of love. How sweet life can be, now I am dancing this beautiful dance with my customers and I enjoy being able to make them happy with my floral creations. So this is how Arugula Tango was brought to life and it all started with a “spark”. Passion is the drive behind Arugula Tango, so you can be sure that each creation has a little bit of that “spark” attached to it. I am always open to questions or concerns any of my customers may have so feel free to email or call. If you are interested in a floral arrangement or have a wedding or event, take the leap and give me a call or send an email and we can chat!

 Sincerely yours,

Elena Shishulina