Saffron

As a family-run urban oasis, Saffron proves to be a young, hip floral shop with an appreciation for talented artists and all things vintage. Inspired by a past with few yet memorable objects, within a backyard familiar to Spike Lee cinematography, owner Kana Togashi opened Saffron just 17 years after situating in her hometown of Fort Greene, Brooklyn—a hidden utopia amongst all the rush and gentrification of the city.

Clusters of Saffron’s fresh-cut flowers sleep in an assortment of shapely vases, found splattered throughout the shop in vivid bursts of color and creativity. Collections of roses burn in hues of smoldering reds, whilst Ikebana-inspired arrangements combine flowers with branches for a more masculine touch. Prospective brides can melt over the simple bouquets of white teacup roses, delicately glazed with barely-there shades of pink. To ensure that all the needs of their customers are met, Kana Tagoshi and her boyfriend Tetsuji Natatomi also take special requests and are more than willing to deliver to all NYC boroughs.

Because Togoshi has an appreciation for vintage jewelry and handmade crafts, Saffron features “Brooklyn Bug” summer dining sets and a tabletop display of their eclectic memorabilia. Yarn ball creations by Anna Hrachovec come in playful shapes like frogs and fishes that are paired perfectly with her mini pinwheel and cactus designs. Saffron not only offers authentic flowers and vintage treats, but also showcases a new artist bi-monthly. Because of Saffron, artists such as Fumihiro Matsuzaki, Yashusi Suzuki, Ran Fujieda and Katy Kranz have all had their displays available to the public for both viewing and purchase.

Thanks to Kana Togashi and Tetsuji Natatomi’s endless devotion, Saffron was just one of three Brooklyn stores featured in Japan’s Harpers Bazaar June 2010 edition. And if their contagious passion keeps catching wind, it’s only a matter of time before we see Saffron on newsstands throughout our big city.