Revel in New York
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Anthropologie
New York, NY
212 343 1012
OTHER LOCATIONS
85 5th Ave at 16th Street
50 Rockefeller Center
Anthropologie is a retailer of high-end casual clothing and other merchandise run by Urban Outfitters, Inc. A somewhat new apparel retailer, Anthropologie has used unique marketing and branding techniques to become a forerunner in women's fashion.
Founded in 1992 "by a small group of people with a love for making things that inspire the imagination", the brand is designed to follow customers of its parent company, Urban Outfitters, into the next stage of their lives. Founder Richard Hayne moved Anthropologie away from the focus of Urban Outfitters, which targeted hip and mod trends. Rather, this new concept was designed to appeal to 30- to 40-something affluent professional women with total family annual income above $200,000. Picturing an ideal audience, the corporation targeted sophisticated women wanting unique, one-of-a-kind designs. This marketing technique is often compared to that of Kate Spade, selling a lifestyle rather than products.
Thus, Anthropologie became a pioneer in retail, becoming the first corporation to intentionally avoid advertising. Though the company does not advertise, its shoppers stay longer than most chain stores, averaging nearly 1 hour and 15 minutes. The company allots the extra money towards furnishing individual stores. Every store is divided into retailing quadrants, each acting as its own store, displaying a theme and flavor of its own.
Anthropologie sells a wide range of merchandise. Though focusing on women's apparel and accessories, the company also sells furniture and home furnishings through its stores, catalog, and website. The company takes pride in its one-of-a-kind items. "Within the store are Indian hand-beaded picture frames, a hand-painted floral sconce based on a 1940s Italian original, glazed Japanese ceramics, and a rattan and teak British colonial sleigh bed." Their merchandise is known for being somewhat unique and extremely fashionable.
To maintain its image, the company avoids enclosed malls, preferring to locate on streets or open-air centers. Today, there are over 90 stores in 24 states and the District of Columbia. The store announced the opening of its first international store, a Canadian flagship in Toronto.
