anthropologie - it's all in the details

when i heard on the grapevine last year that anthropologie was opening a store in the UK I was so excited. It has long been one of my favourite destination stores whenever we have visited the states.

what I love is the unruly freedom the buyers seem to exercise, I am sure it is a carefully laid out plan - I had a stint designing for a large home retailer so I understand what goes on behind the scenes to create an effortless whole.

however the clever people at Anthropologie have created a brand that feels personal, it feels like one persons eclectic collection, for me it is how shopping ought to be - a pleasurable process.

the stores are large - there is one in Regents Street and a new one in the Kings Rd, and they encompass fashion, home, stationary, jewellery, antiques/brocante and bits and bobs.

everything is displayed in a very lifestyley way, its not primped and fussed and most importantly it doesn't have that horrid, bland, homogeneous feeling that so many retailers insist on (I am going to make critisism of habitat here - whose store on the kings rd looked like a tatty version of tk maxx and the product looked tired and lacking innovation - bring back vittorio radiche I say -a man with vision and care)

Anyway as I said Anthropologie sells a lifestyle, an aspirational lifestyle. You could easily spend a fortune in here, but it isn't wildly overpriced, you just want it all, it has imense feelgood factor.

The thing that clinches it for me - apart from the fabulous variety, is the details. I love detail, I can't manage without detail, often I will spend as long packaging something or making a tag for it as i will making the thing in the first place. Anthropologie obviously have this passion too.

there were lots of price tags and info tags made from old postcard with scraps of fabric stitched to them, or typewriter descriptions typed on to them.

Vintage plays a key role, I was chatting to one of the very pleasant and helpful staff about the old bits and bobs and she told me they had a man who travelled around the world looking for interesting junk/antiques and they build their store fitting around them. - what a job!!

all of the vintage items are also for sale, these are identified by little manilla luggage labels.

the shop is also filled with armfuls of fresh flowers and beautiful original artwork, also for sale.

I went to London on Monday for the annual design week shmooze, however I have to say my hour and a half in anthropologie was the most exciting and inspirational part of the day. you will be pleased to know their european website is now up and running here, and if you want more inspiration visit the American version here. One request (actually no two!) can we have a store in Bath? and can I be the bag carrier for the world explorer man?!