Brief History of Anthropologie Retail Stores

Less than 20 years old, Anthropologie was founded in 1992 by its parent company, Urban Outfitters. Urban Outfitters appeals to a young, trendy crowd, and the parent company formed Anthropologie as a way to follow that crowd later in the life. Anthropologie is aimed at the 30 to 40-year old, trendy, affluent, professional woman.

Picturing an ideal audience, the parent company 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. They achieved a certain measure of notoriety in the early days by avoiding advertising altogether, and instead focusing on branding, awareness, and marketing.

Most Anthropologie shoppers are very loyal to the brand, as all of the clothing and home decor products are high-quality, and the retail stores are able to retain shoppers for extended periods of time by dividing the store into quadrants, each with a separate theme.

The bulk of Anthropologie's merchandise consists of women's clothing, including shirts and tops, shorts, pants, jeans, jackets, dresses, scarves, swimwear, and intimates; but they also carry a line of jewelry, accessories, shoes (which are becoming more popular), hats, bags, and sunglasses. They also carry a line of home decor primarily for the kitchen and bath areas.

You'll find Anthropologie on streets and in open-air centers, but rarely in shopping malls. There are nearly 100 stores scattered throughout the United States, and Anthropologie is seeing 40 percent annual revenue growth, now accounting for over half of Urban Outfitter's annual revenue.

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