![]() ![]() It really speaks to the power of art.”įor over 25 years, Anthropologie has been committed to making things, by hand and by heart. To me, that's the point – to connect and inspire. “We can create an art moment that wows our customers, while also asking them to join us in something that’s bigger than us. “To me, our Earth Day windows are a chance to connect and inspire in multiple ways,” says Erika. Each year, she works with local display coordinators to craft a message about sustainability and stewardship, two personal passions that she’s excited to share while telling Anthropologie’s story. With spring on the horizon, Erika is especially looking forward to our annual Earth Day window displays. It’s a simple approach, but it’s unusual.” “We want to make things thoughtfully and joyfully – when you come into our store, we hope you leave happier. “When we first started, we said, let’s not do things the normal way,” says Carolyn. Led by Senior Creative Director Carolyn Keer – Anthropolgie’s first-ever Art Director, and our resident Wizard Behind the Curtain – the Art Department takes an unconventional approach to retail. Tram’s team is responsible for infusing our stores with year-round, handcrafted beauty, from packaging to signs to just-because customer gifts. Now that I’m on the other side and work for the brand, I would be flattered if our customer feels inspired, or if my work brings even a small amount of joy." "It was a very slow process, and I was impatient to see the final results – it took about 12 hours to stitch. "It started with a simple idea: embroidering the letter A," she says. Years after spending her lunch breaks at Anthropologie, Tram created this year’s much-loved holiday shopping bag, stitch by stitch. Holiday is a team effort an Anthropologie, where numerous departments are involved in crafting a one-of-a-kind store experience. “At one point, we had a display coordinator sitting in a pile of yarn, wearing a respirator, meticulously trimming and shaping huge poms – there’s really no degree or résumé that can prepare you to make pom poms that big.” “We spent an entire week making gigantic pom poms,” Nyki recalls. As she discovered while working on this season’s holiday displays, there is no typical day in this particular office. “To realize that there was this job where I could paint and be messy and make something every day was mind-blowing.”Īfter helping to create our stunning Westport, Connecticut store, Nyki joined Erika’s team at the Home Office. “The skills I was building in the studio were so relevant to my job in the store, which I really wasn’t expecting,” she says. When Nyki Ehr joined us as an in-store intern while in college, she was surprised to learn that her sculpture thesis work was helpful in a retail environment. Learning on the job is common here at Anthropologie, where “the job” is ever-evolving. “When we go into supply stores to buy materials, people will try to help us and ask what type of project we’re doing. With very single day and every single project, you go, 'I want to make this, let me figure out how,'” she says. ![]() “Most of my art education happened at Anthropologie – you learn so much more here than you ever could in school. But despite being a “corporate” job, it’s still plenty hands-on – in fact, Erika tends to spend most days in our headquarters' workshop. Today, she works at our Home Office, where her team is responsible for crafting each season’s concept. They each put their own twist on the store experience – it’s such a personal connection.”Įrika joined Anthropologie as an in-store display coordinator after graduating with a degree in graphic design. “I love that their backgrounds are so varied – we have woodworkers, painters, fiber artists, and graphic designers. “We have 210 very unique stores, and 210 very uniquely talented display coordinators,” says Erika Lavinia, Anthropologie’s Display Director. On any given day, a local artist is onsite hand-dyeing paper flowers, sculpting cardboard cacti, or building custom shelves from reclaimed wood. Every store location has an in-house display coordinator, as well as a designated art room. How do we do it? Easy: We hire artists – lots of them – and give them the tools and space to work their magic. "I would just wander around every corner as a way to escape the mundane." "Before working here, I actually used to visit my local Anthropologie at lunchtime," says Anthropologie Art Director Tram Pham.
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