In the early 1970s, classmates Richard Hayne and Scott Belair opened a store as a business class project called Free People. The store was more successful than the pair had imagined, so they opened another store called Urban Outfitters.
After a friend of Hayne’s told him that she was unable to find clothing that suited her style, Hayne created a fashion store that would appeal to 30-45-year-old women who were seeking upscale clothing that had a unique style.
Anthropologie opened its first store in a converted automotive repair shop in 1992. By 1998, the company had begun selling clothing online.
In 2009, Anthropologie went international, with its first location in London, UK. The company currently has 216 stores in the US, Canada, and the UK.
Anthropologie sells women’s clothing, accessories, home decor items, furniture, and beauty products. One location, the Anthropologie Outlet store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, sells only home furnishings.
While many Americans stayed home during the pandemic of 2020/2021, by March 2021, most fashion outlets, such as Anthropologie, began seeing an uptick in the sale of dresses and more formal clothing.
In February 2021, Anthropologie announced that it was collaborating with fashion designer Peter Som.
Anthropologie maintains a corporate office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
