Ever wonder where Anthropologie finds some of the goods that make its stores so interesting? Well, wonder no longer. A new series on the Sundance Channel, called “Man Shops Globe,” will take viewers around the world with Keith Johnson, buyer-at-large for Anthropologie, as he scours flea markets, out-of-the-way antique shops, obscure art studios, private dealerships, craft stalls and even a student design show in search of decorative antiques and found objects. Some of his finds will be sold in Anthropologie stores. Others will serve as inspiration for the company’s in-house design team. Johnson also seeks out gifted artisans to create original works.Johnson, who spends a good deal of the year abroad, will visit a different country in each of the show’s eight episodes. In the first, which airs on Oct. 7, he haunts flea markets in Paris and sprints through an Avignon antiques show. Other episodes will follow his shopping exploits in Holland, South Africa, Belgium and other global destinations.
Promotional material describes Johnson as having “the greatest job in the world.” It’s a job he was seemingly born to. The son of a global-trotting art dealer, Johnson often accompanied his father on excursions around the world. His association with Anthropologie dates back to 1994, when his partner and company president Glen Senk (now CEO of Anthropologie's parent company Urban Outfiitters) asked Johnson to find decorative antiques and found objects for the company’s first store. As the brand grew so did Johnson's responsibilities. He now buys for Anthropologie’s 123 U.S. stores and two in Canada, and also curates the brand’s art gallery in its Rockefeller Center location.
To see a preview of “Man Shops Globe,” click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment