MILAN — With plenty of time for summer party planning ahead, Anthropologie released its colorful outdoor dining and kitchenware collaboration with Alexandra Farmer. The seasoned print and textile designer, illustrator and artist is known for her mesmerizing floral motifs.
The Southern California-based creative’s meticulous process incorporates gouache (opaque watercolor) paint on smooth Bristol paper, or finerliner and Copic marker to color petal after petal.
Katherine Finder, chief merchandising officer of AnthroLiving, told WWD that Anthropologie‘s apparel team introduced them to Farmer’s detailed and dynamic pieces. “We knew we had to collaborate with her in a bigger way. Her pieces lend themselves to a high summer collection that is rooted in beautiful prints and vivid colors — a great way to celebrate the start of the summer season.”
The 44-piece Alexandra Farmer exclusively for Anthropologie collection was created around casual entertaining and includes dessert and dinner plates, platters, serveware, a nut bowl set and a pitcher, in addition to items such as a napkin set, runner and dish towel. Accessories like candles, trays, throw pillows and throws will also be a part of the collection, along with beach towels, playing cards and stationery card sets. Durable melamine was used for dinnerware, gauzy cotton was incorporated into throws, terry was used for beach towels and indoor/outdoor fabrics were used for pillows, which Finder said make this collection “perfect for fuss-free, outdoorsy hosting for the whole family.”
Farmer told WWD that the inspiration for this collection imbues her love for arts and crafts with her English roots and the landscape in and around Ojai, Calif. “The collection draws inspiration from wildlife such as poppies, lavender, oak trees, hummingbirds and citrus which are abundant in the area,” she said.
Anthropologie, a division of Urban Outfitters Inc., is rooted in fashion, but the lifestyle offerings are a main driver of sales. In recent years, the AnthroLiving home business has grown to be bigger than the apparel business in the company’s direct-to-consumer channel, as the company turns its efforts to scouting collaborations with ceramicists, artists and interior designers as a way to reach customers with impactful storytelling.
In July, Anthropologie tapped British design icon and creative director Ilse Crawford for a chic array of furnishings and accessories for compact spaces in order to appeal to new generations. The collection was designed with Crawford’s ethos of promoting positive mental health and environmental impact, which aims to breathe a sense of zen into urban dwellings.
The Alexandra Farmer exclusively for Anthropologie collection will be available both in-store and online. Priced moderately, tumblers are being sold for $7 and throws for $138.
