Anthropologie

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College roommates Dick Hayne and Scott Belair decided to partner on their first retail venture in 1970. They opened a store called Free People in Pennsylvania, which specialized in secondhand apparel and home décor for college students. Within a few years, the store was so successful that it had to move to a larger location, and it changed its name to Urban Outfitters during the move. The retailer grew into a chain during the 1980s, and in 1990, the company replaced its private label with three new house brands: Free People, Ecote, and Anthropologie.

With the Anthropologie label, Urban Outfitters specialized in casualwear for young women, and the brand soon became popular enough that it spawned several stores of its own. The first standalone Anthropologie location opened in 1992 in Wayne, Pennsylvania. A year later, the parent company went public and changed its name to URBN. Anthropologie has continued to grow, and it currently has more than 200 locations in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The target demographic for the brand is women aged 30-45 who are creative-minded and affluent. Anthropologie is a fashion-forward label that frequently collaborates with both well-known and up-and-coming designers.

Women's Merchandise

Products

Antropologie features several different types of textiles, including apparel, intimates, home décor, and beauty. All products are designed to complement the lifestyles favored by the brand's customers, and they always fit into one of five distinct categories: boho chic, easy cool, modern sporty, elegant classic, or soft and delicate. Dresses are available for all occasions, and they include styles like fit-and-flare, bodycon, linen, halter, pencil, sleeveless, maxi, midi, shirtdresses, sheaths, and more. In tops, the brand features tees, blouses, tanks, tunics, sweaters, button-down shirts, peplum tops, and off-the-shoulder tops.

Jeans are available in lots of different styles, cuts, colors, and washes so that you can find the perfect pair. Styles include skinny, flare, bootcut, boyfriend, palazzo, cropped, and ankle jeans. Cargos, roll-ups, chinos, joggers, and gauchos are also popular bottoms, and the brand offers plenty of shorts and skirts for warmer temperatures. Jackets range from more formal blazers to casual kimonos, trenches, wraps, and denim jackets. Anthropologie has extensive swimwear, sleepwear, and loungewear collections, as well as intimates like bras, panties, and more. In terms of shoes, you can find sandals, heels, wedges, boots, flats, sneakers, and more. The brand also offers plenty of accessories and home décor options so that you can completely outfit your home in Anthropologie products.

Swap.com's Rating of Anthropologie

Like many of the best brands championed by successful parent companies, Anthropologie evolved naturally from a secondary clothing line into a headliner. URBN positioned the label so that it appeals to a slightly older demographic who have outgrown Urban Outfitters--and in doing so, it holds on to customers who might otherwise have abandoned the company. Anthropologie apparel isn't cheap (most of the store's clothes exceed $100) but you can be sure that products will last and won't quickly go out of style. We give Anthropologie 5 stars out of 5.