Exclusive Concept Store Arrives on the High Street

Published on: 21 Oct, 2013
Updated on: 24 Oct, 2013

The new Anthologie shop on Guildfprd's High Street

The new Anthropologie shop on Guildford’s High Street

By Maria Rayner

They came from London, Somerset and Haslemere: quilted jackets, pretty print dresses and an eye for style and glamour. The rain did not deter them. It was the opening day of Anthropologie Guildford, the global brand’s fourth store.

A riot of colour and texture… unapologetically feminine

For those who remember the clean lines of Habitat, prepare for a shock. Their former premises have been transformed into a riot of colour and texture. The interior is light, bright and unapologetically feminine.

Breakfast supplied by Glutton & Glee

Julia Elkhadraoui, from Guildford cafe, Glutton & Glee, who provided breakfast for the launch said: “I never realised that this building was so big. It looks lovely.”

Anthropologie hope to attract their Home Counties mail order followers to the new shop, people who don’t get up to London as often as they’d like.

Two of the first to view the new shop Barbara and Sarah Rees

Two of the first through the door were mother and daughter-in-law Barbara and Sarah Rees who describe themselves as Anthropologie experts. “We were in London at the weekend to go to the Regent’s Street branch and have come to Guildford from Haslemere especially for the opening. This is the best layout of all the branches we’ve been in.”

When The Guildford Dragon NEWS let slip that there was a first floor, Sarah exclaimed: “Is there an upstairs? I’ve literally died and gone to heaven!”

Barbara added: “This will bring people to Guildford. We always do a girls’ trip to Anthropologie for our birthdays.”

Manager Jess Mancini checking a display

Jess Mancini, Selling Manager, who comes from Farnborough and has worked at luxury brand Jo Malone in Guildford for four years, thinks she will see a lot of customer crossover. “We have 12 staff and we know what our Guildford lady customer likes. [Indicating a made-up bed] they’ll say, ‘That’s what I want my bedroom to look like.’ Coming here is like introducing you into our home.”

For the uninitiated, Anthropologie is a concept store, so you are likely to find books next to clothes next to candles, heaped on one-off pieces of furniture which have been sourced from markets and junk shops: everything is for sale.

This is a concept store – everything is for sale

Don’t worry if you missed today’s opening and the chance to have your portrait stitched by performance artist Harriet Riddell: the official launch party is on Saturday 26 October when there will be live music, refreshments and gardening tips. More events are planned for later in the year.

What do you think of the new store? Is this the way Guildford shopping should go? Or should there be more independents? What’s missing on the high street? Please leave your comments for our new column Shop Front.