Follow Along with an Anthropologie Buyer

For a store with as much of a national (and Canadian!) presence like Anthropologie it’s surprising how little press they give. Sure you see their products featured in lots of “Me want!” lists but you don’t really see the brains behind their merchandising sharing their inspiration, tips or thoughts.

That may be changing though. I recently found out that the Sundance Channel has greenlit “Man Shops Globe,” a show following Anthropologie antiques buyer Keith Johnson. Follow the link for the complete story but here’s the gist:
New York, October 3, 2008 – Sundance Channel has given a green light to a new original series starring Keith Johnson, the antiques buyer for the innovative specialty retailer Anthropologie. One of the largest purchasers of decorative antiques in the world, Johnson globe trots six months out of the year to find unique and beautiful items. The eight-part, half-hour series “Man Shops Globe” (working title), follows his high-pursuit, ends-of-the-earth excursions, from flea markets in Paris to remote villages in India to obscure art studios across the globe. The series is produced by World of Wonder (“Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood,” “Show Biz Mom & Dads,” “One Punk Under God”). “Sundance Channel’s audience loves travel and design so we are very enthusiastic about offering our viewers an inside look at Keith’s adventures and an appreciation of his dedication to nurturing artists, as well as an understanding of what makes his eye so unique. His charm, coupled with his knowledge of the gorgeous objects and antiques he finds are sure to have our audience salivating for more,” said Sundance Channel GM Laura Michalchyshyn. “We are also thrilled to be working with World of Wonder again; it is always a great collaborative process resulting in good work!” In each location, be it China, Argentina, South Africa, Brazil, France, England, India, or Scandinavia, Johnson hits the ground running with a different team of local experts and artists who help him acquire and re-imagine a new life for the eclectic objects he finds. Working against the clock and driven by his own competitive spirit, he is inexhaustible in his search for uncommon design. This series is also distinguished by Johnson’s appreciation of the creative process: each episode will showcase exquisite and delightful objects as well as the artists and process behind the work. I’m pretty excited for this show which premieres sometime in 2009. Now to find out if I have the Sundance Channel…