• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, September 19, 2024

Photo credit: Dane Tashima for Anthropologie

Anthropologie has opened Holiday House, an immersive retail experience on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Members of the retailer’s loyalty program can make appointments online for the five-day event and then explore the brand’s gifts and décor using interactive QR codes and human stylists.

The fully shoppable experience is open to members of its loyalty program. It builds on insights from last year when it partnered with Pinterest for a shoppable holiday house in Brooklyn Heights.

"This holiday season, we are thrilled to expand our holiday house experience, presenting it on a larger scale than ever before," says Elizabeth Preis, global chief marketing officer at Anthropologie Group, in the announcement. "This year's showhouse boasts more spaces, an expanded product range, and enhanced design elements. Our goal is to inspire and delight our customers through a variety of seasonal settings that showcase our incomparable creativity to create unforgettable experiences."

Available products are from Anthropologie, including furniture, and Terrain, a home and garden company offering faux trees, garland and trimming. All featured products are also available online.

Anthropologie, owned by Urban Outfitters, has more than 200 stores.

While the brand has been a strong performer, with sales up 8.4% in the most recent quarterly results, the parent company is wrestling with strategic issues –sales sank 11.4% in the Urban Outfitters banner. The company has multiple changes in the works, but observers are still somewhat skeptical, even as sales at Anthropologie and Free People drive the company’s momentum.

“Management's new strategic initiatives to drive growth at Urban Outfitters include a broader view of the target customer,” including age and lifestyle, writes Mark Altschwager, an analyst who follows the company for Baird. He continues to rate the company as neutral. “New marketing tactics, an evolved product offering (increasing opening price points, adding athleisure) and ambitious plans to better appeal to Gen-Z consumers seemingly represent a significant shift in positioning,” he notes. “This will take time to execute.”