Free People

Free People
Subsidiary
Industry Retail
Founded  1984 (1984-MM)
Founder Dick Hayne
Products Apparel, Accessories, Shoes, Intimates, Swimwear
Services Apparel & Fashion
Parent Urban Outfitters
Website www.freepeople.com

Free People is an American bohemian apparel and lifestyle retail company that sells women’s clothing, accessories, shoes, intimates, and swimwear. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Free People is a part of Urban Outfitters, Inc.. Today Free People sells their line in 1,400 specialty stores worldwide. The brand is distributed globally via direct channels, including the Free People Global site and Free People UK site, as well as specialty clothing boutiques, department stores, and the brand’s free standing retail locations in the U.S. and Canada.[1]

History

In the early 1970s, Richard Hayne opened a store in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his first wife, Judy Wicks, and named it Free People. His store attracted the young people who lived and shopped in the area. When his store’s popularity grew, he opened a second store and he changed its name from Free People to Urban Outfitters. Urban Outfitters’ business began to grow rapidly. Dick’s wife, Meg, oversaw the development of Urban Outfitters’ private label division, which supported product exclusive to Urban Outfitters. This proved to be quite successful, in 1984 the wholesale line "Free People" was back in action.[2] In the fall of 2002, the first Free People Boutique opened in Paramus, New Jersey. Since the first boutique opened in Paramus, New Jersey, there are now boutiques all over the United States as well as Canada.[3] Free People developed an app which allows users to shop and to upload their own looks and pictures wearing Free People clothing and products.

In 2006, "Free People" partnered with Edward Mullen Studio to design an e-commerce strategy. "Free People" is a constantly changing and evolving brand. Their goal is to promote creativity, travel, and neat style.[4]

Along with serving as URBN’s chief creative officer, Margaret Hayne is also currently chief executive of Free People.[5] Its first brick-and-mortar store opened in Paramus, New Jersey in 2002.[6]

In the first six months of 2013, sales topped $180 million, an increase over the $135 million in 2012; the company's use of big data and social commerce were factors in its sales growth.[7]

In 2014 Free People China website was launched.

Boutiques and showrooms

Free People has a total of 124 boutiques across the United States and Canada.[8]

Free People operates four wholesale showrooms located in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and the United Kingdom. There are shows every month.[9]

Partnerships

On May 24, 2016 Free People partnered with Girls Inc., this partnership has developed the brand more. It is a charity-driven social campaign. The campaign supports over 140,000 innovative, confident, strong, and smart girls across the U.S. and Canada to succeed. Free People contributes by sending several women each month that they think best spread Girls Inc. across their social media channels, by giving a donation and sending them Free People apparel. Free People gives away cloth bags, whenever someone re-uses or does not accept the cloth bag at check out Free People donates .25 cents to Girls Inc.[10]

Free People partnered with The Chalkboard Mag for their Worldwide FP Let's Move event tour. In January 2017, Free People announced their third annual event tour.[11]

Free People partnered with WebLinc when creating their multichannel app. The app has been downloaded an estimated 130,000 times.[12]

Controversies

In April 2016, the company was criticized for the advertisements of their new clothing line directed towards music festival attendees. The advertisements promoted Native American styled clothing on a Caucasian model, which garnered criticism on social media.[13][14][15][16]

In May 2015, the company was criticized online by professional ballet dancers for using an untrained dancer in an ad.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Official site
  2. ↑ "Our Story". URBN. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  3. ↑ "Help & info: Our Story - Free People Clothing Boutique". Free People Clothing Boutique. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  4. ↑ "Free People | Ed Mullen | Strategy & Design". www.edmullen.com. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  5. ↑ LAUREN SHERMAN, Will Anthropologie Win Where Traditional Department Stores Have Failed? BoF, OCTOBER 11, 2016
  6. ↑ "Our Story". URBN. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  7. ↑ Dishman, Lydia. "How Free People Is Using Big Data And Social Commerce For Bigger Sales". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  8. ↑ "Free People Store". Free People Clothing Boutique. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  9. ↑ "About - Free People Wholesale". Free People Wholesale. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  10. ↑ "Free People Partners with Girls Inc.". URBN. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  11. ↑ "Free People Let's Move 2017". URBN. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  12. ↑ Dishman, Lydia. "How Free People Is Using Big Data And Social Commerce For Bigger Sales". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  13. ↑ "Free People festival line slammed for cultural appropriation". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  14. ↑ Rheana Murray, Free People accused of appropriating Native American culture with festival line TODAY April 11, 2016
  15. ↑ Refinery29 Free People’s Festival Shop Gets Called Out For Cultural Appropriation ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV, APRIL 8, 2016
  16. ↑ CARLY STERN, Free People accused of 'disgusting cultural appropriation' over its new Native American-inspired 'festival' collection, which is almost all modeled by a blonde, white woman dailymail.co.uk 8 April 2016
  17. ↑ Ciambriello, Roo. "Trained Dancers Are Completely Appalled by This Ballet Ad for Free People Clothing". adweek.com. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
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