LONDON, December 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Home furnishing retailer West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands (NYSE: WSM), is scheduled to open the company's first UK store in London on December 5, 2013. The 12,000 square foot store on Tottenham Court Road will feature furniture, textiles, accessories and gifts, as well as a West Elm Market shop-in-shop and coffee shop. The store will employ 30 full and part time sales associates.
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"The city of London has such vibrant communities centered around design and innovation. I couldn't think of a better location for our first West Elm store in Europe," said Jim Brett, President of West Elm. "We are confident the broad assortment, globally-inspired aesthetic and engaging in-store experience of West Elm will appeal to customers in the UK."
"We're excited to continue Williams-Sonoma, Inc.'s global expansion and announce the opening date of our first West Elm store in Europe," said Laura Alber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. "West Elm is our fastest growing brand, and has proven successful in markets around the world. We're looking forward to the response to our new store in the UK."
To mark the occasion, the London store will include a Local Gallery Wall featuring art from UK artists sourced through Etsy, the online marketplace for handmade or vintage items. The wall is curated by Will Taylor of the renowned blog Bright.Bazaar. Featuring a mix of colours, styles and subjects, art from Natalie Singh, Amyisla Illustration, Lola Donoghue, Eloise Renouf and James Brown will be available to buy framed and ready to hang.
In addition, West Elm has teamed up with UK artist Ben Treanor of Old English Company to create a unique West Elm London tote bag featuring his signature simple, bold, design conscious style. The tote bag will be free with a minimum purchase of £50 to the first 300 shoppers.
"Our customers are as passionate about supporting artists in their local communities as we are at West Elm," noted Brett. "We're excited to partner with local artists to celebrate our opening."
Since its launch in 2002 in Brooklyn, New York, West Elm has been helping people express their personal style at home. With a focus on making things that matter, the brand collaborates with independent artists and craft communities to create statement pieces and seasonal collections that make a positive impact on people and the environment. In addition, the brand is committed to offering a substantial assortment of handcrafted products. By cultivating a global community of collaborators, West Elm is able to put one-of-a-kind art and artisans into the spotlight and make unique pieces accessible to a larger audience.
In store, West Elm will offer a suite of helpful services at the Design Lab, a center of creativity and inspiration, where customers can partner on complimentary design consultations and space planning sessions. The store will also host workshops and classes, inviting the community to discover and create together.
On the West Elm blog, Front & Main, customers can find the latest collections, helpful design tips and tools, videos and information about current collaborations, as well as share photos of their homes, inspiring one another and discovering new ways to express their personal style.
About West Elm
Mixing clean lines, natural materials and handcrafted collections from the US and around the world, West Elm creates unique, affordable designs for modern living. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the brand introduced its first catalogue in 2002 and opened the doors of its first retail location in 2003. West Elm's complete collection of furniture and accessories for living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms can be found in 57 retail stores in the United States, Canada and Australia. The brand also offers international shipping to customers around the world and has an unaffiliated franchisee that operates stores in the Middle East. West Elm is part of an active community on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram and a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.
About Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a specialty retailer of high-quality products for the home. These products, representing eight distinct merchandise strategies - Williams-Sonoma (cookware and wedding registry), Pottery Barn (furniture and wedding registry), Pottery Barn Kids (kids' furniture and baby registry), PBteen (girls' bedding and boys' bedding), West Elm (modern furniture and room decor), Williams-Sonoma Home (luxury furniture and decorative accessories), Rejuvenation (lighting and hardware) and Mark and Graham (personalized gifts and gifts for the home) - are marketed through e-commerce websites, direct mail catalogs and 595 stores. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. currently operates in the United States, Canada and Australia, offers international shipping to customers worldwide, and has an unaffiliated franchisee that operates 27 stores in the Middle East.
West Elm London is located at 209 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7PN and can be reached at 0800-404-9780.
For more information please contact:
Sian Parry
Associate Director
Sian@nevillemccarthy.com
+44(0)20-7940-2900
Chloe Peart
Senior Account Executive
Chloe@nevillemccarthy.com
+44(0)20-7940-2900.
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