Spring Fair: Anthropologie buying director outlines relevance, restraint and customer connection

At this year’s ongoing Spring Fair in Birmingham, UK, visitors gathered at The Style Atelier to hear how one of fashion retail’s most distinctive chains defines relevance in the current landscape. In conversation with fashion commentator Caryn Franklin, Gill McCulloch, buying director at Anthropologie Europe, set out how the brand balances instinct, data and emotional connection in a shifting retail market.

McCulloch described Anthropologie as a retailer willing to move against the grain. “Anthropologie is bold. We make bold decisions, if others are going small, we go big,” she said, adding that buyers are encouraged to push boundaries within a highly collaborative setup across finance, creative and merchandising teams.

Customer insight remains core to buying decisions. McCulloch underlined the importance of direct observation alongside digital feedback. “There’s nothing more important than going into the store environment, [seeing] how the customer is interacting with the store, with the product and with each other,” she said, pointing to the brand’s multigenerational customer base and its emotionally driven shopping approach, from gifting to weddings and first homes.

Trend engagement, McCulloch explained, is selective rather than reactive. While categories such as beauty allow for faster responses to viral moments, longer-lead areas like furniture are driven by quality and longevity. “We choose trends that sit with our aesthetic and identity, not chase trends for the sake of it,” she explained.

Buyers at Anthropologie are given a high level of autonomy, supported by experience across different levels of the team. McCulloch highlighted the role of instinct developed over time, while noting that fresh perspectives from younger team members are actively encouraged, including sourcing trend insights from social platforms like TikTok.

She also addressed the challenges of modern buying, including managing unpredictable demand driven by social media and ensuring sufficient breadth across categories. Using the brand’s home textiles business as an example, McCulloch explained how slower adjustment, guided by customer feedback rather than swift pivots, ultimately led to improved performance.

In conclusion, McCulloch offered advice for aspiring buyers. “Curiosity, resilience and good old-fashioned hard work,” she said, noting that relevance in retail is built not just at the point of purchase, but through lasting emotional value for the customer.