Open invitation to makers and designers to pitch product to West Elm shopkeepers for consideration in LOCAL assortment
As part of its commitment to celebrate local craft and forge strong
relationships in its communities, home furnishings retailer West Elm
invites makers and designers to submit their work for the company’s
first ever LOCAL Showcase. This event provides a forum for makers to
share their stories and present their products to their local West Elm
store. Makers and designers can submit product proposals now through
June 12 via westelmLOCALshowcase.eventbrite.com.
All of West Elm’s 70+ North American stores, including Puerto Rico, will
host a LOCAL Showcase.
“Our LOCAL Showcase provides a wonderful opportunity for us to meet
talented makers and craftspeople in each of the communities we call
home,” said Mo Mullen, Director of West Elm LOCAL. “We are excited about
partnering with them and sharing their unique works with our West Elm
customers.”
Each shopkeeper will evaluate online submissions to determine the makers
and designers invited to participate in their store’s LOCAL Showcase
later this month. Ultimately, each store will select the products added
to their LOCAL assortments and future pop-up events. Products will be
considered in nine categories: Giftable, Home Textiles, Kitchen Goods,
Garden, Personal Care, Personal Items, Furniture, Decor, and Food. In
addition to the product being offered, the maker and his or her story
will also be factored in the evaluation process.
“Since we introduced LOCAL two years ago, we have seen an overwhelmingly
positive response from the communities where our West Elm stores are
located,” said Jim Brett, President of West Elm. “We are thrilled to
offer our customers hand-picked, crafted products made by artists in
their shops and studios and our store associates revel in connecting
both audiences.”
The LOCAL Showcase event is the next step in West Elm’s “Communities
Across America” campaign, which launched westelm.com/LOCAL,
a digital experience that both connects customers with local makers and
designers, and supports makers with a focused advice series called the
“Makers Tool Kit.” Launched in 2013, West Elm LOCAL is now in all 70+
North American stores and features over 4,500 products from 500 makers
and designers across the U.S.
Local makers who want to be considered for the LOCAL Showcase are
encouraged to submit their work at westelmLOCALshowcase.eventbrite.com
by Sunday, June 12.
About West Elm
West Elm helps customers express their personal style at home.
Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the brand opened its first store in 2003
in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still proudly calls home. Everything West
Elm does is designed to make an impact, from its commitment to Fair
Trade Certified, local and handcrafted products to its community-driven
in-store events and collaborations. Mixing clean lines, natural
materials and handcrafted collections from the US and around the world,
West Elm creates unique, affordable designs for modern living. The brand
operates 87 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada and
the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world and operates
stores in Mexico, the Middle East and Philippines through unaffiliated
franchisees. West
Elm is part of an active community on Facebook, Instagram,
Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube,
and is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.
