Experiences to launch in five cities and go on sale March 13 on WestElm.com
Home furnishings retailer West Elm announced today the launch of West
Elm LOCAL Experiences, expanding the company’s commitment to investing
in creative communities and local economies. West Elm LOCAL Experiences
allows customers to engage with artists and makers through unique
experiences and come away with a new skill or knowledge that reflects
local culture and craft. The program builds upon the success of West Elm
LOCAL launched in 2013, which provides more than 1,000 makers,
designers, and artists an opportunity to sell their work at West Elm
stores in their community. West Elm LOCAL products are found at more
than 100 West Elm stores, showcasing 8,000+ products as well as a
limited assortment of the ‘Best of LOCAL’ available on WestElm.com/LOCAL.
“The success of our West Elm LOCAL program, coupled with our customers’
interest in engaging experiences, inspired us to further invest in
creative entrepreneurs and local communities,” said Mo Mullen, Vice
President of Business Development at West Elm. “We are adding a new
depth to the program by offering authentic, curated experiences with our
artisan partners that match their talents with our customers’
affinities. These interactive opportunities offer a personal, human
connection to a destination city or hometown delivered through the
creative lens of a local artist.”
Starting March 13, customers can purchase a West Elm LOCAL Experience
with one of five LOCAL makers in select markets including Austin,
Brooklyn, Charleston, Detroit and Savannah on WestElm.com. Costs per
session start at $130 and sessions are scheduled to run in each market
from April through May 2018. The experiences range from a metalworking
workshop with a master welder in Austin to an indigo dyeing workshop in
a Brooklyn artist’s studio. LOCAL Experiences include:
-
Art
Welding with Jack Sanders at his metal work studio with campfire
happy hour and live music in Austin, TX
-
Natural
Indigo Dyeing with Shira Entis conducting an intimate natural
fiber indigo dyeing workshop in the artist’s Brooklyn, NY studio
-
Draw
Charleston with Raven Roxanne and join an artist-led sketch
session and hidden gems walk in historic Charleston, SC
-
Cutting
+ Tasting Trays with Andre Sandifer + Abir Ali hosted at a fire
station turned furniture design studio in Detroit, MI
-
Punch
Needle Textiles with Pamela Wiley during a workshop to create a
hand-tufted textile composition in Savannah, GA
In celebration of the launch of West Elm LOCAL Experiences, West Elm, in
partnership with LOCAL artist Raven Roxanne and AFAR Magazine, will give
away an art and design-inspired weekend getaway to Charleston. The
winner will receive two nights at the elegant Zero George Hotel, flight
vouchers, a private city tour and products by Raven Roxanne, plus a
two-year subscription to AFAR Travel Magazine in addition to a West Elm
gift card. Beginning March 15, enter the sweepstakes by visiting: www.WestElm.com/LOCALexperiences.
The launch of the West Elm LOCAL Experiences program coincides with the
Summer catalog arriving in customer mailboxes on March 20. For more
information about West Elm LOCAL Experiences, visit www.WestElm.com/LOCAL.
About West Elm
Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first
store in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still proudly calls home. With a
mission of harnessing the power of design and human connection to enrich
lives, everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact in
everyday life, from creating unique, affordable designs for modern
living and commitment to Fair Trade Certified, from LOCAL and
handcrafted products to community-driven collaborations and events. The
brand operates more than 100 retail stores as well as e-commerce
websites in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK, ships
internationally to customers around the world, and has unaffiliated
franchisees that operate stores in Mexico, Middle East, Philippines and
South Korea. In addition to home furnishings retail, West Elm operates West
Elm Workspace in the commercial furnishings industry and announced
its expansion into the travel and hospitality industry with the launch
of West
Elm Hotels. West
Elm publishes the blog Front+Main
and is part of an active community on Facebook,
Instagram,
Pinterest,
Twitter
and YouTube.
West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) portfolio
of brands.
