Overview
Free People is an American bohemian apparel and lifestyle retail company that sells women’s clothing, accessories, shoes, intimates, and swimwear. It also has a beauty and wellness category, which includes products such as cosmetics, skin, and oral care, oral supplements, crystals, and books. Their headquarters is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Free People is a part of Urban Outfitters, Inc., along with Anthropologie, BHLDN, Terrain, and the Vetri family restaurant group.
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 freestanding retail locations in the U.S. and Canada.
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 its 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 then wife, Meg, oversaw the development of Urban Outfitters’ private label division, which supported product exclusive to Urban Outfitters. This proved to be quite successful; by 1984, the wholesale line "Free People" was back in action.
In the fall of 2002, the first Free People Boutique opened in Paramus, New Jersey. Since the first boutique opened, there are now boutiques all over the United States, Canada and. Free People developed an app which allows users to shop and to upload their own looks and pictures wearing Free People clothing and products.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).