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IN THE HUNT: Inspiration first struck producer Fenton Bailey walking past an Anthropologie store with his producing partner; the two casually remarked what a great basis it would make for a television show. The very next day, Bailey read a piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer about Keith Johnson, the globetrotting buyer at large for the stores, and he knew he had his concept.
The result was “Man Shops Globe,” an eight-episode series premiering on the Sundance Channel on Oct. 7, following Johnson’s eye at flea markets and artisans in France, Turkey and South Africa, among others. At a launch party at Anthropologie’s Rockefeller Plaza store Tuesday night, Glen Senk, chief executive officer of the retailer’s parent, Urban Outfitters Inc., said getting there meant getting assurances the project wouldn’t undermine the brand’s integrity. “We had been contacted many times,” he said, “but we had an instant connection with the team,” including director Jeremy Simmons. Senk described Johnson, who is also his longtime companion, as “shy — not a reality TV person. It was insightful for them to see what the show could be.”
Said Johnson, “I’ve been doing this for so long, it actually gave me a little bit more energy. I saw the world through Jeremy’s eyes.”
“Man Shops Globe” has already been picked up for another season, which begins filming shortly.
— Irin Carmon
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