Garden designer Sean A Pritchard is bringing his floral world to London with The Atmosfloric Emporium, an immersive boutique opening on Great Portland Street in Marylebone Village on November 11, just in time for Christmas. The pop-up, which runs until December 24, blends design, art, fashion, beauty and horticulture.
A Celebration of Colour and Craft
Pritchard, who has 171,000 Instagram followers and is based in Somerset, describes the emporium as “a celebration of colour, shape, pattern and texture, and we hope that people come and take part in the conversation of what that means.” The shop features a striking vermillion front, a bespoke colour developed with interior designer Rachel Chudley, with yellow drapery inside showcasing handmade objects and curios.
Every item has been hand-picked by Pritchard, including brands not usually available through traditional retail, such as Provence-based basket specialist Atelier Vime. The lineup emphasises craft, with jewellery-makers and metalworkers (House of Aquila, Alison Layton, Heath Wagoner), hand-blown glassware (Gather, Vanderohe), ceramicists (Joseph Dupré) and artists (Casey Moore, Lottie Pratt). There is also Atmosfloric merchandise, including a branded tote bag in vermilion, and exclusive collaborations.
Inspiration from London and Paris
Pritchard teamed up with German-based Marolin Manufaktur, one of the last producers of transitional glass baubles, to create tree ornaments shaped like daffodils and snowdrops. “What I love about shopping is the aspect of discovery,” he says. The 40-year-old, who grew up in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, recalls being mesmerised by the windows of Liberty and Selfridges as a child. More recently, Parisian retail, including the indie bookshop OFR in the Marais and the now-shuttered concept store Colette, has inspired him.
The shop’s location on Great Portland Street, dubbed “motor row” in the 1930s and 1940s for its car showrooms, also feeds into the emporium. “I find the idea really inspiring that it gave birth to something so new and innovative. I’m trying to do the same thing 100 years later but with something else,” says Pritchard, who worked in magazine publishing strategy before retraining as a garden designer in 2020.
Events and Workshops
The emporium will also host talks and workshops in a dedicated gallery space. Jessica Light, London’s last passementerie weaver, will lead a session on tassel-making, and Charlotte Hepworth will teach the art of paper flowers. Pritchard’s own workshop on making a floral centrepiece is also planned. “The main hope is that it adds to people’s experience of Christmas and makes them feel inspired and happy at this time of year,” he says. The Atmosfloric Emporium is open from November 11 to December 24 at 122 Great Portland Street, W1.
