Market Market: Pop Up Tastemakers
James Anthony looks out over the line of vendors selling handmade and curated goods that have set up shop at ROW DTLA. Anthony is the founder of East + West Experiential Markets, which gathers creative makers of clothing, ceramics, candles, bath goods, footwear—as well as vintage resellers—together at pop up maker’s markets found across the United States.
Anthony is quick to laugh, friendly and warm, and his personality is reflected in Market Market, his newest project, which is now running every other Saturday at the ROW.
In 2014, he created his first maker’s market in Phoenicia, New York, a quaint little town in the Catskills that had been re-discovered by young hipsters and artists. “I noticed that there was a return to the desire for things that were homemade. The term ‘maker’ was starting to be used to describe the movement,” Anthony explains. “I find that it’s the curious who are interested in buying things that are meaningful, that are handmade and sustainable and will last a lifetime,” says James. “And part of our manifesto is that if we are going to survive as a human race, we need to need to move away from disposable living.”
After the success of the first market, he and his team began moving west across the country, putting together pop up markets in different regions and areas across the United States. Market Market cements him in one of Los Angeles’ creative hubs, the Arts District. Previously, he has brought markets to Palm Springs and the Nomad Hotel on 7th Street, but when the ROW reached out to him asking for a complementary experience to balance out Sunday’s popular Smorgasburg event, James jumped at the opportunity.
“I grew up in LA,” says Anthony, “so this brings me back here. It’s amazing to see what has happened Downtown—all these beautiful buildings that have been given a new life.” There’s a playfulness to the vendors that James and his team select. He prides himself on his curation, following his lifelong motto of surrounding himself with smart, talented people.
The majority of vendors are the artists themselves, such as Paul Lowe Ceramics, which crafts stunning, handcrafted ceramic bowls, utensils and pots with a beautiful design. The crafts deliberately are dappled, showcasing Lowe’s fingerprints all over the items.
Over at the Hazumomo clothing company stall Paulo Manaid sells from his Natibo Atbp line, which sources hand-woven prints from Philipino tribes that are then sewn into shirts, sweaters, bags and jackets. You’ll also find Brayden LeBlanc and Sean Smith, two cotton candy artists who go by The Puffs, crafting massive cotton candy shapes and colors, honoring the LGBT community.
“We asked ourselves, ‘What’s the gayest thing we can make?’” jokes LeBlanc, “and we came up with various designs of cotton candy.” “It adds fun and levity to the whole thing,” says Smith, “and 10% of our proceeds go to LGBT charities.”Market Market is a lovely place to shop for quality, tasteful and distinctive clothing, homegoods and self-care items. It gives downtowners an opportunity to support artists directly and to be a part of the social fabric of our beloved neighborhood.
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Written by Abel Horwitz | Photography by Rebekah Lemire
