An industry moving online

Customers are deserting the high streets in favour of their digital equivalents, increasingly seeing the advantages of replenishing their wardrobes online, says Emma Holmqvist

 
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The definition of retail therapy is shifting, and cramped, starkly lit fitting rooms are no longer a necessary evil of the shopping process. The rescuing force is the online shop; or, as it’s popularly referred to in the industry, the e-tailer. They are becoming quite the phenomenon – some of the most successful e-commerce contenders have seen profits rocket in the past few years, defying the downward trend that is plaguing the retail sector on the whole. Asos, the UK-based e-commerce maverick, reported an increase of 41 percent in 2010, which makes the prospect of the company reaching its £1bn target by 2015 highly attainable.

While the online shopping trend was initially embraced by women, a rising number of men are discovering the charms of replenishing their wardrobes the digital way. Several e-concepts catering to the mouse-wielding man have launched in recent years, some of which are more worthwhile than others. Mr Porter and Tres Bien Shop are both considered so influential that they are mentioned in the same breath as physical cult stores such as Collette and Dover Street Market.

Launched in 2010 as the male equivalent of eminent e-tailer Net-A-Porter, Mr Porter serves up high-end brands such as Lanvin, Brioni, Jil Sander, Etro, Bottega Veneta and Paul Smith, while some 135 additional names extend the line-up further. But the merchandise on offer is not the sole defining characteristic of Mr Porter; the site functions as a one-stop style portal, complete with regularly updated editorial content and style advice. Creative and forward-thinking, yet grounded and classic, the site format very much mimics that of the wares available. And therein lies a clue – Mr Porter’s sensibility is practically inclined and although the fashion quotient is high, it caters to men with some disposable income and a keen eye for style, rather than ardent trend mavens.

Another name whose discerning clientele is growing steadily is the Swedish-based but internationally operating Très Bien Shop. It typically attracts an achingly cool and slightly younger customer-base that descends on the site to snap up pieces by emerging labels and established cult names such as Comme des Garcons, Maison Martin Margiela, Gloverall, Adam Kimmel and Acne.

More than a digital force, Très Bien Shop started in 2003 as a small physical store in Malmo, and a number of additional shops have sprung up across the country. Yet 90 percent of the retailer’s sales are generated via the web shop, which goes to indicate the power of the e-tailer.

Let the best e-tailer win
The competition is as pronounced in the virtual world as it is on the high street, and e-tailers are taking great care to pinpoint a distinctive niche for themselves so as not to get lost in the digital shopping jungle. “In order to make a mark as a web shop, it’s crucial to establish and push distinctive concepts, and always remain true to the core consumer. Just like in a physical store, the formula has to be tight and carefully edited so that it doesn’t appear diluted,” says Hannes Hogeman, co-founder and owner of Très Bien Shop.
Keeping customers entertained is another survival tip courtesy of Hogeman. “Très Bien Shop’s web store is quite interactive and we strive to update the editorial contents regularly by means of introducing the latest arrivals and running interviews with tastemakers and designers. Some of our customers visit the site daily so we mustn’t let the site become stagnant.”

Multi-brand e-tailers are not alone in the web retail universe. Having clued up to the fact that online shopping is the way forward, most brands now operate online stores.  A pioneer within the digital sphere is British heritage brand Burberry, and the store’s maverick ways have resulted in a string of innovative concepts, one of the most revolutionary being the live streaming of Burberry Prorsum’s catwalks shows, with the added bonus of allowing fans to place orders as soon as the last model has sashayed off the runway.

Heaving as it is now, the web store culture was not always considered a viable shopping vehicle. What set the movement in motion? The advance of Asos – which originally focused on celebrity-inspired outfits at everyday, affordable prices, but has now upped its fashion credibility considerably – has certainly been instrumental in changing consumers’ perception of online shopping, while Yoox has contributed a great deal to the area, too.

Net-A-Porter, meanwhile, is the name that managed to convince well-heeled women that purchasing a designer frock online could be just as rewarding as buying it in a glossy boutique. The concept, which was launched in 2000, gave consumers all over the world access to hundreds of designer brands, each order being delivered in beautifully wrapped parcels adorned with ribbons. Net-A-Porter saw profits soaring and inspired a host of copycats desperate to get a slice of the digital pie.

Godmother of online shopping
Often referred to as the godmother of digital luxury shopping, Natalie Massenet is the luminary behind Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter (as well as the designer clearance site, The Outnet). Leaving an editorial position at Tatler behind to set up her digital venture from the basement of her Chelsea flat, Massenet’s investment certainly paid off. After a decade at the head of the e-tailer, Massenet parted ways with her brainchild for an estimated £50m. The company’s new owner is Richemont – the Swiss luxury group which boasts Cartier and Montblanc on its roster of prestigious brands.

Due to the success of Net-A-Porter, Massenet has become an industry icon, and she is considered almost as influential a force as American Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Indeed, landing on the virtual shelves of Net-A-Porter could almost mean as much for an emerging designer as being featured in the ultimate fashion bible.

While the benefits of shopping online are obvious to both consumers and brands, the format is not entirely devoid of drawbacks. The lack of a fitting room is undoubtedly a problem. Coming to the rescue, the shape-shifting Fits.me robotic mannequin was launched in 2010 – a high-tech innovation allowing consumers to see the fit of garments on their particular body shape, as opposed to generic sizes. By entering a few measurements into the Fits.me model, customers can visualise how different sizes of garments compliment their unique shape.

Fits.me has already collected information from well over 100,000 male end-users, and the data confirms what many intrinsically observe; over half of the customers chose a size that is different than the traditional size chart would recommend,” says Dr. Maarja Kruusmaa, professor of biorobotics at Tallinn Technical University and co-developer of the Fits.me technology.

The Fits.me mannequin has already been incorporated into a number of web shops and demand is on the up. There are no excuses not to embrace online shopping, it seems. Mouse at the ready.