Gadgets, Groceries And… Designer Gowns: Your Amazon Basket Is About To Look Very Different

Given that almost nine in every 10 people in Britain shop at Amazon, chances are you’ve stocked up on books at short notice before a summer getaway, ordered the ubiquitous Alexa, or filled your fridge from Amazon Fresh. But clothes? The limited, somewhat confused selection of items (think: functional walking sandals and liberally embellished belts) that previously made up its fashion offering suggests not. From today, that could all change.

The online giant has today announced the expansion of its Luxury Stores shopping experience – which has been available to customers in the US since September 2020 – to Europe. Now customers in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain will be able to shop ready-to-wear collections from brands like Christopher Kane, Dundas, Elie Saab and Altuzarra via Amazon. The new addition to the e-tailer’s European offering has launched with a splashy campaign shot by Angelo Pennetta, featuring rising model Precious Lee and ’90s super Kristen McMenamy, and according to Ruth Diaz, VP of Amazon Fashion Europe, the roster of brands confirmed thus far is just the beginning.

“Having world class luxury designers, such as Christopher Kane and Elie Saab, trust us with their brands and their creations is such great news for Amazon and for our customers,” says Diaz, who adds that more labels – both established and emerging – will be joining Luxury Stores at Amazon in the seasons to come.

Collections are sold directly from the brands and designers, and decisions around inventory, selection and pricing are left up to the brand, says Amazon. Its tools and technology also allow brands to create personalised content, in order to bring their unique voice and identity to their Amazon presence. “Brands within Luxury Stores at Amazon are able to speak authentically about their collections to our customers, empowering customers to define luxury for themselves,” is how Xavier Flamand, VP of Amazon seller services, puts it. Shoppers will also be able to browse Mira Mikati, Rianna+Nina, Boglioli, Jonathan Cohen on Luxury Stores.

There has been much talk of the shift towards a “hyperphysical” approach to entice consumers back to retail (examples include Jacquemus’s playful bathroom-inspired pop-up at Selfridges, or the touchable pink faux fur backdrop Balenciaga created to display its Le Cagole in London). But Amazon is banking on the speed and convenience of its service which, when added to the line-up of established fashion brands, will prove to be an irresistible combination.