Chanel Joins Forces With E-Tail Platform Farfetch
The French luxury maison gears up to push its digital services for an even better boutique experience
Chanel has teamed up with online fashion retail platform Farfetch through an innovation partnership that will see the label bolster its digital services to cater to its tech-savvy, millennial consumers. This isn’t a commercial deal and won’t see the brand selling its products on the website, as clarified by Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion at Chanel, but is one that stresses upon enriching the customer’s overall boutique experience.
From left: Jose Neves, founder and CEO of Farfetch with Bruno Pavlovsky, President of fashion at Chanel. Photograph by Olivier Saillant
The French luxury maison will work with Farfetch to bring forth new digital initiatives such as those that will facilitate clients before and after they visit Chanel stores. These may include the launch of a smartphone application that will let consumers flag their preferences and sizes ahead of the visit, with store assistants being able to better address their requirements and creating a personalised in-store experience.
Exclusive innovation partnership signed by CHANEL and Farfetch to create an augmented retail experience in CHANEL's boutiques bringing together CHANEL’s expertise in luxury retailing and its impeccable client service with Farfetch’s expertise in digital innovation and technology. pic.twitter.com/6HITDW8ofb
— CHANEL (@CHANEL) February 19, 2018
As opposed to other luxury brands that are leaning towards boosting online sales, Chanel announced in a tweet that this partnership is simply meant to “create an augmented retail experience in Chanel’s boutiques.” The tweet went on to say that this initiative will bring together Chanel’s expertise in luxury retailing and client service, and Farfetch’s digital knowhow.
Farfetch also took to Twitter, quoting its founder and CEO Jose Neves as saying, “We’re hoping to change the shape of retail, and improve a customer experience which is currently stuck in the nineties.”
“We’re hoping to change the shape of retail, and improve a customer experience which is currently stuck in the nineties.” – @Farfetch_jose @CHANEL https://t.co/oKkUgyjsut
— Farfetch (@farfetch) February 19, 2018
Known for its classy tweed suits and for popularising the little black dress, Chanel has a longstanding bricks-and-mortar presence with a global client base that’s sure to relish this new online service.