To give you an idea of the kind of customer LVMH is
after, all you need to look at is Louis Vuitton's new
$2,900 Android Wear smartwatch. The French
company, which owns brands like Dior, Fendi,
Givenchy and Prada in addition to LV, is the epitome
of luxury. And now, with 24 Sèvres, LVMH has what it
hopes can become the main online destination for
high-fashion shoppers. CEO Eric Goguey says the site is
designed to be the web version of Le Bon Marché, an
iconic retail space described as "the most selective
department store" in Paris.
The main idea, he says, is to offer an experience that
feels seamless and exclusive. There's even personal
shoppers who will video-chat with customers and
guide them through their purchases. Contrary
to rumors, 24 Sèvres won't just sell products from LVMH-
owned brands, of which there are 70. People will also
find clothes, footwear and leather goods (bags,
backpacks, etc.) from outside designers such as
Balenciaga, Gucci, Balmain and Stella McCartney.
Others like Nike and Adidas will have a presence on
the site as well, but their products won't be general
releases -- think limited-edition Cortez shoes, Kanye
West's Yeezy collections and more.
Naturall y, 24 Sèvres also created an iOS app to
complement the desktop experience. A Facebook
Messenger Style Bot, meanwhile, is intended to help
customers with recommendations and style guidance -
- because what the world needs is fewer human
customer service agents. "The ultimate goal is to
provide e-commerce as it hasn't been until now, and
ensure that it continues to be delivered with a personal
touch," says Goguey. "Technology should always be at
the service of the human, rather than the other way
around. In this vein, we are creating a store for the
digital age with a truly luxury experience.“
The arrival of 24 Sèvres comes less than a year after
LVMH's Chief Operating Officer, Jean-Jacques Guiony,
said "there is no way" it could sell any of its products on
Amazon, the ecommerce giant that's been trying
to push its way into the world of fashion. "We believe
the business of Amazon does not fit with LVMH, full
stop, and it does not fit with our brands," he said to
investors during the company's earnings call last
October.
The World Of High
Fashion Finally Has It’s
Answer To Amazon
With A New App!
While 24 Sèvres isn't a direct clone of
Amazon, nor is it supposed to be, it
shows that LVMH is serious about
keeping its products away from Jeff
Bezos' platform. Nike had taken a similar
approach up until a few weeks ago,
when it finally caved and announced
that it would start selling some of its
goods directly on Amazon.