MARY KATRANTZOU launches her debut e-commerce site tomorrow - baby steps towards her first flagship store.
"E-commerce is an exercise in learning about your customers and preparing for your first standalone shop," she told us. "For that reason, the customer service had to be right and it had to be engaging, so we took our time with it. I also wanted it to feel bespoke and personal. We've had a strong online platform from the beginning with our social media channels, but the website will be a place where we can collect data about our customers and interact with them using one platform."
A digital campaign, masterminded by Ferdinando Verderi, is already in full swing on Marykatrantzou.com - a living countdown in order to build anticipation. The website has been in the pipeline for the past year, as soon as Katrantzou realised that had both the resources and time to develop an online platform exactly in the way she wanted. Web developers King and Partners were hired to help create the site's aesthetic.
"As with anything that takes over a year to make, the concept evolved," said Katrantzou. "We had so many ideas that were narrowed down. I wanted it to be visually precise and minimal, but not clinical - it has more of a gallery feel to it."
Highlights include an exclusive, limited-edition range taken from the label's debut resort collection and a section called Mary's World, which details the brand's latest news and events and offers a live feed from its social media channels. The launch is the first stage of the company's expansion - developing its accessories is next on the agenda, and a standalone store is also on the distant horizon. Her first foray for shoes - a collaboration with Gianvito Rossi - lands in stores in February-March.
"We'll open a shop as soon as we can, but I'm aware that customers want something for all seasons, and that these things take time," she said. "At the moment, we're trying to build an infrastructure to launch bags. It'll be a small, inclusive range, but it has to be desirable and I'm a perfectionist, so it won't happen quickly!"
Over the past 12 months, luxury conglomerates such as Kering and LVMH have looked to London's crop of designers to invest in - with stakes having been bought in Nicholas Kirkwood, JW Anderson and Christopher Kane. Is Katrantzou hoping for a similar deal?
"We would be open to it, but it would have to be the right partner and right time. Ideally, it would be very strategic and a way of helping the company grow. It's a great way of speeding up expansion. I can't say anymore," she laughed.
No comments:
Post a Comment