Chanel has teamed up with Farfetch to develop new digital initiatives, the famously techno-cautious brand announced last week. Chanel has stopped short of selling its items on Farfetch, but the collaboration nevertheless brings the luxury brand much closer to one of Farfetch’s major shareholders, JD.com and its luxury e-commerce platform, Toplife.
While other luxury brands are eagerly rushing into e-commerce, especially in China, Chanel has thus far remained hesitant. Back in November, Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion at Chanel, told Chinese media that Chanel would not be selling online or hiring any Chinese KOLs.
“This [Chanel-Farfetch] deal is about accelerating and enriching the experience of the client before and after their visit to the boutique,” Pavlovsky told The Financial Times last week. Their goal is to court tech-savvy, millennials with a branded app that creates a more personalized in-store experience.
