Luxury online fashion marketplace and technology platform Farfetch sells products from over 700 designer global boutiques and brands. Founded in 2007 by Portuguese entrepreneur José Neves with headquarters in London, the platform has grown to operate offices in 11 cities and offer mobile apps and dedicated websites in 10 languages. It employs over 3,000 staff. Farfetch has established itself as a technological powerhouse. In 2017, it launched a beta version of its augmented retail store in two locations, partnering with Browns in London and Thom Browne in New York. The store features RFID-enabled racks to populate an online wish list, digital mirrors and facial recognition to create a single view of the customer. Farfetch differentiates itself from rivals Yoox Net-a-Porter and Matchesfashion by positioning itself as a technology company rather than a retailer, as it does not hold any of its own stock. Instead, Farfetch connects bricks-and-mortar stores with little online presence to global customers, leveraging its technology to help day-to-day operations.
Luxury fashion marketplace and tech platform Farfetch has launched a rebrand that sees it highlight the global reach of its boutique brands.
With the threat of Amazon looming over most in the sector, some retailers are doing away with long-standing rivalries in order to take on the online Goliath. But how should retailers decide when to compete and when to collaborate?
Sipping a ’deconstructed’ cup of tea in a trendy café in Shoreditch, Browns chief executive and owner Farfetch’s chief brand officer Holli Rogers reminisces about the day Farfetch founder Jose Neves offered her the role – and some resistance that accompanied his plans.
Farfetch is among 24 companies to sign an agreement to work towards a shared goal on the environment launched by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The second-hand clothing market is booming. Retail Week looks at how some retailers are already taking advantage of this growing trend and why it’s important to get on board.
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