By Adam Vossen
Your online shopping is no longer limited to J.Crew or checking the Barney's markdowns while at work. Dolce & Gabbana launched its e-commerce site today, making its collection directly available to shoppers everywhere, which will cut down on some of the distribution costs that go along with buying from places like Saks or Neiman Marcus.
The Dolce & Gabbana launch accompanies its beefed up website as the brand hopes to make more of an imprint in the online space. The label seems to be on the same wavelength as Balenciaga, who will also launch an e-commerce site to sell its complete collection, slated to go live later this week.
Although brands of this caliber shied away from an online presence for so long to preserve the exclusivity inherent in luxury goods, Dolce & Gabbana and Balenciaga join other high-profile lines like Alexander Wang, The Row and Proenza Schouler who have recently embraced e-commerce.
Proenza Schouler's selection of online products includes a variety of leather goods (including the gotta-have-it PS1), but only a couple Ready-to-Wear pieces and jewels are available so far. Alexander Wang offers almost the entirety of his collection via his site, as does Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's The Row.
Perhaps designers are realizing that with sites like Moda Operandi and Gilt Groupe doing so well, there is plenty of money to be made via online sales without losing the glossy allure their brands hold. Now if only Miuccia Prada and Karl Lagerfeld would get on the bandwagon. Just imagine: the banana skirt or a 2.55 bag, just a click away.