Burberry trial Square’s mobile payment processing technology, Chanel re-launches its flagship website and Labelux moves into the blogosphere
The Latest Digital: Labelux, Burberry & Chanel
Over the last decade, collaborations between luxury brands and contemporary artists have gone beyond mere artistic partnerships towards a new kind of luxury branding.
PARIS – Art and fashion have always developed side by side, for fashion, like art, often gives visual expression to the cultural zeitgeist. During the 1920s, Salvador Dalí created dresses for Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiapparelli. In the 1930s, Ferragamo’s shoes commissioned designs for advertisements from Futurist painter Lucio Venna, while Gianni Versace commissioned works from artists such as Alighiero Boetti and Roy Lichtenstein for the launch of his collections. Yves Saint Laurent’s vast art collection, recently auctioned at Christie’s in Paris, testified to his great love of art and revealed the influence of a variety of artists on his own designs.
In the 1980s, relationships between luxury brands and artists were advanced when Alain Dominique Perrin created the Fondation Cartier. In the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, a book marking the foundation’s 20th anniversary, Perrin says he makes “a connection between all the different sorts of arts, and luxury goods are a kind of art. Luxury goods are handicrafts of art, applied art.”
The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemparain building in Paris
Burberry trial Square’s mobile payment processing technology, Chanel re-launches its flagship website and Labelux moves into the blogosphere
Burberry trial Square’s mobile payment processing technology, Chanel re-launches its flagship website and Labelux moves into the blogosphere.
Though we have barely reached the end of January, much has already been said about the promise of mobile marketing in 2013. From QR codes to smartphone applications to m-commerce and mobile advertising, marketers are ready to spend as consumers increasingly rely on phones and tablets for purchasing and information.
As David Sadigh of Digital Luxury Group explained to Luxury Society, “Mobile consumption is growing at a very fast pace in both mature markets such as Europe and the US, but also in emerging markets like China and Brazil. It’s probably the first time since we entered into the digital era that a technology (mobile) is gaining such momentum, at such a huge scale.”
“To illustrate this we need not look farther than Facebook, which is receiving more than 500 million monthly users from mobile, more than 7 times the size of the entire French population. And this is just the beginning. 2013 will see a major increase in mobile penetration for several reasons. Smartphone and tablet penetration will continue to grow globally, but even stronger in emerging countries.”
“ Facebook is receiving more than 500 million monthly users from mobile, which is 7 times the population of France ”
Indeed, more than 20% of Facebook ad revenue now comes from mobile, which they only launched for advertisers in March 2012. Mobile ad rates on Facebook represent a 70% price premium over desktop ads, according to BizReport.
A recent survey by the Association of National Advertisers and MediaVest revealed that a significant number plan to increase their mobile marketing budgets. Though the sample was relatively small, almost all (96%) of those surveyed currently use mobile marketing, or at least plan to use it. Furthermore, those using mobile intend to put more money mobile’s way with 85% planning to up their spending in “the near future”.
It will be interesting to see how this affects the online marketing mix for luxury brands. 2012 was the year that digital launches became less frequent and less flashy, as brands scrambled to consolidate campaigns and focus on functionality.
Burberry, Square
Burberry Brit is conducting a payment trial in collaboration with Square in its Westfield location in San Francisco. Square offers a free accessory that attaches to an iPhone or iPad and processes payments. The start-up recently announced that it is now handling $10 billion in transactions annually.
Website: burberry.com
Source: The Next Web
Chanel, Website
French fashion house Chanel re-imagined its website to better integrate product browsing with content and imagery. The new look navigation directs visitors to various product families, with a focus on video content, mobile compatibility and new social functions exclusive to its ecommerce-enabled fragrance, makeup and skincare sections.
Website: chanel.com
Source: Luxury Daily
Goyard – Le Rendez-Vous from Sam & Raph on Vimeo.
Goyard, Film
For the first time in the brand’s history, Parisian Trunkmaker Goyard has released a video, showcasing its rue Saint-Honoré boutique and longstanding craftsmanship. Directed by Samuel Rixon & Raphaël Hache, the short film tells the story of a young woman having a meeting on Rue Saint Honoré, at the Goyard flagship store to pick up her latest custom trunk piece.
Website: goyard.com
Source: Luxuo
Labelux, Blog
Labelux, the home of Bally, Jimmy Choo, Belstaff and Zagliani, has launched The LiP blog, which stands for Luxury in Progress. The blog will showcase international creatives and their design processes, philosophy and techniques.
“Luxury in Progress is a concept that has defined the Labelux process since our inception. We thrive on discovering and learning from emerging perspectives,” explained CEO Reinhard Mieck to WWD. “The LiP will contain a collection of progressive voices from thought-leaders, creatives and sustainability visionaries sharing the latest inspirations from their worlds.”
Website: luxuryinprogress.com
Source: WWD
Shoescribe, App
Yoox has debuted a new App for its shoescribe.com site, the online destination for women dedicated entirely to shoes. Launched for both iPhone and Android, the app is available in English and Italian, and offers users the opportunity to electronically catalogue their entire shoe collection, as well as shop anywhere, anytime.
Website & Source: shoescribe.com
Download: Shoescribe
Starwood, Android App
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has debuted its Starwood Preferred Guest app on the Android platform, allowing users to book stays at Starwood’s nine hotel brands, access SPG benefits, manage SPG accounts and connect through integrated social media. The app also provides travel information such as weather, directions and information on hotel amenities.
Download: SPG
Source: Luxury Daily
Swarovski, Instagram
Swarovski celebrated its recent holiday collection with the “Multiface(t)s: Style Yourself with Jewelry” mobile application, where users could enter to win prizes by uploading their augmented reality images to Instagram. After downloading the app, users were invited to virtually try-on pieces of jewellery and upload the results to Instagram using the hashtag #swarovskistyle.
Download: Swarovski
Source: Luxury Daily
For more in the series of The Latest Digital, please see our most recent editions as follows:
– The Latest Digital: Cartier, Prada & Tod’s
– The Latest Digital: Balmain, Yoox & Mandarin Oriental
– The Latest Digital: Versace, Balenciaga & Ritz-Carlton
Creative Strategist, Digital
Sophie Doran is currently Senior Creative Strategist, Digital at Karla Otto. Prior to this role, she was the Paris-based editor-in-chief of Luxury Society. Prior to joining Luxury Society, Sophie completed her MBA in Melbourne, Australia, with a focus on luxury brand dynamics and leadership, whilst simultaneously working in management roles for several luxury retailers.