Chanel for all! The maison has finally decided to launch an e-commerce platform, which will come to fruition by the end of 2016. The news comes just after Chanel showed its Métiers d’Art show in New York City after its original debut in December in Salzburg, Austria. The brand has long refrained from hopping on the e-comm bandwagon in an effort to maintain the appeal and allure of the French luxury house’s exclusivity. Alongside its own products, Chanel will also launch e-comm for milliner Maison Michel, Barrie Knitwear, and glove-maker Causse.
Chanel’s president Bruno Pavlovsky told WWD‘s Bridget Foley that they are “testing the waters” on e-commerce. Currently, the only Chanel products available for sale online anywhere (unless it’s a consignment item) are sunglasses, cosmetics, skincare, and fragrances, which are licensed products. Fendi, another Karl Lagerfeld-helmed luxury brand, just launched e-commerce in January. We imagine Chanel will still keep some products exclusive to their boutiques, but there will likely be in a huge uptick in sales of classic quilted Chanel bags once the new platform launches.
