NEW YORK — Undeterred by the limited number of designers who have embraced e-commerce, Oscar de la Renta has started selling directly to consumers online.
Working with eFashionSolutions LLC, a Secaucus, N.J.-based firm, the designer’s company has developed an e-commerce component for oscardelarenta.com.
With this venture, de la Renta joins designers such as Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and Catherine Malandrino, who sell their collections online.
Oscar de la Renta is selling a limited selection of ready-to-wear, and a full range of accessories, including handbags, shoes and sunglasses. The designer’s fragrance also will be sold online. Asked if he had any reservations about diving into a sector that many competitors have stayed out of for the time being, Alex Bolen, chief executive officer, said: “The only reservation we had was a historical one. How does a company that has been as apparel-driven as we have been make e-commerce make sense?”
Well aware that most online shoppers will not be browsing for evening gowns, the company plans to play up its accessories. Sunglasses, for example, have experienced “tremendous growth” in the past year and will be well represented, Bolen said. There also will be some exclusive styles available online.
The prices of accessories are not expected to play into the online equation, Bolen said. “I don’t think price points will necessarily be an issue. We’ll offer exotic skins,” he said. “We’re certainly not going to shy away from price.”
Oscar de la Renta will handle the look and feel of the site and its merchandising, and eFashionSolutions will oversee the logistics. That is familiar territory for the latter, which has created Web sites for DKNY, Judith Leiber, JLo by Jennifer Lopez, Phat Farm, Baby Phat, Rocawear and others.