Giorgio Armani to open virtual store on Second Life
By FashionUnited
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Fashion
Giorgio Armani will be expanding his emporium and open an online boutique on the 3-D virtual world Second Life. The store will allow viewers to purchase the brand's top 10 products virtually via Second Life currency, the Linden dollar, or in actuality. More significantly, coming in September, Armani will start selling all Emporio Armani products online in the U.S. as part of an ongoing strategy of expanding e-commerce.
"In the last seven years, I have seen mounting enthusiasm for online fashion shopping in the United States through the growing success we have had with our A|X Armani Exchange site," Armani told WWD. "Over this same period I have also observed the increasing sophistication of fashion consumers shopping online, which has encouraged me to develop this new site for my Emporio Armani lifestyle."
A soft unveiling of the Emporio Armani site is slated for Aug. 14, while the official launch will take place Sept. 7, to coincide with the Neiman Marcus Crystal Charity luncheon in Dallas.
Robert Triefus, Armani's executive vice president of worldwide
communications, said that, for the first time, the designer will be
interviewed online by the American public that day. "A major American portal will organize a live chat interview with Mr. Armani," said Triefus, declining to reveal the name of the Web site until the deal has been finalized.
The designer said there are only 10 Emporio Armani freestanding stores in the U.S. and that the Web site will enable consumers nationwide to shop the entire collection
Initially, only U.S. residents will be able to shop, but the company
plans to expand the site to Europe next year and to Asia after that.
"America is the most advanced country for e-commerce. It's only logical to launch there first," said Triefus.
"In the last seven years, I have seen mounting enthusiasm for online fashion shopping in the United States through the growing success we have had with our A|X Armani Exchange site," Armani told WWD. "Over this same period I have also observed the increasing sophistication of fashion consumers shopping online, which has encouraged me to develop this new site for my Emporio Armani lifestyle."
A soft unveiling of the Emporio Armani site is slated for Aug. 14, while the official launch will take place Sept. 7, to coincide with the Neiman Marcus Crystal Charity luncheon in Dallas.
Robert Triefus, Armani's executive vice president of worldwide
communications, said that, for the first time, the designer will be
interviewed online by the American public that day. "A major American portal will organize a live chat interview with Mr. Armani," said Triefus, declining to reveal the name of the Web site until the deal has been finalized.
The designer said there are only 10 Emporio Armani freestanding stores in the U.S. and that the Web site will enable consumers nationwide to shop the entire collection
Initially, only U.S. residents will be able to shop, but the company
plans to expand the site to Europe next year and to Asia after that.
"America is the most advanced country for e-commerce. It's only logical to launch there first," said Triefus.
Armani
Second Life