US designer shopping site launches in the UK

Celebrity-backed US fashion and lifestyle shopping portal,

Fab.com is launching in the UK, following its successful launch in the USA last year. The online destination, which offers discounts of up to 70 per cent on designer fashions and home accessories, is set to challenge established flash designer sale sites such as BrandAlley and Cocosa for a share of the UK marketplace.

Like with those sites, membership to Fab.com is also free and individual offers are available for between three and five days only. Fab.com is known for offering pieces from well-established designers as well as rising stars and ‘underground’ labels and it is hoping its varying offering will attract shoppers.

Originally launched in American in June 2011, the New York-based designer shopping club has since signed up more than 3.5m members, and it states that it is currently the fastest growing e-commerce company in the world, with an anticipated gross income of $130 million in 2012. The site also has the financial backing from a range of celebrities including Ashton Kutcher and Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary.

Roman Kirsch, European CEO for Fab.com, explains: “Fab.com is thrilled to be opening its doors to UK customers. Even before the launch, we had 100,000 users in Europe signed up to our waiting list and this indicates just how huge the interest in exclusive design is. The UK has great potential for us and we are delighted to be able to fly the flag for design here as well.”

The shopping site is now available in the USA, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Luxemburg, Romania, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Slovakia and the UK.