Amazon Testing One-Hour Delivery at London Fashion Week
Amazon.com has partnered with designer Nicola Formichetti to get her London Fashion Week styles to customers’ doorsteps within an hour. The partnership is the latest iteration of the “see now, buy now” strategy, which designers have been experimenting with over the last several seasons. The service is available only for Formichetti’s Nicopan line — unisex street wear collection — which will be displayed at a fashion show on Saturday night, and for Amazon Prime subscribers in London only.
Total Retail’s Take: Amazon and Formichetti aren't the first to experiment with the “see now, buy now” concept. For example, other brands at London Fashion Week, including Burberry, Topshop and Tommy Hilfiger, have put similar initiatives in place, although not at the speed Amazon is promising. The practice, which in its most basic form involves designers showing clothing for the current season rather than the next one, has been tried by a number of designers to mixed reviews. Advocates of the practice say it helps align the fashion industry with consumer behavior, while detractors complain it’s a logistical nightmare. But if there's one company that can handle a logistical nightmare, Amazon would be my choice.
