Farfetch, the leading online retailer, has made a strategic move into the beauty industry with the launch of its luxury beauty category. The company, after acquiring beauty retailer Violet Grey, has added over 100 renowned beauty brands to its platform, including Chanel, Gucci, Tom Ford, and Charlotte Tilbury. This significant expansion highlights the growth of the global prestige beauty market and the growing interest from other retailers and fashion brands.
In addition to its e-commerce marketplace, Farfetch’s beauty offerings will also be available through its subsidiaries Browns and New Guards Group, both online and in select physical stores. Farfetch is also introducing a range of fragrances under the Off-White label. The goal of this expansion is to provide customers with a seamless and immersive experience that combines fashion and beauty. By offering carefully curated products and community voices, Farfetch aims to inspire a new generation of luxury fashion and beauty enthusiasts.
The beauty category will encompass various aspects of beauty, including skincare, makeup, hair, fragrance, bath and body, and wellbeing. To support this launch, Farfetch has formed the Farfetch Beauty Global Collective, comprised of brand founders, industry experts, creatives, and visionaries who are redefining the approach to beauty. This collective includes renowned individuals such as Cassandra Grey, founder of Violet Grey, makeup artists Erin Parsons and Isamaya Ffrench, hairstylist Jawara, style director Mia Kong from Dazed China, dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry, cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong, actor Nico Hiraga, and drag artist Violet Chachki.
Technology will play a major role in Farfetch’s beauty expansion. The company plans to offer virtual try-on experiences on its website and has introduced the Beauty Global Community Platform, allowing its engaged luxury customer base to connect with beauty experts and peers. Additionally, Farfetch is collaborating with user-generated content creators on popular gaming platforms like The Sims 4 and Roblox to explore the convergence of real and virtual beauty.
Farfetch’s beauty category launch is supported by a new campaign titled “Your Choice. Your Beauty. Your Farfetch.” This campaign celebrates the transformative power of beauty as a means of self-expression in contemporary culture. Notable figures such as Amya Powell, Aweng Chuol, Isamaya Ffrench, Nacho Penin, Olivia Francis, and Stevan Journey feature in this campaign.
Holli Rogers, Chief Brand Officer at Farfetch, emphasizes the role of beauty in expressing individuality and self-expression. The company aims to offer a unique online beauty retail experience that resonates with its existing audience of fashion lovers by merging fashion and beauty expertise with the evolving needs of modern beauty consumers.
This expansion into the beauty industry is a significant step for Farfetch as it allows the company to tap into a wider consumer base beyond its fashion customers. With its diverse customer base and multiple business streams, Farfetch has the flexibility to cater to various luxury consumers across the globe. While Farfetch targets a broad luxury customer base through its main brand, Browns and New Guards focus on specific consumer segments. Violet Grey, on the other hand, will continue to expand in the US market with the support of Farfetch.
Useful Links:
1. Farfetch Expands into Luxury Beauty
2. Meet Cassandra Grey, Founder of Violet Grey
