The concept of fashion gained importance or was propagated with personalization of what one wears that is where the haute couture began following the trickledown theory ruling fashion. At least this is what the fashion school taught us. Fashion is the order of the royalty so the kings and princess had their personal designers, there were innumerable fitting sessions before one ensemble was designed. In short the store would make a door step service, how can you imagine the emperors shopping in malls. Thus fashion here is at your doorstep and if by any chance you are reading this piece of entry your door bell is already ringing, as I write for an online blog and very truly today it is our only window to the world where we spend most of our life glued to. There are no letters only emails, where you don’t call your friends but write a scrap to them on Twitter or post something on their Facebook wall. I still remember the days when I use to fumble to remember email ids and would need a pen and paper each time I would have to mail something. Now I myself proudly boast of all the short forms and lingos of web world.
When I first heard of the online shopping concept my absorption power was limited to sites like e-bay, rediff shopping, home shop18 etc, that I visit only when I have to gift some distant relatives on their birthdays. The first time I wished there was a 24 hr shopping mall, was when I had to attend my cousins marriage after a long tied up month at office leaving me time only after 12 in the midnight to go picking my lehanga outfit. Of course there is no place open at these wee hours and I was left with the option of asking a good samaritan friend to fetch me a dress, with all my obligations it was only marginally near to the specification I had provided her. I guess Santa overheard my wishes and this December I heard the buzz on my window of 99labels.com soon followed by Fashionandyou.com both of them offer online shopping sprees with designer labels, brands and all the luxury of fashion and twenty four hour services at marked down prices.
Now ‘does it excite you?’ I was asked the same question by Rahul Narvekar, co-founder for
Fashion and you, when their promotions kept hitting me on the face each time I logged onto my FB and finally I decided to do a little r&d before completely entrusting a virtual shopping model. I went straight to him with my list of queries and went on throwing questions at him. To which he explained, Fashion and you is a strictly members only site and the membership is only through invitation from the owners. It stores international labels like Moschino, DKNY, Hugo Boss, Escada, etc and also over hundred Indian designers. The exclusivity of the site is catering to a consumer who is undoubtedly internet savvy and is well travelled with a fair idea of the international standard sizes. Rahul also told me that they believe in proving themselves first rather than bragging promises, which is exactly the reason why they are allowing only selected member an access to their virtual shop. The second round of the market expansion would allow the members of Fashion and You to refer to their friends. Rahul’s sheer marketing policy instigates the trust factor so let me see what do I need to buy on priority basis, I was thinking for a bottle of perfume, and what do you say, shall I place my order?
Fashion and you, when their promotions kept hitting me on the face each time I logged onto my FB and finally I decided to do a little r&d before completely entrusting a virtual shopping model. I went straight to him with my list of queries and went on throwing questions at him. To which he explained, Fashion and you is a strictly members only site and the membership is only through invitation from the owners. It stores international labels like Moschino, DKNY, Hugo Boss, Escada, etc and also over hundred Indian designers. The exclusivity of the site is catering to a consumer who is undoubtedly internet savvy and is well travelled with a fair idea of the international standard sizes. Rahul also told me that they believe in proving themselves first rather than bragging promises, which is exactly the reason why they are allowing only selected member an access to their virtual shop. The second round of the market expansion would allow the members of Fashion and You to refer to their friends. Rahul’s sheer marketing policy instigates the trust factor so let me see what do I need to buy on priority basis, I was thinking for a bottle of perfume, and what do you say, shall I place my order?
Don’t think this is a hurried decision, I have options just at the click of a button, and the all powerful mouse is definitely here. So next I spoke to Ishita Swarup, from 99 labels and asked the same question, who had come up live only this December 3rd and were offering an exhaustive collection on sale by Indian designers. The entire concept of 99labels is to offer an all season sale and the designers put classic pieces from their few seasons’ old stock, scrutinized and picked by the merchandising team. The team works on a three day delivery system and if I don’t like the piece I would just have to inform them within three days of delivery and they take it issuing me a credit of the same amount. And if the piece is defective I get my money back in the same period. There are lot of new products and brands soon to be featured on 99 labels like Guess, Esprit, skincare products, footwear, and accessories for valentines… uuh that Ishita has asked me to keep a look out for. I hope the next wedding I attend I would not land up wearing a sari as per my friend’s fashion preferences.
Now that my window is sizzling with fashion and luxury but still the insatiable human wants more as my desires gained new preferences when I recently watched this video on the future of shopping http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDi0FNcaock Enjoy the video as I sign out today’s entry with this.
Posted by : Matsya at 12:32 AM
