158 EMIRATES WOMAN OCTOBER 2015

fashion/the shopping revolution

There's nothing like a shopping trip to make the heart race. If John Hughes films are anything to go by, a 1980s spree involved many outfit changes, several over-zealous swipes of a credit card and a car boot-full of bursting paper bags, all set

to a jaunty soundtrack. These days, all you need is a smartphone or laptop and the will to spend.

The way we buy has changed completely since the first ever e-purchase over two decades ago (a Sting CD, no less). According to a recent report by social media agency We Are Social, 42 per cent of the world’s population is active on the Internet, with 35 million people using their phones for social networking. The most powerful group of mouse-clickers, millennials, account for half of all retail sales – on and offline – and spent 2.4 trillion US dollars (or Dhs8.82 trillion) this year alone. Now that’s a shopping spree.

E-commerce is booming, with experts predicting that in 2016, global online sales will increase by 16 per cent to a massive Dhs3,672 billion. It’s a far cry from the digital landscape in 2000, the year of Net-a-Porter’s inception. Founder Natalie Massenet started out selling a friend’s pashminas, connecting via a growling dial-up modem. At the end of the last financial year, the site recorded profits totaling Dhs62 million.

The Middle Eastern online shopper wields significant power – the region is considered one of the fastest growing markets for e-commerce, valued at around Dhs17 billion – and global e-tailers are sitting up and taking notice. Farfetch has just added Etoile “La Boutique” to its repertoire, a significant addition to a growing roster of Middle Eastern boutiques. “The Middle East is one of our key markets,” says Pascale Colony, Business Development Director at Farfetch. “By partnering with the likes of D’NA and Etoile “La Boutique”, Farfetch adds the expertise of inspirational Middle Eastern buyers to the website. These buyers are experts on the region's consumer and really appreciate and understand luxury fashion from their point of view. They curate their boutique with a very specific customer in mind.” Farfetch isn’t alone; last year, Mytheresa.com launched an Arabic language version of their site, opening up the offering to include local designers, as well as providing fast delivery within the region and dedicated customer care advisors. Meanwhile, MAC Cosmetics and Vichy now include Arabic voiceovers in their on-site videos, Gucci offers credit card and wire transfers as payment options for the UAE, and both Net-a-Porter and Moda Operandi create holiday edits for Ramadan and Eid.

It’s no secret that shoppers are logging on, but a simple website doesn’t cut it anymore. The digital buyer wants a multichannel experience on every type of screen – from desktop to Apple watch – and the ability to make a purchase without migrating away from their social media. Social commerce is big business, particularly in the Middle East, where 25 per cent of the population is logging onto social sites on mobile devices. Superbrands are taking note and talking directly to local markets. Burberry and Guerlain

each run separate, Middle East-dedicated Twitter accounts, posting tweets in Arabic and English, while Topshop’s @Topshop_ME Instagram has a 60k-strong following.

E-tailers aren’t just building connections with customers via Instagram, they’re making sales. BySymphony.com, the online outpost of Dubai-based Symphony boutique, has created a shoppable Instagram feed. “Instagram definitely leads to sales,” says Amara Javed, the boutique’s social media manager. “The Shop Our Instagram page is really popular – in this age, we want to make sure the customers have everything at their fingertips.” And it works – Javed tells us that Symphony’s sales of Mark Cross bags went through the roof following an Instagram post.

Fashion and Instagram are a winning combination, and one that’s being harnessed by the photo-sharing platform. In July, the company appointed Eva Chen, previously Editor-in-Chief at Lucky magazine, as Head of Fashion Partnerships. “Instagram is a place for creativity and expression, so is a natural fit for the fashion industry,” a rep told us. “For brands,

there is a powerful opportunity to excite Instagrammers, to visually inspire them and build a brand connection.”

Seasoned scrollers will be aware of the platform’s targeted adverts and branded content, but shoppable Instagram feeds for individual users are still in the hands of external developers and start-ups. In 2014, RewardStyle, an affiliate network that enables fashion bloggers to earn money via shopping links, launched an Instagram-targeted initiative. LikeToKnow.It is a tool that allows for shopping within Instagram, without the need to exit the platform. Previously only available to select bloggers and publishers, it was rolled out to brands including ASOS, Selfridges and Moda Operandi earlier this year. If the company’s Dhs55 million investment is anything to go by, it’s set to change the face of social commerce.

In Kuwait, Instagram is no longer simply a marketing tool; it’s spurred entire businesses. Savvy entrepreneurs are creating virtual storefronts in what’s being dubbed an ‘Instagram economy’, showcasing everything from clothing to makeup services. Reem Alhemaidan posts images of her opulent kaftans on the @reem_alhemaidan account, taking orders exclusively via WhatsApp. Technology is giving independent Middle Eastern designers a newfound freedom, without the need for costly advertising, and granting them a direct line to customers.

Today, there are few major retailers that don’t embrace social media to connect with shoppers. Ever the innovator, Net-a-Porter has taken things to the next level by creating a network of its own. Launched in May, the Net Set is an app where fashion fans can build profiles, connect with like-minded users, and join ‘Style Tribes’, as well as rub virtual shoulders with the likes of Poppy Delevingne, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Laura Bailey, part of the app’s elite Style Council. In their numbers, members have the power to influence their favourite designers, each of whom has a dedicated

HAVE WIFI, WILL

SPEND FROM INSTAGRAM

SHOPS TO 3D COUTURE, WE

INVESTIGATE HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS

TRANSFORMING THE WAY WE BUY

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