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Amazon launches ‘Luxury Store’ featuring Oscar de la Renta; other upscale labels to follow

In a bid to capitalize on the luxury market, Amazon has launched a couture shopping experience focused exclusively on designer fashion and beauty brands.

Available by invitation only to Prime members via the Amazon app, the online retail behemoth’s Luxury Stores debuted Tuesday with fall and winter Oscar de la Renta collections, Fox Business reported.

Amazon said in a statement that additional established and emerging fashion houses and brands will launch in the coming weeks.

“I would guess that somewhere near 100% of our existing customers are on Amazon and a huge percentage of those are Prime members,” Alex Bolen, CEO of Oscar de la Renta, told Vogue.

“For me to get more mindshare with existing customers in addition to getting new customers — that’s the name of the game,” Bolen added.

According to Fox News, the newly unveiled collection includes ready-to-wear, handbags, jewelry, accessories and a new perfume. In addition, a childrenswear line will be available soon, and a “View in 360” feature will allow shoppers across all categories to “visualize fit.”

Meanwhile, luxury brands will have expanded control over pricing and inventory through the use of Amazon’s customizing tools intended to create more personalized shopping experiences, NBC News reported.

“With collections sold directly from the participating brands as a ‘store within a store’ experience, brands independently make decisions regarding their inventory, selection, and pricing - and Amazon offers the merchandising tools for brands to create and personalize content in each of their unique brand voices,” Amazon said in a statement.

The move comes amid a series of high-profile upscale brand bankruptcies, such as Lord & Taylor and Neiman Marcus, as well as steep revenue decreases reported by global powerhouses such as French luxury goods conglomerate Kering and fashion icon LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, NBC News reported.

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