Alber Elbaz's AZ Factory takes "entertainment first" approach to launch with Farfetch and NET-A-PORTER
AZ Factory, the new joint venture between designer Alber Elbaz and luxury group Richemont, has made its "digital and entertainment-driven" debut on Farfetch and NET-A-PORTER.
The partnership with the leading luxury platforms promises to be "educational, emotional, and of course, beautiful".
Elbaz, a former creative chief at Lanvin and Yves Saint Laurent, describes AZ Factory as "solutions-driven fashion that works for everyone". The range includes stretch-knit dresses, tanks, bodies, tops and leggings with prices ranging from £255 to £1,200. Also available are a range of neoprene and mesh sneakers priced at £475.
The collection has been brought to life via two special digital activations, the AZ Factory World Tour, an immersive, virtual experience, is now live at Farfetch.com as well as a live broadcast of the Talk Show with Alber Elbaz & friends, which took place on Net-A-Porter.com today.
The World Tour enables shoppers to hop on the tour bus in various cities, explore the AZ factory and experience the collection in 3D. Customers will also be able to virtually try on the garments, while Augmented Retail (AR) technology, powered by the Farfetch's startup partner, Zeekit, will mean customers can also see how the products look on different sizes and skin tones, before they buy.
AZ Factory at Farfetch
Elbaz said of the launch: "I’ve dreamt for years about a fashion reset to care, and that dream is even more relevant today at a time when people cannot be together. The world is changing fast, and we are all adapting to new behaviors and emotions.
"This dreams factory is focused on developing real solutions for today’s women. It is a product-focused and a communications-focused project, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring it to the world in a fabulous, entertainment-driven way with two of the leaders of the digital luxury world, FARFETCH and NET-A-PORTER."
NET-A-PORTER CMO Sheena Sauvaire said: “Alber’s vision for AZ Factory is truly original. He has created a wholly new approach to launching a brand at a time when our industry is evolving and consumers are looking for escapism. With a shared belief that fashion should be joyous and uplifting, he captured our imagination to create ‘The Talk Show with Alber & Friends’; an irreverent spin on an analogue TV format inviting VIP guests to discuss what makes us happy through the themes of fashion, science and body positivity. Perfect for our times, and the NET-A-PORTER community alike.”
Digital try-on using Zeekit technology
Farfetch Chief Brand Officer Holli Rogers added: “We were so inspired by Alber, and the innovative approach he is taking to creating AZ Factory. The values of the brand – love, trust, respect, and treating customers as friends, along with the desire to experiment and try new things, resonated strongly with our own values. This shared approach was really behind the inspiration for the AZ Factory #worldtour. In a world where we can’t physically be together right now, the next best thing was to use our creativity and technology to bring our customers on tour and let them jump on board, take a tour of the incredible collection, and help spread a feeling of joy and togetherness.”
