Fashion designer LaQuan Smith partnered with BigCommerce to launch his new collection at New York Fashion Week.
LaQuan Smith showed his Fall/Winter 2016 collection on February 14 with models showcasing his redesigned online store on tablets, allowing show attendees, buyers and consumers everywhere to purchase his new line as soon as it was unveiled to fashion's elite.
"This Fashion Week, I wanted to do something a little more daring. I wanted to challenge the status quo for how and when consumers are able to purchase designs," said LaQuan Smith. "BigCommerce helped me build an online store that's truly an extension of my brand, with a modern, simple aesthetic that highlights the clothes in the most beautiful way. Now, anyone is able to purchase my new collection the moment they fall in love with the designs."
Fashion show attendees reacted positively to the ability to buy in real-time, and noted that soon all designers will likely launch shoppable shows. Customers who purchase items from Smith's new online store will be able to wear the new collection in a matter of just two weeks. LaQuan Smith is one of the first brands to launch an online store based on BigCommerce's new themes, which enable brands to share their story through advanced product merchandising, an enhanced customer experience and the latest design features and capabilities.
"Today's shoppers have high expectations, sophisticated tastes and gravitate toward dynamic, real-time shopping experiences that weave the digital and physical worlds together," said Tim Schulz, Chief Product Officer at BigCommerce. "By building an online store that's truly representative of his brand and latest collection, LaQuan Smith is able to connect with his customers at a deeper and richer level and leave a lasting impression of his brand on this generation of shoppers."
The BigCommerce store that LaQuan Smith launched in tandem with his new Fall/Winter 2016 collection brought together his two existing websites, creating a more streamlined experience for his customers that echo his signature style. Smith selected one of BigCommerce's new themes, along with custom development from leading design agency Pixel Union, to design a storefront that embodies high fashion. The new store uses clean lines that draw attention to the collection, with multiple views and closeups to best showcase each signature design.
"To create a truly unique experience for his new collection, our team worked closely with LaQuan Smith to bring his collection alive in his online store," said Ben Moore, CEO at Pixel Union. "Strong, consistent branding is a must in the fashion industry, so we focused on staying true to LaQuan Smith's vision, creating an experience online that's as close to what you'd get in person as possible. Our goal was to make it seamless, and I think we did just that."
LaQuan Smith also launched a larger partnership with BigCommerce, serving as a brand ambassador for the company's new line of design-centric themes that help retailers grow their business.
