Barneys jumps on online fashion for less trend

NEWYORK — Shopping online for high fashion at low prices is a popular activity for fashionistas, and now one of the more iconic brands has jumped on the trend. Style seekers who can't make it to New York City to shop Barneys New York's famous warehouse sale will soon have a new way to get their fashion fix.

The retailer said Thursday it will launch its off-price website Barneyswarehouse.com on Monday, following a two-week pilot in August. Merchandise on the warehouse site will be past-season sale items at discounts of up to 75% off retail, and will be used along with its brick-and-mortar outlets for liquidation.

“[The new site] fits with our strategy to build all of these digital properties,” Daniella Vitale, chief merchant and EVP of Barneys, told fashion report Zee, adding that the retailer is considering other product categories and classifications for future e-commerce sites.

“The online business is explosive and the fastest-growing business we have,” added Vitale. “It will be no different for the off-price component. The warehouse sale is [a factory] outlet in the same way that Barneys.com is a flagship and should reflect the Madison Avenue location.”

According to reports, the site will offer out-of-season apparel and home décor products, among other offerings.

Barneys venture into discounted fashion selling via the Internet could pave the way for other high-end retailers to do the same. It is a great way to move out-of-season product and broaden market reach.