Models strutted the catwalk at Shanghai’s National Convention and Exhibition Center Friday, showing off branded fashion and apparel that will be available to buy for Alibaba’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
The “See Now, Buy Now” fashion show – the second for Alibaba’s Tmall after last year’s – kicked off three weeks of promotions Alibaba will run to create a buzz ahead of 11.11. With “retail as entertainment” as a central theme to this year’s 11.11, the fashion show is just one way Alibaba is leveraging its media and e-commerce platforms to create a seamless experience for viewers and consumers. And it’s also a strong platform for fashion and apparel brands to heighten their appeal.
“‘See Now, Buy Now’ is not just a place for merchants to sell their product, but a platform to grow their brand,” said Alibaba Chief Marketing Officer Chris Tung.”‘See Now, Buy Now’ perfectly illustrates the merging of offline and online shopping. Viewers watching the show can enjoy the show while shopping on their phones or saving the items for a later date.”
This year’s “See Now, Buy Now” show features a number of the world’s iconic fashion and apparel brands, including Guerlain, Adidas, Pandora, Ray-Ban, Estee Lauder, Victoria’s Secret, Rimowa, Ralph Lauren, French fashion group SMCP, Italian leather goods brand Furla. Opening Ceremony, Robert Geller and Jason Wu will bring the New York Fashion Week spirit to China in their debut show.
Friday’s event was taped live and will be broadcast across seven media platforms on Oct. 31. They include terrestrial channel, Beijing TV, the CIBN smart TV platform, online video site Youku, the Weibo social-media platform, news aggregator, Toutiao and the Taobao and Tmall shopping apps.
Viewers will be able to buy what they see, when they see it, on all those platforms. Sites and platforms will offer listings, links or buttons to pre-order the items ahead of 11.11. And there will a mobile, interactive page set up for those viewing on TVs. Viewers can shake their mobile phones when they see something they want, and Alibaba will push them hyperlinks to the product page for purchase.
In keeping with the “entertainment as retail” theme, brands planned a number of unique presentations and special and exclusive or limited-edition products and promotions during the event.
The show again features star-studded appearances, including from Taiwanese-American actor and singer Vanness Wu, Chinese actress and singer Fan Bingbing, Chinese female rap sensation VaVa.
This year’s show also showcases up-and-coming Chinese brands and designers, including Dong Liang, Daphne, Anta, HLA and Erdos.Dong Liang is a concept store committed to promoting numerous up-and-coming Chinese designers, and is a melting pot of diverse styles.
For Tmall, “See Now, Buy Now” is more than just a fashion show. With China’s middle class growing quickly and Chinese consumers becoming ever more-sophisticated and discerning, fashion is central to their lives and tastes.
Tmall’s leading market share and its robust digital ecosystem give it access to and engages top consumers across China. Those are among key reasons why it has become a strong showcase for the world’s top fashion brands as they enter the world’s largest retail market.
