One of the looks from Esteban Cortazar's upcoming collection to be made available on Net-A-Porter. -- PHOTO: NET-A-PORTER
Fans of Esteban Cortazar's feminine sportswear designs can expect more from him on July 19, when the Miami-based Colombian designer releases his second collection.
Available exclusively at luxury online shopping portal, Net-A-Porter, the 23-piece womenswear range from his eponymous label includes apparel, jewellery and shoes.
The 29-year-old is best known for his short two-year stint at French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro. He was infamously fired in 2009 after refusing to work with actress Lindsay Lohan, who was then appointed the label's artistic director. He launched his eponymous label on Net-A-Porter last September.
Ms Holli Rogers, the portal's fashion director says in an email interview with Urban: "We first fell in love with his designs when he was at Emanuel Ungaro because he has such a phenomenal eye for fabric, cut and colour and he creates pieces that you really stand out in.
"When we launched his namesake collection last year, it was a success with our shoppers. So we jumped at the chance to work with him again."
She adds that the first collection was one of the site's fastest-selling, with sales in 40 countries, including Britain, Germany and the United States, and stocks selling out in under a month.
Cortazar's follow-up collection is one of the many new launches Net-A-Porter shoppers can look forward to in the coming months, says Ms Rogers.
Later this month, the site will launch L'Agent by Agent Provocateur, a new diffusion range by the popular British lingerie label. It is also the exclusive online stockist for the new line.
For over a decade, Net-A-Porter has collaborated with designers and personalities to create special limited-edition and exclusive capsule collections.
It is not the only luxury multi-label shopping site that offers collaboration collections.
Florence-based shopping site Luisa Via Roma and Britain's Browns Fashion also stock limited-edition collections that are exclusive to their sites.
However, no site does it as frequently as Net-A-Porter. Since June last year, the portal has launched an average of one exclusive collection per month.
Among the top names it has collaborated with are high-end designers Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham, sportswear label Nike, as well as top model Natalia Vodianova and fashion photographer Mario Testino.
Ms Holli Rogers has been Net-A-Porter's fashion director since 2008. -- PHOTO: NET-A-PORTER
Ms Rogers, a 37-year-old American who joined Net-A-Porter as its assistant retail director in 2003, says: "Anticipating our customer's needs is an important part of the job and a lot of our exclusives have been borne out of that.
"For example, double denim is a trend that shows no sign of waning and it is something our customers love to wear. So, we approached American denim label Current/Elliot to create a collection of denim duos featuring shirts and matching jeans for us. This makes it easy for shoppers to channel the trend."
In addition to meeting customer demands, the ability to offer exclusive content through these collaborations is also a large part of the site's appeal.
One of its most memorable collaborations was with American womenswear label Proenza Schouler in 2009, says Ms Rogers, who assumed her current position in 2008.
It was the first time that designer-duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez had created a special collection for anyone.
"They created an exclusive capsule collection based on their favourite pieces from previous collections. It featured nine pieces, including a mini dress, a jacket and shorts. Our customers loved the pieces which you can't find anywhere else."
Ms Rogers notes that such designer collaborations ensure that the site is always ahead of the trend to showcase "new and exciting labels before they become household names".
"We want to be the ones launching these emerging labels and making their designs available to shoppers around the world."
THREE UPCOMING COLLECTIONS
ESTEBAN CORTAZAR
The second collection from the Miami-based, Colombian designer comprises 23 pieces, including dresses, skirts, tops, jackets, jewellery and shoes in a colour palette of mostly white, black and grey. It will be available online on July 19 and prices range from about $530 for a hammershark gold-plated ring to about $2,760 for a stretch knit jersey dress.
ART CAPSUL COLLECTION
This made-to-order collection is what the portal calls its highlight of the year. Launched last week during Haute Couture Week in Paris, the collection, slated to be on the site in September, features pieces designed by world-renowned artists, including New York-based Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic and Canadian artist Terence Koh.
For instance, Abramovic, 66, has created seven parachute-silk jumpsuits, each inspired by the seven phases of the moon. Each coloured jumpsuit features seven pockets containing a small magnet which denotes energy points on the body.
L'AGENT BY AGENT PROVOCATEUR
This is the British lingerie brand's first diffusion line which is designed in collaboration with Spanish actress Penelope Cruz and her younger sister, Monica. Net-A-Porter will be the exclusive online stockist for the range which includes bras, bottoms and nightwear. Prices for bras start at £40 (S$76), bottoms at £18 and nightwear at £75. The line will be available online later this month.
THREE STANDOUT PAST COLLECTIONS
PROENZA SCHOULER
Launched in 2009, this nine-piece exclusive capsule collection was created at the request of Net-A-Porter. This was also the first time that the label's designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, had produced anything for another brand.
MARIO TESTINO FOR MATE
In May, Net-A-Porter joined forces with fashion photographer Mario Testino on a collection inspired by his own portraits of Peruvians wearing traditional and festive attire from the mountainous region of Cusco. It was also the exclusive stockist for the 17-piece collection, which included silk and cotton blend kaftans, silk scarves, tote bags and clutches. Many pieces were sold out within a day of the launch.
STELLA MCCARTNEY
In 2009, British designer Stella McCartney created a capsule collection exclusively for Net-A-Porter. The 23-piece collection was a twist on her classic wardrobe staples and featured signature favourites such as a classic trench, an organic cotton T-shirt and skinny denim jeans
This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on July 12, 2013. For similar stories, go to sph.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.