An article in the Technology section of the New York Times provides further proof of the growing appetite for online luxury apparel sales, a $1b market this year and growing more than 20% annually.

Contrary to popular belief, it is some of the more expensive things that are being snapped up the most quickly, according to Brendan Hoffman of Neiman Marcus Direct, which

“has been exploding over the past 18 months, really at the upper end of the price points.” Basic garments sell comparatively slowly, Mr. Hoffman said, but items like $7,900 Valentino gowns, $5,500 Carolina Herrera jackets and other items “with more camera appeal” sell quickly. “We’ve yet to see any limits to what they’re willing to pay."

The article goes on to trot out the same old case studies and growth figures of Net-a-Porter and Yoox, and highlights how so many major brands are now moving online, but it fails to really dive into the issue of where do luxury ecommerce retailers go next. Apart from a cursory mention of new features on the Saks.com site, it glosses over the most interesting question of all: where could all of this take luxury in the years to come?

One thing is for sure.  We have already seen luxury companies engage in a great land grab for the best retail spaces in the world’s international cities over the past decade. Now that most luxury companies are moving online, the next race will be to to make the experience of shopping online the most satisfying, most special, most interactive, and most personalised — while still respecting the simplicity and ease-of-use (beware the trap of Boo.com!) that makes online shopping convenient.

Photoclip courtesy of the New York Times