LONDON, United Kingdom - In the latest sign of just how quickly consumer psychology is changing, Net-a-Porter yesterday sent an email blast to its huge customer database, offering a “discreet packaging service” to offset the conspicuousness and potential guilt associated with shopping in this, the most severe economic crisis in at least a generation.

Whereas previously the direct marketing email from the world’s pre-eminent online luxury fashion retailer would have been accompanied by a strong, aspirational fashion image, the latest email features whispering women in a 1950′s era photograph. The ad, while cleverly recalling the current fashion revival of the one-piece dress, focuses its message instead on the opportunity to continue to shop “and receive items in an unbranded recycled brown paper bag.”

The move to the discreet strategy is even more noteworthy when one considers that the deluxe packaging usually offered by Net-a-Porter has generally been thought of one of the secrets to the success of the online retailer, and certainly one of the defining moments in its customer experience. Indeed, fashion magazines are currently running two-page Net-a-Porter advertisements showing nothing but the company’s famous black boxes.

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PARIS, France - Even as America teeters on the brink of economic armageddon, fashion week has continued on in full force here in Paris. But, between all the comings and goings, the drama and parties, many designers, buyers and editors have had their eyes and ears tuned into what is going on Stateside, trying to make sense of the ever-changing news.

So what should luxury retailers and brands do in troubled times like this?

The days of unfettered consumption are over. Multi-thousand dollar canvas bags and poorly made clothes with staggering prices which are designed to last only one season will be a tough sell. More than ever, for consumers, every purchase now will involve the price/quality calculation that constitutes value. Consumers will ask themselves, how long will this last? How long can I wear this before it goes out of style? How versatile is this?

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It’s been a long time since the days of disco, Studio54 and the iconic American fashion brand Halston. But, Net-a-Porter and the new team behind Halston are teaming up to use some very 21st century technology to  bring the brand back to life.

Next week, the newly-relaunched Halston will hold its first runway show at the Gagosian Gallery in New York. In a fashion first, two of the featured looks  will be available on Net-a-Porter the very next day for immediate delivery, less than 24 hours after the designs are revealed.

Historically, high-fashion collections are shown months before the clothes actually hit the shopfloor. This was fine in the days before the Internet and fast-fashion retailers, but in recent years, it’s only served to give time for others to knock-off the looks and get them to the market long before the real ones appear.

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Every week there are reports of new online fashion retailers, but some of the biggest names in the UK are noticeably absent from the space. Selfridges and Harvey Nichols have essentially no online fashion businesses to speak of, while the venerable Harrods is selling a heavily edited mix of its lower-priced collections, with an emphasis on accessories, knitwear and outerwear only.

All of this is even more surprising when you consider that many of the major American department stores, with similarly large profiles, have made heavy (and successful) pushes into the online space. Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Barney’s all have online sites with a large fashion assortment for sale. What’s more, many of the world’s best known luxury brands say that their rapidly growing online boutiques are their number one or two retail sales generators, even more than their flagship stores in the world’s fashion capitals.

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Roland Mouret, as part of his new partnership with Simon Fuller, is taking to the web to launch his new collection under the newly-founded RM label.  With high-profile behind-the-scenes coverage of the collection’s unveiling at Couture Week on Net-a-Porter, we may be seeing the first evidence of Mr. Fuller’s influence and experience in having marketed such pop phenoms as the Spice Girls. He may not have fashion experience, but Fuller is a man who knows how to work with creative talent and get front-page attention.

What’s more, this coverage is actually going to be linked to sales to end customers. In a first for the fashion industry, the small 21 piece collection for Spring Cruise 2008 will be available for pre-ordering on Net-a-Porter as of 5:30pm London time tomorrow. Natalie Massenet, the luxury e-tailer’s co-founder, declared the online RM initiative a 21st Century trunk show. It’s another coup for Net-a-Porter which has been continuously  innovating in the increasingly competitive online luxury retail fashion space.

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