Delvaux has landed on Mytheresa

There are currently 36 models available on the platform, which include bags, accessories, and small leather goods.

This is the world’s oldest fine leather goods house, whose prices are on par with Hermès and the classic Chanel. I often encountered the brand mentioned as a favorite among Belgian grandmothers. It belongs to the Richemont group, which recently closed a deal with Mytheresa to sell Net-a-Porter (details are here).

By a funny coincidence, shortly before observing this, I was browsing the Delvaux website. The site is fairly old-school in terms of product presentation (I didn’t analyze its navigation policies), so appearing on Mytheresa will help enliven the brand’s image somewhat. By the way, as I’m writing this note, I visited Delvaux’s official site again and noticed that the latest images introduce new creative touch to product presentation of latest items.

Besides that, Delvaux’s appearance on Mytheresa also means potential for expanding its customer base.

Earlier, a similar unexpected move—appearing on Mytheresa—was made by Bvlgari. Hard luxury brands with significant resources and a strong following rarely (or even never) consider third-party platforms. It’s usually smaller jewelry brands with a niche audience that want to break into a new, broader level. However, as with Delvaux, thanks to this step Bvlgari not only refreshes the perception of its offering through a more modern and polished online presentation, but also reaches new customer bases. Such moves must be cautious and carefully calculated, possibly with additional conditions. But overall—in most cases I see more arguments in favor than against.

*Although what does it mean, “third-party platforms”—in the online luxury multiretailer market there are only a few serious players left, and Mytheresa can be considered almost a monopolist.

Who will be next to appear on Mytheresa? I’m betting on Phoebe Philo—they still haven’t managed to optimize their eponymous website (wrote here).