Webwatch Article
July 14, 2008
http://www.brandchannel.com/features_webwatch.asp?ww_id=389

Diane Von Furstenberg — seamless?

After selling her first trunk full of wrap dresses in 1972, Diane Von Furstenberg set to creating a brand by selling her goods with a tag line ("Feel like a woman, wear a dress") that resonated with the women's rights movement. The result? Sales figures in the millions under her wrap belt.

After a penning a few fashionable tomes and launching a cosmetics line in the early 1980’s, Von Furstenberg fled the US Fashion scene for Paris and altruism, only to return in 1997, to reintroduce her brand the same way she had twenty-five years before—by bringing her signature wrap dress back to an appreciative market.

It worked, and today Diane Von Furstenberg, or "DVF," has her stamp on sportswear, dresses, swimwear, accessories, cosmetics, jewelry and luggage. She’s also earned the prestigious title of President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). It’s clear that Von Furstenberg knows that a signature look, savvy slogans and a sharp sense of timing are the makings of a successful fashion brand. But can she "work it" online?

The short and long of it is a definitive yes. Right down to the mini-Warhol portrait of the designer that appears in your browser window, DVF.com is a well-oiled machine fueled with most of the bells and whistles you need to create an online fashion experience that appeals to the masses.

An enticing video of the latest DVF fashion show from Italy beckons surfing fashionistas on the homepage, employing something close to the Vogue font to imply status chic. When it’s time to skip over to the "Shop" page, a Flash montage called "Looks We Love" gives viewers a sneak peek at the hot DVF designs of the season, displaying products and instructing design choices as if readers were virtually flipping through the pages of Vogue or Bazaar. A nice addition, if technically possible, would be to allow viewers to click on these designs and immediately be redirected to a purchase page.

In the purchase section, viewers are efficiently directed to consider featured products on the "Shop the Show" page. It’s also easy enough to browse products by category.

When folks offer up their demographic information to DVF.com, they receive mild benefits like having their purchasing information saved, receiving “personalized” product recommendations, and having their lists of favorites stored. These seem like basic accommodations, and one wonders if they couldn’t come up with more chic and enticing benefits that would make the user feel more jet set and luxurious, like the label’s promise.

The best, most content rich section is the DVF Diary page, which features press clips, photos of Diane’s globetrotting adventures with the rich and powerful, store openings, commercial video events and even a weekly horoscope. Each content choice embodies the DVF brand by demonstrating a strong understanding of who their consumers are and what information will keep them engaged.

As DVF is what’s considered a mild luxury brand (meaning it has a price point that isn’t too audacious), a certain caliber of customer service—even online—is of the utmost importance. Luckily, DVF.com doesn’t constrain users who need service to email, but offers a phone number so they can reach a live person if need be. DVF brand junkies can also pre-order items through the website, which is a nice bonus for fans of the brand, but the full text of instructions were not viewable on the browser—a considerable oversight.

All in all, DVF.com, with the exception of a few details, is an accurate portrayal of the continentally fabulous jet-set brand and the mistress it’s named for. Here’s hoping Von Furstenberg’s penchant for perfection will see to repairing the minor rips in the site’s seams.

Vivian Manning-Schaffel is a freelance writer who lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

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