Fashion and retail are among the many industries suffering a massive blow to business due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to indefinitely closing the doors of brick-and-mortar locations, retailers have been forced to furlough employees, push aggressive markdowns on merchandise to encourage consumers to keep spending, and, in the unfortunate case of companies like J.Crew and Neiman Marcus, declare bankruptcy in the hopes of staying afloat. But a surprising lifeline has been tossed in the direction of small and medium-sized fashion businesses, by the mega online retailer Amazon.
The cyber giant’s style-oriented platform, Amazon Fashion, announced the launch of its partnership with Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America as part of a multi-pronged effort to help struggling businesses. The initiative was kicked off with an immediate monetary contribution of $500,000 to A Common Thread — the story-telling initiative across Condé Nast platforms to raise awareness and funds to support the American fashion community. The collaboration, which is called Common Threads: Vogue x Amazon Fashion, also includes a digital storefront dedicated to providing designers with access to Amazon’s vast customer base and advanced fulfillment network.
“I’m thrilled to announce this partnership, and want to thank Amazon Fashion, not only for its generous support of ‘A Common Thread,’ but also for so quickly sharing its resources to aid American designers affected by the pandemic,” Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour said in a statement. Wintour also serves as Condé Nast’s U.S. Artistic Director and Global Content Advisor. “While there isn’t one simple fix for our industry, which has been hit so hard, I believe this is an important step in the right direction.”
This means the digital marketplace known for its viral puffer coats and oft-irresistible cheap style finds is now home to a slew of fresh inventory from lust-worthy labels like Batsheva, Brock Collection, Derek Lam 10 Crosby, and Tabitha Simmons. These are just a handful of the 20 brands ready and waiting for you to sift through their high-end wares via Amazon. It’s not the first time some of the industry’s biggest players have gotten involved with the retailer — just a few months ago, Diane von Furstenberg celebrated International Women’s Day by shining a light on the site’s smaller, women-led businesses — but the Common Threads collab is definitely one of the largest for Amazon Fashion so far.
“We’re honored to partner with Vogue and the CFDA to provide immediate support and to extend our services to help these brands reach tens of millions of new customers,” said Christine Beauchamp, President of Amazon Fashion. “Fashion is a priority for our highly engaged customer base, and we are dedicated to serving as an innovative destination for both well-known and emerging brands to grow their businesses.”
Click here to discover the array of shoppable styles currently available as part of the Common Threads: Vogue x Amazon Fashion initiative (think: technicolored summer dresses, boho-inspired accessories, and ultra-chic loungewear) and check out some of our top picks below.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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