Pure player Moda Operandi, which pre-orders runway fashion, has announced its expansion into the beauty space.
New York-based Moda Operandi said expanding into beauty was the logical next step after products such as ready-to-wear, homeware and jewelry in season. Chief Brand Officer and Co-Founder Santo Domingo said: "Our clients are looking for our curation of personal styles for fashion, fine jewelry and home. With the launch of this category, Moda will become a complete lifestyle destination land".
Moda Operandi confirmed the appointment of former Harper's Bazaar beauty director Jessica Matlin to head the category. A sourcing team is expected to be in place and report to Matlin; categories such as skincare, fragrance and makeup will be launched in the fourth quarter of this year.
Matlin told WWD: "I'm excited to lead the launch of this category, embracing a unique perspective on luxury beauty through a thoughtful mix of content and business, centered on exclusive access, high-level editorial and brand discovery. Editor and currently also co-host of a podcast called Fat Mascara.
Many luxury fashion platforms have expanded into beauty, with Net-a-Porter leading the way in 2009 with just 11 brands. More recently, the likes of Farfetch, MyTheresa, Matchesfashion and thegreenlabels have all launched beauty products, intensifying competition among the big platforms for a piece of the $500 billion global beauty industry.