• by Larissa Faw , August 31, 2015

Fred Segal is well-known for its high-end in-store experience, but up until now, the retailer did not have a website or digital marketing. This absence was not only a problem in today's digital world but it also meant that others have been able to control the company's narrative and identity.

Now, Fred Segal is jumping into the online world with the help of digital agency Big Spaceship. Fred Segal tapped Big Spaceship to develop its online strategy and design and to build a new digital experience focused on social storytelling. 

The FredSegal.com site is designed as both an e-commerce site as well as a resource for original content. Thus the landing page opens up as "Rivet" which highlights shareable contributions revolving around a particular topic of interest and helping to make the site more like a magazine than a selling portal. 

Rivets are scheduled to launch every 3 months, ideally with each season. First up, the site is focused on denim in a nod to Fred Segal helping to originate fashion jeans in the 1960’s. A selected group of notable writers and fashion influencers have contributed their thoughts to this subject, including Emily Spivack's look at unisex fashion and Rin Tanaka investigating vintage denim. In addition to these stories, visitors are able to shop a highly-curated selection of men’s and women’s apparel to accompany the denim. The platform will also feature exclusive, limited-edition and collaborative merchandise to help spur visitors and attract attention.

"Our hope is that in the future, the site will mimic the in-store experience - designer boutiques offering exclusive items, which may not be available anywhere besides” the new website, says Lynn Fasano, Senior Producer, Big Spaceship. "We also want the customer to have a seamless experience whether they are in a Fred Segal store or shopping online - loyalty programs, having the ability to purchase items from a Fred Segal location.”

To help support this platform, Fred Segal is introducing a full social media footprint, including Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. However, while Fred Segal is a global brand, this initiative will remain U.S.-focused for now. Fred Segal has no plans to translate this concept internationally. That said, Japan has its own site https://www.fredsegal.jp/ , which is based very loosely off of the aesthetic of this U.S. site.

Fred Segal originally launched in 1961 as a retailer in Los Angeles featuring a wide array of merchandise. Media company Sandow acquired the brand in 2012 and is investing heavily with both offline and online expansion.