With a new ad business, has Farfetch found its feet under Coupang?
Farfetch was once the undisputed pioneer of luxury fashion online, a platform that married technological innovation with an insider's grasp of fashion's nuanced codes. But following its high-profile acquisition by South Korea's Coupang at the end of 2023, the company has entered a new chapter, one marked less by editorial curation and more by commercial optimisation.
The recent relaunch of its in-house advertising division as Farfetch Advertising reflects this pivot. According to WWD, the move aims to boost reach and returns for both global powerhouses like Versace and regional names looking to scale. Yet in doing so, Farfetch edges closer to a transactional model that risks blurring its once-distinctive identity.
That said, under Coupang's stewardship, Farfetch has found new footing. Revenues hit 1.7 billion dollars in 2024 and losses narrowed significantly, with the company even turning a profit in Q4, no small achievement in today's tightening digital retail landscape.
Coupang has brought operational discipline and a growth plan that includes expanding into high-potential markets like South Korea via its R.Lux app. Still, as Farfetch shifts from cultural curator to commerce engine, the challenge lies in balancing scale with soul.
Visibility may now be stronger, but luxury's long-term value lies in its ability to inspire, not just convert.
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Fashion United
2 days ago
- Fashion United
With a new ad business, has Farfetch found its feet under Coupang?
Farfetch was once the undisputed pioneer of luxury fashion online, a platform that married technological innovation with an insider's grasp of fashion's nuanced codes. But following its high-profile acquisition by South Korea's Coupang at the end of 2023, the company has entered a new chapter, one marked less by editorial curation and more by commercial optimisation. The recent relaunch of its in-house advertising division as Farfetch Advertising reflects this pivot. According to WWD, the move aims to boost reach and returns for both global powerhouses like Versace and regional names looking to scale. Yet in doing so, Farfetch edges closer to a transactional model that risks blurring its once-distinctive identity. That said, under Coupang's stewardship, Farfetch has found new footing. Revenues hit 1.7 billion dollars in 2024 and losses narrowed significantly, with the company even turning a profit in Q4, no small achievement in today's tightening digital retail landscape. Coupang has brought operational discipline and a growth plan that includes expanding into high-potential markets like South Korea via its app. Still, as Farfetch shifts from cultural curator to commerce engine, the challenge lies in balancing scale with soul. Visibility may now be stronger, but luxury's long-term value lies in its ability to inspire, not just convert.
Fashion United
10-06-2025
- Fashion United
Farfetch teams up with Coupang's R.Lux to increase reach in South Korea
Farfetch has unveiled a new partnership with an app also owned by the luxury e-tailer's parent company Coupang. Through the collaboration, Farfetch intends to deepen its reach within South Korea's luxury market and allow its own partners to gain 'immediate access to millions of already-engaged customers'. described as Coupang's luxury vertical service, will now offer a selection of luxury products and categories, spanning womenswear, menswear, shoes, bags, watches and fine jewellery. Brands will range from established names, like Dolce&Gabbana, to emerging designers. Farfetch said that through the partnership, it will leverage the local operational network of and as a result provide free shipping and faster delivery to South Korean customers. In a release, Stephen Eggleston, chief commercial officer at Farfetch, said: 'We are thrilled to offer our partners – both brands and boutiques – a tremendous opportunity. This unique gateway will significantly expand their access to the high-spending South Korean luxury market. Together, we will continue to offer the widest selection of products, including unique items customers can't find anywhere else.' Following its acquisition of the British e-commerce site in early 2024, Coupang said Farfetch would take a backseat while it pursued a larger market share of its home country South Korea and Taiwan. In the meantime, Farfetch has enacted a renewed focus on its core marketplace business, which has seen the shuttering of its Platform Solutions service and the bankruptcy of its Italian subsidiary, New Guards Group.
Reuters
03-06-2025
- Reuters
South Korean delivery workers allowed rare pause in services to vote in snap election
SEOUL, June 2 (Reuters) - South Korean e-commerce and courier companies agreed to a rare halt of their delivery services on Tuesday to allow busy delivery workers time to cast their ballot in the country's snap presidential election after pressure from unions and activists. Asia's fourth-largest economy has a highly tuned e-commerce sector and South Koreans typically rely on couriers to deliver everything from fresh food to clothing, often in a matter of hours, with the service normally available throughout the year. South Korea's biggest e-commerce platform Coupang (CPNG.N), opens new tab, agreed to halt express deliveries for the first time since it launched in 2014, joining other local delivery services such as CJ Logistics ( opens new tab and Hanjin Logistics. "Rocket delivery will be paused during the day on June 3," New York-listed Coupang said in a notice on its platform, pausing deliveries between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Most of the tens of thousands of delivery workers in South Korea are considered gig workers or self-employed and do not enjoy the same legal protections as permanent employees. The job is also notorious for long working hours and a heavy workload, with couriers complaining they have seen few of the benefits from an improvement in labour rights in other sectors. The agreement to temporarily halt services during the polls, was positively received by some workers. "I welcome the decision. But on the other hand, it is a little regrettable that night drivers cannot rest," said Cho Shin-hwan, a Coupang courier, who had to work on past elections. Nearly 8 in 10 eligible voters in South Korea voted in the last presidential election in 2022, a far higher turnout than recent elections held in other democracies such as the United States and Japan. Presidential election days are designated as a national holiday in South Korea to encourage workers to vote, with polls for the snap election staying open between 6 a.m. (Monday 2100 GMT) and 8 p.m. (1100 GMT) on Tuesday. "Those affected worked hard to achieve this," said Kim Eun-jung, Deputy Secretary General at the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a non-governmental body, highlighting how delivery workers were excluded from current labour protection laws. The June 3 presidential election was called after the Constitutional Court ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this year for his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3.
