If your tastes run toward the unique and off-the-rack just won’t cut it, you need to be shopping at the best luxury online shopping sites. Thankfully we’ve made that job easy for you with our list of the top ten.
- Farfetch
- MATCHESFASHION
- Net-a-Porter
- MyTheresa
- Moda Operandi
- SSENSE
- Shopbop
- Yoox
- The Outnet
- Saks Fifth Avenue
The Best Luxury Online Shopping Sites You Should Be Using
If you love luxury fashion but don’t live near a big city where you can visit these shops in person, the list of luxury websites below will give you some great options to do your luxury shopping online. Many of them even have fashion shopping apps so you can browse and place orders right from your mobile phone. If you follow seasonal fashion, you won’t be disappointed.
Many of these luxury designer websites have in stock pieces from the latest shows, and you can fill your closet and start wowing your friends immediately.
So, let’s dig in to find out which of these is the best luxury online shopping site.
What to Look for When Comparing Different High Fashion Shopping Websites
Things we looked for when comparing these different online fashion shopping sites were the website interface, readability, photographs, quality of the content other than products, pricing, product layout, ease-of-use, navigation, the checkout process, and the overall look and feel of the site. We kept an eye out for any red flags like glitches, UI faux pas, and missing elements.
We also kept an eye on pricing and those sites that offered discounted features. You can really find some outstanding bargains with a couple of these fashion outlets. We mentioned return policy and any shipping standouts as well.
1. Farfetch
Farfetch was founded in 2007 by Jose’ Neves with the goal of bringing high fashion shopping online. The luxury shopping brand celebrates individuality and inclusion. The company is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
Farfetch is a very high-end website offering more than 3,000 brands, including Harrods of London. It prides itself on being the “global technology platform for luxury fashion, connecting creators, curators, and consumers.” They pack a lot of technology behind the fancy photographs and editorial press releases.
They ship to more than 190 countries and offer 15 languages online and even offer same-day delivery in 19 cities. Some of their top category lines include Womenswear, Menswear, Kidswear, Vintage, Fine Watches, and Fine Jewelry.
The interface is stylish yet also minimalistic, almost to the point it looks bare in some areas. They don’t overwhelm you with too many products. The entryway into the website offers two links one for menswear and one for women. After that, they separate their collections into categories such as summer attire and “arty” offerings.
They also offer daily inspiration for products and discounts for new shoppers. The negative side is that the menu system is a little confusing, and you can easily get lost when trying to find items. Farfetch’s pricing is higher for some things than competitors.
2. MATCHESFASHION
MATCHESFASHION is another big-name luxury retailer, and their website looks more like what you would expect with a banner ad at the top and a grid of boxes highlighting products and quality content. The high fashion images are stunning and used sparsely enough to create impact.
Although the merchandise is chic, it is also down to earth and approachable. Nothing on the website is cheap, so expect to open your wallet wide when purchasing. They do, however, offer a 28-day return policy.
The product details are precise, they offer a variety of images showing different angles and a model wearing the fashion. The shopping cart is easy to use and full of features with sizing guides and buttons so you can “shop the look” to get matching items from an ensemble.
MATCHESFASHION offers top-named brands like Prada, Gucci, and Balenciaga to Saint Laurent, Halpern, and Wales Bonner. They are headquartered in London, in the United Kingdom with private shopping suites, multiple floors for retail, and a digital broadcasting hub. They also have three other locations in England.
3. Net-a-Porter
From off the cover of a magazine into your wardrobe, Net-a-Porter curates the latest and best new fashions from all over the world. Net-a-Porter boasts that they showcase items that “the most stylish women are buying right now.” The high fashion outlet features gems from Chloe, Bottega Veneta, Prada, Gucci, St Laurent, and more than 800 haute couture brands.
Net-a-Porter launched in 2000 to offer an elite global shopping experience for premier luxury fashion. They offer delivery and a generous return/exchange policy. Their online presence includes social media, a mobile app, and you can seamlessly use their website on a desktop or tablet to browse, learn, or purchase.
The menu system is expansive but easy to use and find what you are looking for. The product browser offers filters to zero in on that perfect handbag, or summer blouse. Another feature we like is the suggested tips for pairing products with other matching items. The entire Net-a-Porter shopping experience online feels “high-end” and polished.
4. MyTheresa
MyTheresa claims to offer a boutique shopping experience online. They have catalogs for women, men, and even a kid’s section. Their curated brands include Helmut Lang, Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino, Balenciaga, Miu Miu, and Fendi, to name a few of their 250. MyTheresa showcases 900 new arrivals each week, “directly from the runway.”
The luxury giant offers 2-day delivery or free shipping to destinations around the world. They also offer free 30-day returns and secure payment protection.
MyTheresa began in Munich over 30 years ago as a boutique reseller for luxury fashion. They boast of exclusive designer offerings and a global presence offering products in more than 140 countries. They pride themselves on excellence in customer service and making your shopping experience flawless.
The website interface is busy with a lot of pop-ups in your face. The images look a little too high-end, almost as though they were borrowed from the pages of a magazine. The navigation is broken down into dozens of categories and sub-categories, making it pretty easy to find the products you are looking for. The checkout process is quick and painless. Unlike some online retailers, they make it very easy to contact them with a phone number and email address on every page.
5. Moda Operandi
Moda Operandi is another luxury shopping website you should take a look at. It carries the latest styles from handbags and dresses to jewelry, products for pets and travel, and even something for the bride-to-be. The website appeals to the masses like a Target for the wealthy.
Prices are comparable to other luxury websites, but the selections appear to be more refined. Some of the other luxury websites we reviewed carry items that are unconventional and impracticable, whereas Moda Operandi offers clothing and accessories that most everyone would enjoy.
Menus are organized well, and it’s easy to find what you want. Moda Operandi does not have too many categories— they have streamlined their inventory to only classy essentials. The interface is clean and user-friendly. The shopping cart and website operate flawlessly and fast. They also don’t inundate you with ads. They make it quick and easy to jump in, make a purchase, and be on your way.
Lauren Santo Domingo founded Moda Operandi in 2010. Not only do they cater to the wealthy set, but they also support up-and-coming, exciting new designers and by promoting their wares launch their careers. They are headquartered in New York, NY, and employ more than 400 people and ship to over 125 countries.
6. SSENSE
Although SSENSE is another top luxury brand on everyone’s list, the website reads like a cultural magazine with a focus on news and showcase features for top new designers or trending products. It feels less like a shopping experience and more like reading a style publication.
The navigation is very confusing, and since they list all of their hundreds of designers, it makes it difficult to find what you are looking for unless you know the top producers. The UI feels unfinished, and the text is so tiny it makes reading anything difficult. Other than product images, the site has very little visual appeal. It seems that the site is trying too hard to be something it is not. The checkout process, however, is clean and uncluttered.
Founded in 2003, SSENSE is based out of Montreal, Canada, and describes itself as “pacing the vanguard of directional retail with a mix of luxury, streetwear, and avant-garde labels.”
7. Shopbop
Shopbop is another contender in the lineup of luxury brands. Their prices are a bit lower, making them more accessible to the middle class. Their UI is clean, fast, and eye-catching. It’s easy to navigate and quickly find products you are interested in. They offer sales of up to 40% off on many products. That alone should get you in the door.
The layout of the home page is perfect with a dabbling of products, then some suggestions with a couple of newsy articles to round out the content. Shopbop keeps it simple, but it works. Their product presentation is sublime, and the checkout experience seamless. They partner with hundreds of top designers like Adam Lippes, Adidas, Wang, Dolce Vita, Fila, Gucci, leRumi, Prada, and many more.
Shopbop opened in 2000 and has grown to be a respected destination for designer apparel and accessories. In 2006, Shopbop was acquired by Amazon, opening up its customer base to a global marketplace. The company is based out of Madison, Wisconsin.
8. Yoox
Yoox is a very high-end online outlet selling fashion and art. They cater to men, women, and children. The website is no-nonsense and is all about the purchase. Products fill the pages with a long list of categories on the side for easy navigation. You can also filter products based on price, color, size, and material. Their odd font choice gives the site a European feel to it.
If you are serious about this year’s styles, Yoox will get you outfitted for the season. They carry brands like Gucci, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Fendi, Montblanc, and Paul Smith.
Yoox is a part of the Net-a-Porter Group and was established in 2000 to become a leader in lifestyle fashion. Their mission is to allow men and women to express themselves through fashion with “an eclectic and playful journey beyond fashion’s strict seasonal rules.” Yoox is headquartered in Milan, Italy.
9. The Outnet
The Outnet boasts of being the discount designer outlet for the masses. They carry a lot of inventory from top fashion moguls such as Burberry, Calvin Klein, Chloe’, Diane Von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Elizabeth Cole, and Givenchy. Their prices are surprisingly affordable.
The Outnet’s interface is clean and sassy. The images are very appealing, with multiple views per product. The fonts are easy to read but too small in many areas. The navigation is well planned and easy to use. The website is fast and responsive, and the checkout process a breeze to navigate.
The Outnet is also part of the Net-a-Porter Group, and it was established in 2009 in London, United Kingdom. They stock previous season bargains for the jet set. The store claims to carry 350 brands at a discount of 70% below the regular price. They also offer express delivery so you can get your finds quickly, and they honor a generous 28-day return policy.
10. Saks Fifth Avenue
Another well-known luxury clothing brand is Saks Fifth Avenue. As its name illustrates, Saks, his located in New York City, NY, on Fifth Avenue. They also have multiple locations in New York and other major cities like Boston.
Saks Fifth Avenue is the result of a collaborative effort between Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel. They combined their talents as independent retailers to open a one-of-a-kind “dream store” in 1924. Their goals were to offer the most elegant quality men’s and women’s fashions and the best possible customer service.
Saks Fifth Avenue website is all about shopping. They don’t offer a lot of fanfare or value-added content, just pages and pages of products. The site is minimalistic and easy to navigate. It is visually appealing yet understated. The categories offered, make it easy to find what you are looking for. They offer a 40% discount off designer brands with hundreds to choose from like Jimmy Choo, La Mer, Valentino, 3.1 Philip Lim, and Dolce and Gabbana. They do offer some truly stunning products for affordable prices.
Saks provides rush and expedited shipping options, with a 30-day return policy. Saks Fifth Avenue has a solid reputation, and they have been in the business for years, but the website and shopping experience did not stand out for us.
The Bottom Line in Luxury Fashion Websites
Most of the luxury websites we reviewed appeared to be built on the same platform using identical shopping cart programs. It’s not a bad thing, all of them worked fine for purchase, and there weren’t too many screens to navigate or too much information to enter in when buying a product. Almost all the sites we reviewed used tiny fonts that were hard to read.
The navigation was identical on a few with dozens of links to fine-tune your browsing experience. We liked that you could hold your mouse over a product to see different views. Pricing varied a lot between the websites, and some were more affordable than others.
We loved MATCHESFASHION. To us, it was the perfect blend of stylish modern fashion wrapped in an approachable website that appeals to not only the elite class but also every man and woman. MATCHESFASHION was our absolute favorite among all the high-end luxury shopping websites.
Another favorite of ours was Shopbop and also the Outlet. Both offered an outstanding shopping experience, better prices, a comfortable website appeal, and an overall feeling of high-quality shopping.
We were also impressed by Moda Operandi and Net-a-Porter, but none of the others really blew our socks off.
Finding just the right luxury fashion website that appeals to you is a purely personal decision. Our all-time favorite was MATCHESFASHION for many reasons, but you might be of a Saks Fifth Avenue person. The great thing is all these websites are available to you, and you can try each of them to see which you like best!