Farfetch, one of the world’s leading online luxury destinations, has acquired Violet Grey for an undisclosed amount which would mark the luxury e-commerce giant’s foray into the $70 billion luxury beauty market space. Violet grey is an LA-based, editorial-driven beauty marketplace that has become a renowned beauty destination for many iconic global brands like Augustinus Bader and Westman Atelier, alongside megabrands Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Estée Lauder-backed La Mer, and Tom Ford. 

Famously known as “the industry’s beauty edit,” Violet Grey has quickly become a go-to source for the kind of rarefied luxury products one might find in the medicine cabinets of Hollywood’s most sought-after makeup artists and aestheticians. 

The acquisition of Violet Grey by Farfetch will bridge the gap between luxury fashion and beauty, allowing Violet Grey to share their coveted community and distinct editorial integrity with a global audience.

All about Violet Grey

Violet Grey is a content and commerce destination that connects with consumers through a global community of content creation, product curation, and Hollywood beauty culture. A force rooted in beauty, Violet Grey encompasses authority and celebrity, and an obsession with cutting-edge innovation. Their unique offering includes niche labels, legacy brands, exclusives, and their premium video content reimagines a mobile-first content and commerce experience. 

The company’s tightly curated edit of committee-approved products has a cult-like following, thanks to the “Violet Code”. The Violet Code is a testing process where the industry’s best makeup artists, hairstylists, estheticians, dermatologists, and celebrity influencers discover, test, and approve the finest beauty products. The results are, of course, a curation by the best in the business.

Their Business Model

The business model of Violet Grey is heavily inspired by the Parisian fashion boutique – Colette which is known as the pioneer of curating indie brands alongside luxury giants. Named the “trendiest store in the world” by Forbes, Colette reigned supreme as the original concept store. Violet Grey’s presentation, marketing plan, and elaborate editorial component most definitely is ground-breaking. 

At the core, Violet Grey is a media company and editorial site and the e-commerce aspect is just an outgrowth of that. They believe in attracting the right audience who will convert into paying customers. 

About the Founder

Violet Grey was founded in 2014 by Cassandra Grey, L.A.’s high priestess of beauty. Before the glitz and glam of Hollywood, Cassandra Grey was curating arts and crafts as a six-year-old for a country fair where she developed an early obsession with art and design. Grey worked as a  branding consultant and real estate marketing guru in New York, where she fostered her entrepreneurial spirit. 

During the rise of Net-A-Porter, it occurred to Grey that there wasn’t a platform combining a magazine and an online shopping experience. And, that’s when she wrote the business plan for what is now Violet Grey. The business plan came to life as a blog known as ‘The Violet Files’ was soon followed by Violet Grey in 2014 as an eCommerce and brick-and-mortar store. 

With the latest acquisition, Cassandra Grey’s new role is as the Global Advisor for beauty on Farfetch marketplace and co-founder of New Guards Group Beauty, where she will work to incubate and accelerate new brands.

The future of shopping is about curation

“We take this sh&t seriously. We are here to be nothing less than legendary.” – Violet Grey

Overwhelm is indeed a problem when it comes to shopping online. Customers are increasingly relying on trusted recommendations to discover and purchase the right products that suit their lifestyles and interests. This opens up a real opportunity for brands to position themselves as tastemakers with consumers, and who does it better than Violet Grey?

Violet Grey is elevating the luxury shopping experience by meddling the best of beauty with the convenience of eCommerce and the latest collaboration with Farfetch will allow Violet Grey to leverage the platform’s expertise in technology, global logistics, and operations. They have curated an aesthetic that instills inner confidence in both men and women. Talking about curation, we can not help but mention Violet Grey’s Instagram page. Everything is so carefully chosen and thoughtfully organized and its looks like a collage of art itself. 

The ‘Violet Code’ and the rigorous vetting process is what makes Violet Grey the pioneers of curated beauty products. You will find an editor’s note on each product that’s recommended by the best in beauty, therefore there is no second-guessing while making a purchase.

The bottom line is that the future of retail will not be about having a large variety of products like it has been in the past. The next generation of retailers will win over the customers with their thoughtful curation of products. We are so excited to see Violet Grey officially launch on Farfetch.