A live-streamed fashion show featuring 42 looks has marked the launch of a luxury Tmall flash sales channel via app that makes the styles immediately available to shoppers.

Alibaba Group’s B2C online marketplace Tmall.com has launched the channel through its mobile-phone app, allowing viewers of the live stream to “scan and buy” the runway looks.

Soft-launched about three months ago, the Tmall channel is being managed by Mei.com, which since 2010 has run a website in China that provides a flash sales outlet for nearly 300 international luxury brands including Armani, Longchamp, Michael Kors, Tumi and Zegna, through exclusive partnerships.

Alibaba invested an undisclosed amount in Mei.com in July, saying the site’s relationships with affordable luxury goods merchants would complement Tmall’s roster of high-end retailers such as Burberry, Coach and Hugo Boss. The new flash-sales channel gives Tmall.com shoppers direct access to discounted luxury goods from more than 3000 retailers and authorised distributors.

“The launch of the channel will further the variety of brands on Tmall and offer China’s burgeoning middle class a one-stop shopping platform,” says Alibaba Group CMO Chris Tung.

Millions of consumers across China watched the fashion show. It featured clothing and accessories, including 30 womenswear looks, 10 menswear looks, and a finale including two children’s looks.

Actor Peter Sheng, famous for his role in the China web series Go Princess Go, made his runway debut in the show wearing a Carven suit. American socialite Olivia Palermo styled one of the runway looks and was a front-row attendee of the show wearing the look herself.
Trendsetters and tastemakers attending the event also included singer Chris Lee and runway model and pop star Tia Ray, who also performed.