Farfetch aims to end fashion faux pas with new service

Gucci designs on the runway in Milan in February

A luxury shopping website has a new answer for fashion emergencies: 90-minute delivery from Gucci.

London-based Farfetch has come up with the service in a bid to defend itself amid the upheaval in the retail sector.

Farfetch said it had developed technology aimed at collecting better data on in-person shoppers.

The site has also unveiled a design-your-own shoe tool for one of its brands.

The internet and other technologies are making near-instant delivery, customised products and laser-focused marketing increasingly common.

Farfetch, which has forged a reputation as an online platform for high-end boutiques, was founded in London in 2008 by Jose Neves, a Portuguese entrepreneur who began his career in software and shoe design.

He expects further melding of the online and physical shopping experience, even as traditional brick-and-mortar shops survive.

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The speedy Gucci delivery is available to online shoppers in 10 cities including London, New York, Dubai and Los Angeles. Farfetch already offers same-day delivery in select cities.

The site said it would start experimenting with the data tools at its Browns boutique in London and New York later this year.

Well-heeled customers can opt for customised loafers from Nicholas Kirkwood, which start at £425 a pair.

Farfetch employs more than 1,000 people and ships to more than 190 countries. Its most recent fundraising round valued the company at more than $1bn.