Gilt Groupe pretty much has the luxury discount thing on lock, whether it be an Alex Wang dress, a jaunt to South Africa, or hickory smoked bacon. And if they can play a starring role in the deal space, why not take on full-priced e-commerce, right? Right. Later this summer they are rolling out with PARK & BOND, a full-priced men's retail site that will sell some of the brands you've come to expect in your daily Gilt emails, including Alexander McQueen, Etro, Paul Smith, A.P.C.,Thomas Pink, Vince, Theory, and Brooks Brothers. And if the lines seem like mix between I-Banker and Cafe Gitane, look no further than the name, which references two of NYC's chicest, but very different, shopping streets. “Moving into the full-price retail space is the natural next step following the runaway success of Gilt
MAN,” said John Auerbach, General Manager of Gilt MAN as well as
President of PARK & BOND. "Unlike the Gilt MAN flash-sales mode, merchandise on PARK & BOND will live according to seasonality, enabling consumers to shop any brand at any time." How soon do you think it will be before they launch women's...Madison & Orchard, anyone? Natalie Massenet may just be scared.