Anna Chapman, the Russian businesswoman and alleged secret agent uncovered by the FBI in 2010, has teamed up with the Otto Group to launch an e-commerce shop dedicated to her own fashion brand.
According to an agreement signed last month, the group’s logistic subsidiary eTraction will provide the warehousing, fulfilment, call center, and returns management services required to support the online shop. Delivery will be provided by eTraction’s specialized partners.
As is the case with other clients, eTraction will be remunerated on a cost-per-order basis. Chapman’s company will pay a commission on sales revenues with no flat fees. “Such flexible conditions make our services accessible not only to international fashion brands, but also to Russian designers just starting their business,” eTraction’s director Evgeny Schepelin said.
Chapman launched her brand in early 2014, presenting it for the first time at the Dosso Dossi Fashion Show in Turkey. Russian culture, with its old paintings and designs, have been her sources of inspiration. “Turning to the origins of the great Russian culture represents a new, bright and stylish image, actively interpreting the best traditions of Russian costume in a modern way,” she said.
However, Chapman does not define herself as a designer: “As the founder of the brand, I have chosen professional designers who share my beliefs,” she says.
Chapman’s fashion items are already available online via leading Russian fashion sites Lamoda, Wildberries and Trendbrands, as well as via more than 60 offline multistores, she told East-West Digital News.
The items can also be purchased by foreign wholesale partners “in any quantity if they dont mind Russian labels,” Chapman added. “But if they need to change the labels into English, the minimum order is $15,000.”
No B2C offer is available for the moment.
Anna Chapman’s collections aim to interpret the traditions of Russian costume in a modern, stylish way.
The soon-to-be e-shop is not the first high-tech project of the businesswoman. In 2006, she founded Domdot.ru, an online real estate search engine – a real business activity rather than a secret agent’s cover, as I personally witnessed. After the spy scandal in 2010, Chapman became the editor of Russian publication Venture News, in addition to other political, social and scientific activities.
Now Chapman says she focuses exclusively on her fashion brand. “I don’t even have enough time for the gym with this business,” she told East-West Digital News.
