ELuxury.com to Close Retail Operations

ELuxury.com, the designer e-commerce site launched in June 2000 by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, will close the retail portion of the site completely by June and plans to move many of its employees over to other positions within LVMH. A spokeswoman at LVMH confirmed the San Francisco-based e-tailer is in the early stages of transitioning the site into an online magazine focusing on luxury markets. She said the reason for the closure of the retail operation was not based on the site’s financial performance, but rather because many of the brands it sells have developed their own online presences. “Starting in mid 2009, eLuxury’s new mission will be to create an ‘e-window’ into the world of luxury, by serving as an information reference for luxury in fashion, art de vivre, leather goods, wines and spirits, watches and jewelry, gastronomy, cars, yachts and services,” the spokeswoman said. “To that end, eLuxury intends to develop collaborations with the most prestigious names in the world of luxury media, as well as the main contributors of the luxury world.”