Former longtime Neiman Marcus fashion director Ken Downing is moving onto his next big project. Downing has joined publisher Hearst as its chief brand officer to oversee the vision, creation and marketing strategy for a new fashion magazine e-commerce venture called The Tower, Hearst said Thursday. The editor-infused digital shopping platform will begin launching next spring and will have four individual storefronts by the end of 2022, each with the point of view from Hearst’s fashion magazines Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Town & Country and Esquire. Hearst believes that within a few years, digital will be the dominant channel for luxury purchases, said Kristen O’Hara, Hearst magazines’ chief business officer. And individual influencers on platforms such as Dallas-based LTK (formerly rewardStyle) have become competitors to fashion magazines as the internet has allowed shopping affiliate relationships to thrive.

Source: Ethiopian News December 16, 2021 20:36 UTC