Amazon could start selling luxury beauty products with Violet Grey deal

By

Emily Jensen

Published
Jul 29, 2017

The e-commerce giant is reportedly teaming up with luxury beauty retailer Violet Grey. The move would introduce many high-end cosmetics lines to Amazon, further expanding its reach in the retail industry.

Amazon already sells beauty products, but the company has not positioned itself as a trustworthy seller of luxury products, with many of its high-end goods coming from third-party sellers or counterfeiters. A deal with Violet Grey could introduce brands such as Tom Ford, Tata Harper and Hourglass to the retailer in an official capacity. However, neither company has released an official comment on the alleged deal.
 
“I cannot confirm a special relationship with Amazon apart from the fact that I have enormous respect for the company and view the platform as one of the only five distribution partners that matter for digital content producers, particularly those of us who ride or die to serve the almighty modern consumer,” Cassandra Grey, founder and CEO of Violet Grey, said in a statement.

Amazon recently launched its own accessories line The Fix, exclusively for Amazon Prime customers and also rolled out its Prime Wardrobe service, which allows Prime users to try on clothes before purchasing them. A deal with Violet Grey could allow Amazon to compete with beauty retailers such as Sephora, which has maintained strong sales while many apparel retailers struggle to stay afloat. 
 
The partnership might also allow Amazon to create its own beauty content, as Violet Grey often creates editorial features with celebrities such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
 
Violet Grey currently operates a physical store on Los Angeles’ Melrose Place, in addition to its online store.