Ex-Net-a-Porter fashion director launches Vvend, links with Bambuser on live shopping

We’ve heard a lot about how livestream shopping is the future and Kay Barron clearly believes it is. The former Net-a-Porter fashion director (and best-selling author via How to Wear Everything) has founded Vvend, a new video commerce creative agency.

It’s launched this week in a strategic partnership with Bambuser, “the global leader in video commerce technology powering more than 200 retail brands worldwide”.

They said the link up and the creation of the company “was inspired by Kay’s experience leading and hosting Net-a-Porter’s livestream series, which became a commercial hit for the platform, popular for enabling viewers to purchase outfits in real-time”.

So Vvend hopes to continue that trend with its consultants helping brands “drive digital revenue, engagement, loyalty, and growth, through elevated and captivating ‘shoppertainment’.” 

Vvend offers bespoke fashion, beauty and lifestyle content strategies, creative direction, and live shopping workshops, plus end-to-end production and optimisation of cross-platform content. Its services cover hosting, talent casting and training, content road-mapping, and targeted launch planning, e-commerce video, imagery, and paid media.

Through the partnership, Bambuser “will now refer Vvend to brands seeking to launch and enhance their video commerce initiatives”.

Barron said that the business “was born out of a shared belief with Bambuser that video commerce isn’t just a trend, it’s a fundamental shift in how brands connect and build relationships with their communities, and how customers want more from their online shopping experiences.”

And her new strategic partner was clearly drawn in by Barron’s direct experience of the channel with its CEO Maryam Ghahremani saying: “Few people have as much first-hand knowledge of live shopping as Kay. We’re excited to work with Vvend as we continue to provide brands with the tools and confidence to activate shoppable video, an increasingly essential way to engage today’s digital audiences.”

Bambuser says it has the largest customer base in its industry (more than 250 brands) and its international streaming services are available in 2490 countries. It has its HQ in Stockholm and offices in New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Turku (Finland).