Lady LUX

Emanuele Della Valle is at it again. After launching his first Web project fall 2011, he intends to serve a second course, reported WWD. On Feb. 13 – smack in the middle of New York Fashion Week – he will introduce LifestyleMirror, an online magazine featuring selective editorial content in categories such as fashion, beauty, travel, menswear and lifestyle interests. The publication claims to be “new way to discover and instantly shop for style online.”

While “e-commerce heavy,” the site is not, said Della Valle, an e-commerce site. All goods highlighted have a direct connection to a point of purchase, whether a coat purchased at Mr Porter to the balloons from 1-800-Balloons beside Daphne Guinness when she was photographed for the site’s first weekly feature. Guinness was chosen to be the focus of the first anchor story, which will change weekly versus the other articles, which will be refreshed multiple times per day.

“The mission is to build a platform of digital media brands from scratch,” Della Valle said to WWD. “As a publication, LifestyleMirror is a mix between a concept store and a megamall. The content is beautiful but it’s something right for the fast and modern consumer. It’s not a fashion website. It’s lifestyle.”

The focus makes sense. Della Valle is far from being the average fashionista. Instead, he sees himself as a “guy’s guy.” His outfit of choice: navy blue three-button or double-breasted blazers created by Caraceni in Milan or Duca Sartoria in New York that he combines with Brooks Brothers button-downs and Levi’s jeans. Only a pair of custom-made, crystal-framed, blue-tinted glasses made by Selima with his initials, EDV, carved on the side, betrayed any pure fashion inclination.

Co-founder Francesco Carrozzini gets to be LifestyleMirror’s creative director, and former stylist Chelsea Gombes will be editor-in-chief. Della Valle has also lured former editors from key publications such as Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country to handle editorial production, including content and style choices. But Della Valle also wants to hear from his readers, who may become contributors through sharing via social media outlets.

“We will always go from left to right, from high to low, as we never want to be stuck with [only] uberaffluent price points,” Della Valle said. “If there is a vintage dress featured [in a story], then we will give suggestions in price ranging from Topshop to L’Wren Scott.”

The publication is offered at no cost. Della Valle intends to turn a profit from advertising, retailer and brand sponsorships, and a percentage of any purchases driven to a retailer’s site.

The site’s revenue structure is a market contrast to Della Valle’s first media effort, Elizabeth Street. An online option for the chic mother, it released in November as an iPad app, with a website to be unveiled March 1. The app is a departure from the usual “mommy blogs.”

Elizabeth Street is offered at $4.99 per month, which Della Valle feels is fair as the site supplies users with useful content such as information on day care, organic cooking, children’s apparel and fun, family-friendly vacations.

After the concept releases in March, the basic app will be free and the jazzed up version will become $4.99. Della Valle hopes the site will “offer a pure editorial experience for an audience — moms — that may be alienated by ads before they become constant and loyal users.”

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