MySpace Launches Fashion Channel

Right in time for New York’s Fashion Week, MySpace launches its fashion channel, which is similar to their music and movies sections. The site links visitors to fashion designer’s and fashion mags MySpace pages. The site also features video diaries of celebrities’ closets and “fashion lives” through a segment called “The Fit.” InStyle magazine has partnered with the site to provide updated news content to users via a streaming feed on the channel’s homepage, branded as “InStyle News.”

“If you’re an apparel or fashion marketer, MySpace Fashion will give you a focus group to test your product and receive feedback from your core user,” explained Todd Dufour, director of strategic partnerships at MySpace. “Additionally, it gives designers a direct line of communication to the consumer.”

Right now, the only ads up are for InStyle magazine. Where is American Eagle Outfitters or Levi’s? MySpace, according to Business Week, wants more than the mall brands, but wants brands like Donna Karan to not just have MySpace profiles, but to spend some cash targeting their users. That might be a hard sell with fashion hub’s current editorial, which is very youth oriented. We know that there are a ton of MySpace members that are 35-years-old and older (32,192,000 total unique monthly visitors in that category), compared to those 25- to-34 (12,147,000), and 18- to-24 (11,871,000). The majority of MySpace households bring in between $40,000 to $59,999, while over 15 million members have household incomes of $100,000 or more number. However, what 35-year old women is going to spend time lingering on the fashion portal when the offerings are for 22-year olds? They can easily get much more applicable fashion info at Style.com.

Plus, making MySpace actually translate into dollars for big brands has been a tough sell. We’re guessing that small designers will benefit the most, but not in direct cash influx. More like the exposure on MySpace will take them to a whole new level much like the indie rock bands that get signed, get tours and becomes stars.

If you’re a media buyer, we want your thoughts …. would you buy in?