With Hypecult emblazoned across his black T-shirt, French rapper Aupinard is delivering a set blending R&B rhythms with bossa nova sounds. It is Thursday evening in a former industrial workshop in Paris’s 11th arrondissement, now converted into an events venue. The perfect setting to bring together Parisian urban-culture influencers and personalities, as well as representatives from numerous brands, with a single objective: to celebrate the launch of a new streetwear e-commerce site, Hypecult.

The concept behind this new player was unveiled with a live site launch at 7:30 pm and a scenography devised by the creative agency Wave, showcasing an on-trend selection from Clarks, New Balance, Saucony, Puma, Adidas and Dr. Martens.

Behind this new player is e-tailer Spartoo, which announced at the beginning of the year that it was preparing this launch for September. “We’re very proud to be launching a site dedicated to streetwear culture. Hypecult is aimed at 18-35-year-olds, with a particular focus on young women,” explained Boris Saragaglia, CEO of Spartoo. “We have worked with agencies specialising in this space. We’ve had very positive feedback from most brands, and Adidas and New Balance have been particularly supportive of the project.”

Hypecult is entering a market where bricks-and-mortar giants such as JD Sports, Foot Locker and Courir occupy significant space, and where a constellation of independent multi-brand retailers jostle for position.

At launch, the site features around fifty brands, mainly established names in ready-to-wear and footwear, with a total of more than a thousand products. Alongside Adidas and New Balance, Asics, Saucony, Patagonia, Levi’s, Hoff, Lacoste, Dickies, Daily Paper, Barbour and New Era have backed the newcomer.

“Some of these partners have a very wide offering, but we worked with them on the selection,” explained Spartoo’s CEO. “In sneakers, for example, we have access to Tier 1 and Tier 2 assortments, with trend-led models that are far more fashion-forward than those we offer on Spartoo. And, gradually, we’ll be adding a range of streetwear brands that are more niche but popular in this space.”

Edwin, Champion and Minimum will be arriving shortly, and Hypecult will also offer collections by Bisous Skateboard, Gramicci and Homecore.

As for the site’s UX—whether the typography used, colour codes, brand visuals and films, or its architecture—Hypecult aligns with the sector’s conventions. Particular attention has been paid to editorial content. Even though the Spartoo name does not appear on the site, the new entrant will have to prove its legitimacy in the sector. Boris Saragaglia pointed out that “there are many generalist fashion pure players, but there is a less competitive space available, particularly for women’s products and streetwear.”

However, while the setbacks of sites specialising in limited-edition sneakers have freed up space in e-commerce, many specialist multi-brand retailers across France have their own sites with tightly curated selections. Alongside heavyweight Parisian players Starcow and Shinzo, and SNS, which also has a shop in Paris, Hypecult will have to differentiate itself from the online activity of Marseille-based Hype, The Hype in Amiens and Hype-Shoes, which has boutiques in Nice and Cannes.

A prospect that doesn’t faze Spartoo’s co-founder.

“I see even greater potential than for Spartoo,” he said, stressing that Hypecult needs to take the time to establish itself within the community.

For the Grenoble-based company, which will present its quarterly results on Monday, this development also carries strategic weight. Against a backdrop of slowing activity among online players, Spartoo notes that its long-standing customer base, mainly women and families, is affected by consumer budget constraints. Diversifying its customer profiles with targeted propositions while offering the same level of service (free delivery and returns, payment in instalments, and customer service) should enable it to find new growth drivers and mitigate risk.