NEW YORK - A Kenneth Cole executive revealed that 1.5 percent of the company's revenue is coming from mobile at the Luxury Interactive 2010 Conference.

The conversion rate on the mobile site is less than .5 percent. Kenneth Cole has teamed with Usablenet to revamp its mobile site with the expectation that it can double its mobile conversion within a year.

"Our mobile site experience is not engaging but people are using it to buy," said Tom Davis, vice president of ecommerce at Kenneth Cole, New York. "I want to meet these people so if you are in the audience, please do come see me after the panel."

"Mobile, specifically smartphones, are going to be huge," he said. "It is going to change the way luxury retail is done."

Mobile smartphones are set to eclipse the number of desktops/laptops by 2013 and Mr. Davis said that this clearly demonstrates the value of mobile, in terms of reach.

Facebook is the third largest "country" in the world with more than 470 million users. 100 million of these users are mobile.

"Personalization in the fashion/luxury industry is what is relevant today," Mr. Davis said. "Mobile commerce is a game changer for ecommerce."

Bernadine Wu, founder/CEO of FitForCommerce, New York, spoke before Mr. Davis and talked about how important mobile is to retailers.

She said that mobile sites comprise just 19 percent of technology priorities in 2010 for retailers.

"It is really about content and commerce," Ms. Wu said. "That is more than just product content. Its driving consumers to products via content."

For luxury brands there is a great opportunity in multichannel. But, there needs to be consistent branding and experience.

Per Mr. Davis, luxury needs to be customer-centric.

The end-goal is measuring investment, Mr. Davis said.

He talked about Macy's claiming that every one dollar it spends on online advertising brings $8 via in-store sales.

This type of measurement should be everyones end-goal.

Mr. Davis said that no matter where a consumer is, where they are going or what they are doing, they should be able to reach and engage with your brand.

Luxury brands need to embrace an omnipresent marketing strategy.

"Connect all the dots," Mr. Davis said. "You need to be able to bring the data together wherever I am shopping ? on mobile or PC or in-store."

Kenneth Cole's multichannel marketing strategy consists of traditional, traditional retails, social networks, a Web site, email and mobile.

"I think it is key that we are able to service a customer who knows that they are ready to buy," Mr. Davis said. "The luxury customer deserves and wants and expects that you communicate to them between all the strategies."

Here is a screen grab of the new mobile-optimized version of Kenneth Cole's Web site:

Facebook and social media is important to Kenneth Cole as well.

The company is running a design your own t-shirt application on Facebook.

"Right now we only have 46,000 Facebook fans but we are hoping to grow quickly," Mr. Davis said.

Meanwhile, during her panel at the Luxury Interactive show, Leisa Glispy, director of global ecommerce at Waterford Wedgewood Royal Doulton, Waterford, Ireland, talked about her company?s place in the mobile ecosystem.

?We need to position ourselves and structure the company in that growth,? Ms. Glispy said. ?In the future, we?ll have augmented reality with social shopping.

?With the new iPhone you?re already seeing a more captivating experience,? she said. ?It will enable social shopping. We know we want to be there.?