Hang out at any fashion conference – as I do – and you’ll realise: the future of shopping is mobile. Smartphones are becoming the portal of choice for fashionistas to find, share and buy their favourite items on thego.

Investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates that by 2018, global mobile commerce sales will hit $626bn, up from $133bn in 2013. By the end of this year 1.76bn people will own a smartphone – that’s almost a quarter of theworld population, and by 2017 it will rise to a third, according to research company eMarketer. And then there’s the prospect of shopping on the Apple Watch, with its seductively tempting Apple Pay system.

Luxury consumers aren’t put off purchasing a handbag or even a yacht or car on their smartphone, either.According to the Luxury Institute, a New York-based consultancy, 67 per cent of affluent consumers now shop via mobile.