LOS ANGELES: Livestreaming from a showroom in Los Angeles' fashion district, Simi Wu enticed an audience half a world away in China with an offer: The bubbly host said she'd give a discount to anyone who could correctly name the brand of the vintage belt she was wearing.
Within seconds, one of her 1,600 viewers posted the answer. The green suede strap with the gold horsebit buckle was 1970s Gucci. Wu rewarded the shopper by knocking 5% off the belt's US$198 (RM791) price tag and set it aside to be shipped overseas. Viewers, undeterred by the time difference (it was about 8.30am in China), responded with a deluge of heart and gift emojis over Wu's livestream.