(Yicai Global) July 2 -- China's JD.Com has opened a new online shop focused on high-end designer brands as part of the country's second-biggest e-commerce player's efforts to compete better against Alibaba Group Holding's Tmall platform.

JDesigner Boutique aims to bring together many different premium fashion brands, the Beijing-based company said in a statement, adding that clothing from Chinese brands Simon Gao and Hai Zhengwang will be the first to be featured as part of the Capsule Collection.

JD's foray into the high-end fashion field is part of efforts to build a fully comprehensive online shopping platform. Since entering the designer market in 2014, it has made great efforts to expand its apparel business so as to compete with the Tmall in the market. Competition between the pair has intensified in recent times with their rivalry now moving to designer brands with higher investment risks.

To support the online shop's development, the firm has organized multiple offline promotional activities including a JD Fashion Space pop-up shop in Beijing last month. The outlet sold outfits from both designers as well as Dutch label G-Star RAW.

JDesigner is divided into two major product lines, namely, JD LAB(x) and JD STUDIO(x). JD LAB(x) mainly cooperates with internationally renowned designers and brands, while JD STUDIO(x) focuses on high-end joint customization, and its main partners are collection brands.

Editor: William Clegg