Bauer Media will launch a high-end ecommerce fashion website this month in an attempt to take on sites such as asos.com.

The magazine publisher will launch Cocosa, its first ecommerce site, to build on the reputation of its fashion titles Grazia, Pop and Arena Homme+.

Adverts will not run on the site, with revenue coming from the sale of designer clothes, bags and accessories at discounted prices.

Cocosa is being marketed as an invitation-only club, with deals to offered to members by email.

"This really marks a new direction for Bauer," a spokeswoman said.

"Cocosa is based on our big heritage and reputation in fashion and we're using that relationship with the fashion industry and fashion consumers to power this platform."

The Bauer chief executive, Paul Keenan, said that like the rest of the company's properties, Cocosa would focus on "using powerful brands to innovate ahead of the competition".

Keenan added: "We are always seeking out further opportunities to create a difference in the markets we operate in and the fashion sector is one of them, given the range of influential brands we publish."

The site will compete with Condé Nast's Stylefinder, the retail site asos.com and the designer store net-a-porter.com, as well as a swath of online shopping startups including the Maurice Saatchi-backed myfaveshop.com.

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