Net-a-Porter
Massenet founded Net-a-Porter in 2000 in London as a website in magazine format for selling designer fashion.[12] The idea came about after Massenet was attempting to source products online for a fashion shoot.[12] The business was launched from Massenet's flat in Chelsea and she raised the £1.2m start-up costs with the help of her then-husband, French hedge fund manager Arnaud Massenet.[13] Initially the business operation was so low-key that Net-a-Porter's trademark black delivery boxes were stacked up in the bath.[4]
The concept behind the site was to be able to click on an image of an outfit within a magazine format and buy it. In an interview for The Wall Street Journal, Massenet said that she'd walked away from her dream career in journalism to take the idea forward and it took her several years to realise that she had created a magazine format for the 21st century.[14] Initially, the idea of selling high fashion online was unappealing to designers and investors, who could not imagine selling goods without a physical retail outlet; however, in 2001 Massenet persuaded Roland Mouret to sell his first collection via the site. By 2004, the company was profitable and won the best fashion shop award at the British Fashion Awards.[4]
The company launched a fashion discount site, The Outnet, in 2009 and in 2010 Massenet sold Net-a-Porter to Swiss luxury goods holding company Richemont for a figure estimated at £50m, remaining involved with the company as executive chairman and an investor.[4][10][12] In 2011, a menswear site, Mr Porter, was established; beauty was added to the site in early 2013 under the leadership of David Olsen.[15]
As of September 2013, Net-a-Porter employed 2,600 people in the UK, US and Hong Kong, with further offices in Shanghai and fulfilment centres on the outskirts of three cities.[4][10] Net-a-Porter Group is now estimated as a £350m company.[11]
In early 2014, it launched a print magazine called Porter, with an associated app and digital version of the magazine.[16]
Ahead of a merger with the YOOX Group, Massenet stepped down as the executive chairman of Net-a-Porter in September 2015.[17]
