Natalie Massenet
From Wikifashion
| Natalie Massenet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 1965 [1] Los Angeles, USA |
| Occupation | Founder of Net a Porter and The Outnet. |
About
Natalie Massenet is the founder of online luxury store Net a Porter and most recently The Outnet, a more budget friendly store. [2]
Natalie was raised in both Paris and Los Angeles, she went on to study at UCLA. After completing her studies she worked as a film director and stylist.[3] Natalie also worked for WWD and as Isabella Blow's assistant at Tatler magazine. [4][5][6]
She is now married to Arnaud Massenet and investment banker who she met in 1997 at the Notting Hill carnival. She then moved to London from LA to be with him a few weeks later. [7]
The couple have two children, Ava and Isabella. [8]
Net a Porter
The former journalist for Vanity Fair started Net a Porter after readers would repeatedly email her asking where they could purchase items that they had seen in the magazine. [9] The store was launched in 2000, amongst the dot com bubble burst. While other online companies around her failed, the online luxury goods store went from strength to strength. Potential investors initially brushed away her idea, insisting that women would never purchase online. [10]
The company doubled its turnover each year and was listed as one of the Sunday Times' top 100 businesses in the UK. [11]
Net a Porter has been created out of Natalie's vision to create an online magazine that customers could shop from. The store is highly edited and often contains editorial features with some of the 300 brands the store carries. [12]
Customers' purchase orders are on average $1000, with over 3000 new customers being added each month. [13] The site boasts between 2.5 and 3 million unique visitors each month. [14]
Net a Porter stocks over 300 brands, from Miu Miu, Christian Louboutin, Camilla & Marc, Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs. [15][16]
The online store was recently acquired by the Richemont Group which also owns Chloe, Cartier and Alfred Dunhill. It is rumored that Natalie made over $70 million from the sale. [17]
The company has recently moved to an expansive new headquarters with 44,000 square feet of space. The lobby holds a computer screen with a google globe that tracks customers shopping on Net a Porter live. [18] The offices has a glassed in staircase, that was inspired by the one at Prada in Soho. [19][20]
Mr Porter
It was leaked in 2009 that a men's version of Net a Porter, Mr Porter would be launched in 2010. It will stock Burberry, Lanvin, Dunhill, MR by Roland Mouret, Yves Saint Laurent, Rick Owens, Ralph Lauren and Balmain. [21]
The store will again be a hybrid of magazine and store, presenting the collections how men like to consume fashion. [22]
Fashion Season
Natalie Massenet suggested during a live taping with Imran Amed that designers skip a season and show garments in their relevant seasons, allowing customers to purchase off the runway. [23] [24]
Gallery
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 |
 Natalie Massenet at Fall 2010 London Fashion Week. |
 Natalie Massenet at Spring 2009 New York Fashion Week. |
 Natalie Massenet at an event for designer Jason Wu March 2009. |
References
- ↑ Google Docs
- ↑ Business of Fashion
- ↑ The Fashion Spot
- ↑ Vogue UK
- ↑ Telegraph
- ↑ The W Studio
- ↑ Huffington Post
- ↑ Luxe Chronicles
- ↑ Times Online
- ↑ NY Mag
- ↑ Fast Company
- ↑ Fashionista
- ↑ W Magazine
- ↑ Fast Company
- ↑ Guardian
- ↑ Top 100 entrepreneurs
- ↑ Coutorture
- ↑ Diane Pernet
- ↑ Style Bistro
- ↑ Daily Mail
- ↑ Coutorture
- ↑ Fashion Foie Gras
- ↑ Fashion Stylist
- ↑ Signature 9
