By John Revill
Natalie Massenet was a fashion journalist early in her career.
That experience is evident in Net-A-Porter, the online clothing
retailer she founded that will be folded into Italy's Yoox SpA.
Ms. Massenet, who got the idea for Net-A-Porter while
researching clothing for shoots, laid out her website to resemble a
fashion magazine, like Vogue. That would make it simpler for online
visitors, which now number 2.5 million a month, to click on an
outfit from a website that looks like a magazine.
On Tuesday, Net-A-Porter took a step toward increasing its
readership. Swiss luxury giant Cie. Financière Richemont SA, which
bought the bulk of Net-A-Porter in 2010, said it was combining with
Yoox to create one of the world's largest companies dedicated to
online luxury retailing.
Richemont didn't make Ms. Massenet available for an
interview.
Ms. Massenet, a Los Angeles native, worked as a model in Japan
before starting her career as a journalist at Women's Wear Daily
and Tatler. The mother of two, who holds both U.S. and U.K.
citizenship, set up Net-A-Porter in June 2000.
Since then Net-A-Porter has expanded to include The Outnet.com,
a fashion outlet, and MrPorter.Com, one of the first global online
sites for menswear.
The company now employs 2,500 people in London, New York,
Shanghai and Hong Kong.
In January 2013, Ms. Massenet was named chairman of the British
Fashion Council, a body set up to promote British fashion. She was
made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to
the fashion industry in 2009.
Write to John Revill at john.revill@wsj.com
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