London Wants Its Fashion Even Faster Than New York

Alison Loehnis does a lot of finger snapping when talking about Net-a-Porter customers. “They want speed” – snap. “They want service” – snap. “They want ‘experience” – snap. Loehnis is the swishy, fast-talking New Yorker who took over the reins from Natalie Massenet as president of Net-a-Porter in October 2015 when the company merged with Yoox. She’s more low key than Massenet and possibly less overt fun at a dinner party but is certainly a cool, sharp, no-nonsense front to this £2 billion global company, which includes in its orbit Mr Porter, The Outnet and Porter magazine. Right now she’s describing the typical Net-a-Porter (NAP) customer in London: a “demanding” and “exacting” woman who wants her clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, whatever it is she’s scrolled through and ordered pre-commute, or post-boot camp, or over coffee, “immediately” — snap. “I find the fact that Londoners want their orders even quicker than New Yorkers surprising,” she says. And price “is not an issue”. My God, I’m thinking. Who are these people? But actually, a sizeable percentage of us: nine percent of Londoners shop on NAP, mostly for simplicity, ease and efficiency. Read more at Evening Standard.