Net-A-Porter global buying director Elizabeth von der Goltz talks Australian strategy and emerging designers with Assia Benmedjdoub.
What were the top selling brands on Net-A-Porter to Australian consumers in 2018?
Our Australian customers are stylish, contemporary and sophisticated. They are confident, discerning in her fashion choices, and more likely to take risks. Predominantly they are buying luxury brands such as Gucci, Chloe and Saint Laurent, along with contemporary labels like GANNI and Acne Studios.
What about key looks, styles or specific products?
From the Castaner espadrilles, to the Gucci Ace sneakers, our Australian customers are shopping shoes.
What are the best-selling Australian brands on Net-A-Porter globally?
We carry over 40 Australian designer brands on site which resonate very well with our global customer.
There is a playfulness and unique view point from the Australian designers we carry on Net-A-Porter. Even our EIP’s (Net-A-Porter's extremely important people) are requesting more and more of our Australian brands, like Camilla, Dion Lee, Ellery and Zimmermann, showcasing that designer shoppers are just as willing to buy Australia brands.
What was the most successful activation or campaign in the Australian market this year?
Australia is such an important market for us as our Australian customer loves fashion and the access we are able to offer them to brands from all over the world. We look to maximise all the opportunities we have to engage with our Australian shopper, both online & offline.
You've launched a new program to help mentor the next generation of designers. What's a key business lesson from that program that you'd like designers to take away?
There are so many up and coming, talented young designers and success can really happen so fast these days. We see businesses explode overnight and whilst this is great to see, we have a responsibility to our brands to ensure they continue to have momentum post-launch.
We launched the Vanguard program this fall to formalise our long-term approach as an incubator and accelerator of the industry’s brightest new talents. We wanted to show our commitment to these young brands and what we see as the future of the industry by offering a framework that enables them to build a sustainable business in today’s market that goes beyond design.
Our buyers give the designers advice on everything from pricing structure, category mix, delivery times, fabrications and merchandising, to working with them on special projects and exclusives.
We’re also a great place for designers to experiment with new ideas. In addition to all of this, they’ll receive one-to-one sessions with Matthew Woolsey, our Managing Director on their business strategy; Brand Creative who will show them how to build their brand image; and Social, Marketing & PR who will guide them on their influencer strategy, content creation, and provide insight into the press and media landscape.
They’ll also have access to our London-based Tech Hub and Photo Studios. And it doesn’t just stop in the UK, the Net-A-Porter network will enable them to be connected to our global teams, whose expertise can be applied to anywhere in the world.
What are some key learnings for Australian designers specifically when it comes to dealing with Net-A-Porter?
Net-A-Porter provides the perfect platform for Australian designers to reach a global customer. People today, tend to champion individualism. They’d rather not follow a trend or “fit in” and this is where Australian labels step in.
When it comes to design, Australian brands are all so different but carry a common thread of having a relaxed attitude with a statement twist. We have launched quite a number of Australian brands throughout this year. All the collections were so diverse and unique, yet still spoke to a global audience, which is incredibly important to us as a retailer.
Nowadays, rather than playing it safe, women are embracing uniqueness and looking to make a statement. With the influence of social media, it definitely helps to create a platform for Australian brands to become more and more popular globally.