Editors' Top Reads: News from Kering, Mr Porter, TheIndustry.fashion LIVE and more...

Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.

Mr Porter founding team reunited as Mytheresa completes YNAP acquisition

I'm liking the look of LuxExperience already (even if I'm a bit lukewarm on the name). Following the completion of Mytheresa's acquisition of YOOX Net-A-Porter from Richemont this week, it was confirmed that it has reunited two key members of the founding team of Mr Porter to run the online menswear destination.

Toby Bateman, former managing director is returning to the fold as CEO, while Jeremy Langmead is back as brand director. These are smart appointments from LuxExperience (the new name for the combined luxury group) and bode well for its future strategy.

LuxExperience CEO Michael Kliger has always been clear that he intends to protect the distinct identities of the brands in the group (that now includes Mr Porter, Net-A-Porter, Mytheresa, YOOX and The Outnet) and these appointments suggest that he means it.

In fact, not only does it suggest he wants to protect the individual brand identities but he wants to get them back to their best. Bateman and Langmead's Mr Porter was a joy. It combined insightful and thought-provoking content (always done with good humour) with a superior and original edit of brands, making it the ultimate destination to learn about and buy luxury and premium menswear. It's fair to say it had gone of the boil in recent years, as had its sister site Net-A-Porter (Mytheresa on the other hand retained its superior positioning and strong financial results).

I can't wait to see what Bateman and Langmead do now they are back together and I look forward to seeing who is appointed/reappointed on the Net-A-Porter side too. Could this be the start of a resurgence of the luxury multi-brand market? Let's hope so.

Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.

Highlights from TheIndustry.fashion LIVE: Elevating the post-purchase experience

TheIndustry.fashion LIVE: Elevating the post-purchase experience took place on Wednesday, bringing together brands such as Cos, Sisters & Seekers, Bluebella, JoJo Maman Bebe, New Look, Pandora, Aligne, Depop, Universal Works, Shein Group, Ro & Zo, Reformation and Paul Smith, amongst others, to gain valuable insights into the various channels driving the post-purchase experience.

In partnership with supply chain experts Bleckmann, the event featured insightful sessions with retailers and industry leaders from retailers such as Liberty, Seraphine, Henri Lloyd, Recomme, and GreenWith Studio. Topics covered included customer communication and post-purchase marketing, returns, refunds and exchanges - and how you can maximise these channels, opportunities with packaging for improved experience and sustainable credentials, and more.

Here are some key takeaways from this week's event. If you missed it, be sure to sign up to TheIndustry.fashion's daily newsletter to stay updated on future events. Speaking of which, don't miss TheIndustry.fashion LIVE: The Omnichannel Opportunity on 14 May 2025. This event will explore the technology and services essential for delivering a seamless, elevated customer experience while driving success for your business. Find out more about the event here.

Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer. 

Freemans sees 'huge expansion' of menswear offer through third-party brands

It was interesting to read this week that Freemans is going hell for leather to up its menswear game, following the success it has had with its womenswear offer, by signing a whole new raft of third-party menswear brands while also hugely increasing its ranges with existing brands.

Taking a look at the website, however, the menswear section could probably do with a bit of a makeover to match such a bold move – especially given some of the latest signings include the likes of Napapijri and Lacoste (going live in July), which would normally be associated with more premium menswear accounts. The Freemans homepage looks decent enough, don’t get me wrong, with the latest campaign with Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the retailer’s ‘Style Squad’ at the forefront of womenswear, as well as ‘Myleene’s Edit’, a selection in collaboration with Myleene Klass. But if you type in a Google search for ‘Freemans menswear’, despite the retailer distancing itself from its catalogue roots (it ditched its catalogue business in September 2023 to focus on being an ‘online department store’) it still looks, well, a bit catalogue!

I could be about to eat my words, as a new ‘Style for Every Moment’ menswear campaign launch is imminent, which could well up the ante, but I’m still a bit confused as to who the Freemans men’s customer is and the overall edit is a bit all over the place.

The website currently boasts a surprising amount of brands - and a right old mix it is too. There’s some brands I’d even forgotten existed, like Marc O’Polo, Mustang and POD (though not as I remember them!). They share the platform with Pringle, G-Star, even Mango. Then there’s Vans and Dickies to capture the skate crowd, and O’Neill and Quiksilver to catch the next wave of surf-inspired punters. On top of all that there’s department store mainstays like Tommy Hilfiger and Levi’s, while Champion, Ellesse, Birkenstock, Adidas Originals, K-Swiss and Ben Sherman are all in the mix.

Other brands joining the fold this summer include Farah, Original Penguin and Selected Homme, once the retail fodder of many menswear independents. And, making sure all angles are covered, formalwear "for weddings and the races" come from Skopes and Harry Brown, while outdoor kit from Helly Hansen, Mountain Warehouse and TOG24 also make the fold.

One thing Freemans certainly seems to be out to do is leave nothing uncovered. It would be interesting to hear what Buying Manager Martin Roberts, who joined Freemans last year from N Brown Group – where he had looked after the Jacamo brand from its inception through to 2024 – has to say about their strategy. Over to you Freemans.

Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor. 

Kering reported a 'difficult start to the year' as Gucci sales slipped by 25%

This week, Kering confirmed that the slump in luxury sales is continuing. The luxury house revealed its sales were down by 14% to €3.8 billion (£3.25 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, as it had "anticipated". Gucci, its star player, took the biggest hit with revenues declining 25%.

Sales from its network fell by 16% on a comparable basis. Geographically, sales in Asia-Pacific were down 25%, while Western Europe saw sales dip by 13%, North America by 13%, and Japan by 11%. Meanwhile, wholesale revenue from the group’s fashion houses dropped 23% on a comparable basis, due in particular to the ongoing "strengthening of their distribution’s exclusivity". However, wholesale revenue from Kering Eyewear and Kering Beauté rose by 2%.

Chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault said: "We are increasing our vigilance to weather the macroeconomic headwinds our industry faces, and I am convinced that we will come out stronger from the present situation."

It's a bad day for the luxury fashion industry when even Gucci has reported sales have slipped by 25%. But there's hope yet. Will recently appointed Creative Director Demna turn things around?

Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.