Net-A-Porter founder Natalie Massenet linked to Farfetch role

Net-A-Porter.com founder Dame Natalie Massenet could be set to take up a role at online luxury platform Farfetch, say industry sources.

According to the Daily Mail, Dame Natalie could take up a non-executive position at Farfetch ahead of a rumoured float, however both parties have declined to comment.

Massenet was subject to a 12-month non-compete clause upon her departure from Net-A-Porter in September 2015, following its merger with Yoox, and is now free to take up other roles in the industry. She remains chair of the British Fashion Council, a role she has held since 2013.

If true she would be the second high-profile Net-A-Porter executive to join the Farfetch group. Last year Holli Rogers, formerly the buying director at Net-A-Porter, joined as managing director of Browns, the iconic London boutique which Farfetch acquired last year to act as a test bed for its "store of the future" concept.

Farfetch was founded in 2008 by entrepreneur Jose Neves and began life by bringing together some of the best independent luxury fashion boutiques onto one platform. Today it features almost 500 boutiques from across the globe and ships to 190 countries, as well as operating sites on behalf of brands. The business is said to be worth £1bn.

Massenet, a former fashion editor, founded Net-A-Porter in 2000 and it went on to become the world's leading multi-brand luxury fashion destination. During her time at the business, she launched off-season business The Outnet.com and menswear site Mr Porter.com as well as branching into publishing with glossy magazine Porter.

In 2015 owner Richemont Group agreed to a merger with Italy's Yoox Group with Yoox CEO Federico Marchetti taking over as CEO of the newly former Yoox Net-A-Porter entity. Massenet had been due to take up the role of chairman of the group but in September 2015 announced she was standing down.

She awarded her Damehood for services to the fashion industry in December of that year and collected her honour in February 2016.