Natalie Massenet set to exit role at BFC after five years

London - Dame Natalie Massenet, the founder of luxury retailer Net-a-Porter, is said to be leaving her role as Chairman of the British Fashion Council (BFC) after five years.

Massenet is reportedly set to step down from her role at the organization which promotes UK fashion at the end of the year but is to remain on the executive committee, according to a source from the Fashion Network. The BFC has yet to remain any potential successors to Massenet but is said to have hosted a surprise party earlier this week to commemorate the entrepreneur five-year tenure.

Massenet is widely recognized as one of the biggest influencers within the fashion industry. After launching Net-a-Porter in 2000, she pioneered luxury fashion embracement of ecommerce, paving the way for the future of fashion. After launching the Outnet, the luxury outlet online retailer platform in 2009, she launched a dedicated platform for luxury menswear under the title Mr Porter in 2011. Massenet left her role at Net-a-Porter following its merger with Yoox Group in 2015 and joined rival luxury retailer Farfetch as a non-executive co-chairman earlier this year.

The BFC has yet to confirm or deny Massenet’s impending departure.FashionUnited has contacted the organization for additional commentary concerning her role.

Photo: Natalie Massenet and Jose Neves, courtesy of Farfetch