NET-A-PORTER SENIOR BUYER Candice Fragis, A KEEN PRACTITIONER OF YOGA, IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE NET-A- SPORTER INVENTORY
HOW DID YOU BUILD UP YOUR STOCK FOR NET-A-SPORTER?
WE HAVE SOLD ACTIVEWEAR FROM BRANDS LIKE ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY AND LUCAS HUGH FOR SOME TIME NOW, AND WE DEFINITELY RECOGNISE THAT IT’S A GROWING MARKET. WE DID A LOT OF GROUNDWORK INITIALLY AND REALLY RESEARCHED OUR CUSTOMERS’ LIFESTYLE NEEDS. WE THEN APPROACHED BRANDS BASED ON AESTHETICS AND PERFORMANCE, AS WE WANTED TO ENSURE THE PRODUCTS HAD BOTH TECHNICAL FABRICATIONS AS WELL AS APPEALING STYLES.
WHAT TYPES OF SPORT AND EXERCISE ARE COVERED BY NET-A-SPORTER?
WE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE HOW MANY SPORTS OUR CUSTOMERS LOVED. WE HAVE A CURATED SELECTION FOR WOMEN WHO DO EVERYTHING FROM CROSSFIT AND BALLET TO CLASSES SUCH AS BARRECORE, HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT) AND SPINNING. A NEW SECTOR WE SEE AS EQUALLY IMPORTANT AS ACTIVEWEAR IS APRÈS-SPORT, WHICH IS JUST NICE, COMFORTABLE AND EASY-TO-WEAR PIECES THAT YOU CAN THROW ON BEFORE OR AFTER A WORKOUT.
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP PICKS FROM NET-A-SPORTER THIS SEASON?
YOGA HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF MY DAILY ROUTINE AND I PARTICULARLY LOVE THE STYLES FROM WEARGRACE AS THEY EMBODY EVERYTHING I LOVE ABOUT YOGA. FLEXIBILITY, COMFORT, CLEAN DESIGN AND EACH PIECE IS ADORNED WITH A TIBETAN PRAYER FLAG, A SPIRITUAL ICON THAT SERVES AS A GENTLE REMINDER OF COMPASSION.