Net-a-porter, Rabanne Unveil a High-shine Holiday Capsule in London

LONDON — If there were ever a collection that cried out for a party, it’s Net-a-porter’s holiday capsule with Rabanne, which landed with a bang, and a shower of silver and gold, in Mayfair on Wednesday night.

Rabanne-clad guests, including Iris Law, Jean Campbell, Pom Klementieff and a host of VVIP customers, outshone the glitter ball, and the mirrored ceiling, during the launch party at The Scotch of St. James, the historic nightclub and symbol of Swinging ’60s London.

The cozy basement club was the first place Jimi Hendrix performed when he touched down in London in 1966, and where members of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones mingled with Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart and Sonny and Cher.

For one night only it was transformed into Le Club Rabanne, a showcase for the high-shine collection filled with chainmail minis and beanies, halter-neck tops, citrus green and gold dresses, and zebra-print sets, all inspired by the golden age of Miami nightlife in the 1970s.

The party was Net’s first big moment under new ownership, and management. Now part of LuxExperience, parent of Mytheresa, and with Heather Kaminetsky as chief executive officer, the retailer is ready to start a new chapter.

“Net-a-porter was founded in London, and this felt like a beautiful, circular moment to reignite the magic — and nobody does a party capsule like Rabanne,” said Kaminetsky, adding that the collection is aimed squarely at the Net-a-porter customer.

“When you enter The Scotch and you see this collection, it screams ‘Net-a-porter customer,’ and that’s the lens we’re constantly keeping. The EIPs [extremely important people] are at the center of every decision we make,” she said, adding they were also a key part of Wednesday night’s guest list.

Net has been taking a leaf out of the Mytheresa playbook. Not only is it focusing on top customers who spend the most, it is also amplifying full-price and high-item values and taking a frugal approach to everything the customer doesn’t see.

Kaminetsky, who worked at Net earlier in her career and who was most recently president, North America, at Mytheresa, knows the playbook by heart.  

“We work every day for those customers. They are the end users, and they are on the journey with us. They want us to succeed because they are part of our community. They tell us everything — everything! — and they don’t hold back,” Kaminetsky added.

That consumer, she said, loves fashion, discovery and inspiration. “She sees something on the runway and she runs after it because of her love of fashion. She doesn’t sit there waiting to be told what a trend is; she’s setting the trend because she is so fashion-obsessed.”

Julien Dossena, Rabanne’s creative director who cohosted the party with Kaminetsky, said the customer is not only precious — she’s a wellspring of inspiration.

“As a designer, the customer connection is the best one you can have. While it’s always nice to get compliments on your designs, these women also talk to you in a very personal way. They talk about why they love the designs, how the clothes move, how they feel on the body and how they wear them,” he said.

That feedback keeps him going. “I love to see and hear how customers interpret these clothes in real life. Designers often think in abstract terms — we talk about making ‘empowering’ clothes, but it’s good to listen to what women actually want — and then deliver it,” he said.

Dossena described the capsule as “pieces that you wear to dance and to let go. It’s kind of mythological when you wear those mesh clothes. You feel that you are this Paco Rabanne girl,” channeling the energy of the founder’s collections from the 1960s.

The capsule also showcases all of the original materials and techniques that Rabanne developed.

During an interview, Dossena pointed to a gold chainmail minidress made from diamond-shaped, laser-cut sequins hooked together, by hand, with tiny metal rings and a floppy beanie done in silver metal mesh, a material inspired by the protective layers on butcher’s gloves and shoes.

Once he finishes mingling with customers, Dossena plans to seek even more inspiration during his trip to London. Over the next few days he’ll be hitting the city’s vintage shops, on Portobello Road and elsewhere, which he believes are second to none.

“They’re different from anywhere else. You can find Victorian clothing, 1960s and 1970s vintage, Ossie Clark, printed fabrics, and the best tea dresses — and lingerie,” he said.

Before he heads back to Paris, he also plans to visit Brighton for the first time — and is well-prepared for the gray autumn skies and sea. “I’m from Brittany — I know all about that,” the designer said.