Net-a-Porter buys Shouke.com
Net-a-Porter has acquired the Hong Kong based designer fashion website Shouke.com, a move which will enable the British online retailer to enter the lucrative Chinese market.
Net-a-Porter will launch a multi-phase web site next month with Shouke being renamed TheOutnet in line with Net-a-Porter’s existing discount couture website.
The site will be headquartered in China with a distribution centre Hong Kong.
Mark Sebba, Net-a-Porter’s CEO commented: “Asia-Pacific is a core market for the Net-a-Porter Group. We have been retailing to local customers in the region, and have built a strong base since our launch in 2000.
“Like many businesses in the luxury sector, we have seen huge growth in recent years. This is the first step in the next chapter in the growth of the Net-a-Porter Group.”
Shouke’s three founders will sit on the board of the Net-a-Porter Asia-Pacific division with Paul Teague as president for Asia-Pacific, Adrienne Ma as senior VP for content, marketing and merchandising and Richard Chen as president of the China operation.
Teague said: “The Shouke teams in Shanghai and Hong Kong are delighted to be joining the team at the Net-a-Porter Group. We have a wealth of experience in the Asian market, where there is enormous demand for access to designer collections.”
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