Yoox CEO on how the platform is shifting luxury from aspiration to participation

Yoox chose Milan Design Week to present an immersive installation created in collaboration with Viennese digital artist Keta Bart. The project combines experiential design, digital art and artificial intelligence. It reinterprets one of fashion's most intimate rituals, entering and staying in the fitting room, transforming it into an opportunity to explore personal identity and self-expression. The project, named Yoox camerino, unveiled by Keta Bart, was hosted at Galleria Romero Paprocki in the heart of the Porta Venezia design district.

Through a sequence of three evolving environments: surprise, belong and elevate, visitors are invited to immerse themselves in a liminal space. This space is suspended between who we are and who we choose to be and reveal to others. It is a narrative arc in which the fitting room evolves from a place of experimentation to a dimension of awareness.

FashionUnited took the opportunity to ask Mirko Nobili, CEO of Yoox, a platform founded in 2000 by Federico Marchetti and now part of Germany's LuxExperience, how the company's connection with design has evolved. We also discussed its current relationship with Milan and Italy, the levers the company is investing in, and its medium to long-term business strategies.

Mirko Nobili, ceo of Yoox Credits: Yoox

How has the link between Yoox fashion and design evolved in recent years?

The relationship between fashion and design has always been at the heart of Yoox's identity. From the beginning, Yoox was never just a retail platform but a cultural catalyst. It was a place where fashion, art and design could meet, influence each other and generate new meanings.

What has changed today is the intentionality and scale of this vision. We are evolving from a simple fashion destination to a community to belong to, where fashion becomes a way to connect, express oneself and be part of something bigger. Initiatives like Yoox Camerino are a natural extension of this evolution. They bring our DNA to life in a more immersive way, shifting the focus from discovery to participation; from product to experience; from audience to community.

Does participation in Milan's design fair also testify to the company's direct link with Italy and Milan?

Absolutely. This is not simply a brand presence, but a declaration of belonging. Italy is our home, and Milan is one of the few places in the world where fashion, design and culture coexist with such a high level of intensity and relevance.

For Yoox, being part of Milan Design Week is a natural expression of what we are becoming. It allows us to enter a space where culture is not just communicated, but experienced. The Fuorisalone, in particular, is a platform where ideas become movements. It is the place where brands go beyond mere visibility and build emotional and cultural relevance. Today, this is precisely what defines long-term value.

What are the levers you are investing in?

For 25 years, Yoox has occupied a very distinctive position within the luxury ecosystem. It offers fashion enthusiasts access to designer pieces from past seasons, while also providing something beyond a simple transactional experience. From the outset, the brand has existed slightly outside of trends and seasons, with deep roots in art, culture and individuality.

Today, we are taking this promise even further. Yoox is evolving to empower a new generation of 'lasting fashion' enthusiasts. We are not only enabling them to access the pieces they truly desire but also to experience significant moments around them. It is about shifting luxury from aspiration to participation.

To make this change possible, we have taken a series of decisive steps. We have defined Yoox as a standalone brand with dedicated leadership, creating greater focus, speed and proximity to our audience. At the same time, we are simplifying operations and refocusing on our key markets. We are prioritising quality growth and building a leaner, more efficient model in line with the dynamics of off-price luxury. In parallel, we are reigniting the brand's cultural energy. Yoox is not just a platform; it is a community. For the first time in years, we are reinvesting in marketing, in storytelling-driven campaigns and in curated physical experiences in cities like Milan and Berlin. These are all designed to strengthen emotional connection and rebuild cultural relevance.

Ultimately, this is not a simple, superficial repositioning. It is a structural evolution, a true rebirth of Yoox. After 25 years of shaping the off-price luxury segment, we are entering a new chapter. This chapter puts the customer at the centre and transforms Yoox from a transactional destination into a culturally relevant community, founded on discovery, individuality and personal expression.

Net sales for the second quarter were down by over 7 percent, at 125 million. What are the main causes of this decline?

The second quarter should be viewed in the context of a progressive improvement trajectory following the strategic reset we initiated. Net sales decreased by 7.3 percent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026. This figure represents a clear step forward from the -16.5 percent decline recorded in the first quarter. This reflects deliberate decisions to refocus the business on its healthier core and reduce exposure to foreign markets with higher service costs.

At the same time, we are already seeing very encouraging signs as this strategy takes shape. In Europe, including Germany, a geographical area on which we will focus increasingly, net sales grew by +13.9 percent compared to the second quarter of fiscal year 2025. This confirms the solidity and continued relevance of the Yoox proposition in key markets. It is also important to highlight the improvement in the quality of our customer base. The average order value grew by +11.4 percent, while the Gross Merchandise Volume per top customer increased by +4.1 percent, indicating a higher level of engagement from our most important customers.

We are also making significant progress in customer satisfaction. Our Net Promoter Score reached 50 percent in the second quarter, a marked improvement on both the previous quarter and the same period last year, testifying to concrete improvements in the service experience. Overall, the direction is clear: we are building a leaner, more focused Yoox with stronger customer fundamentals, healthier regional dynamics and growing confidence in the path ahead.

Yoox camerino, unveiled by Keta Bart Credits: Yoox

What is the platform's 'typical' customer at present?

Today, it is increasingly difficult to define a 'typical' Yoox customer according to traditional categories. What we see instead is a diverse community, united more by a mindset than by demographic characteristics. Our customers are curious, culturally aware and highly style-conscious. They do not just follow trends; they interpret them, mixing influences, styles and references to create something personal. Digitally savvy and intentional in their purchasing choices, they are not driven solely by price or the speed of trends. They are driven by the desire for distinctive pieces, intelligent discovery and fashion that lasts.

What they value most is access to exceptional designer pieces that exist outside the traditional fashion cycle, out of season but still relevant. They also value the ability to discover them in a curated, conscious and culturally significant way. For us, this means one thing: product, content and experience must be built around the customer's real desires. Today, what defines our audience is not who they are on paper, but how they choose to express themselves.

Interview conducted in writing.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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Federico Marchetti

Interview

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Milan Design Week

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