Photo: David M. Benett/WireImage
According to founder Natalie Massenet, Net-a-Porter almost went by a far less catchy name: “What’s New, Pussycat?” (Guess she’s a Peter Sellers fan.) When she started the site in 1999, she recalls in an interview with 032c, “My lawyer said I couldn’t call it ‘What’s New, Pussycat?’ for legal reasons, so I had to find a new name. I took my WWD dictionary and went from A to P: prêt-à-porter. Net-a-Porter.” Massenet also tells the interviewer, “Come to my house and we’ll watch House of Cards and eat shepherd’s pie.” Natalie, is that an open invitation?