Yoox chose Milan Design Week to present an immersive installation. This was created in collaboration with the 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 dressing room. This becomes an opportunity to explore personal identity and self-expression. The project, called ‘Yoox camerino, unveiled by Keta Bart’, was held at the Galleria Romero Paprocki in the heart of the Porta Venezia design district.
Through a sequence of three evolving environments – surprise, belonging and elevation – visitors are invited to immerse themselves in a liminal space. This space hovers between who we are and what we want to be and show others. It is a narrative arc in which the locker room evolves from a place of experimentation to a dimension of consciousness.
FashionUnited took the opportunity to ask Mirko Nobili, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yoox, how the company’s connection to design developed. The platform was founded in 2000 by Federico Marchetti and is now part of the German LuxExperience. We also talked about the current relationship with Milan and Italy, the levers in which the company invests and its medium to long-term business strategies.
How has the connection between fashion and design at Yoox developed in recent years?
The relationship between fashion and design has always been at the heart of Yoox’s identity. From the beginning, Yoox has been not just a trading platform but a cultural catalyst, a place where fashion, art and design meet, influence each other and create new meanings.
What has changed today is the focus and scope of that vision. We’re evolving from just a fashion destination to a community you want to be a part of. Fashion becomes a means to connect, express yourself and be part of something bigger. Initiatives like “Yoox Camerino” are a natural extension of this development. They bring our DNA to life in more immersive ways. The focus shifts from discovery to participation, from product to experience, and from audience to community.
Does participation in Milan Design Week also demonstrate the company’s close connection to Italy and Milan?
Absolutely. This is not just a brand presence, but a statement of affiliation. Italy is our home, and Milan is one of the few places in the world where fashion, design and culture coexist with such intensity and relevance.
For Yoox, participating in Milan Design Week is a natural expression of who we are becoming. It allows us to enter a space in which culture is not only communicated but experienced. The Fuorisalone in particular is a platform where ideas become movements. This is where brands go beyond mere visibility and build emotional and cultural relevance. This is exactly what creates long-term value.
What leverage do you invest in?
For 25 years, Yoox has held a prominent position in the luxury ecosystem. The platform offers access to designer pieces from past seasons and goes beyond a pure purchasing experience. From the beginning, the brand consciously moved outside of trends and seasons, with deep roots in art, culture and individuality.
Today we are further developing this promise. Yoox is increasingly targeting a new generation of lovers of long-lasting fashion. Not only do we provide access to sought-after pieces, we also create meaningful experiences around these products. It’s about transforming luxury from a mere desire to an experience.
We have taken key steps to drive this change forward. We have positioned Yoox as an independent brand with its own leadership in order to increase focus, speed and customer proximity. At the same time, we are simplifying our operational processes and concentrating on our key markets. Our goal is qualitative growth through a leaner and more efficient model that matches the dynamics of off-price luxury.
At the same time, we are strengthening the cultural energy of the brand. Yoox is not just a platform, but a community. For the first time in years, we are investing more in marketing, storytelling-driven campaigns and curated physical experiences in cities like Milan and Berlin. The aim is to strengthen the emotional connection and renew our cultural relevance.
Ultimately, this is not a superficial repositioning, but a structural transformation, a true rebirth of Yoox. After 25 years of shaping the off-price luxury segment, a new chapter begins in which customers are the focus. Yoox is evolving from a transactional destination to a culturally relevant community based on discovery, individuality and personal expression.
Net sales in the second quarter nevertheless fell by more than seven percent to 125 million. What are the main causes of this decline?
The second quarter must be viewed in the context of continued improvement following our strategic realignment. Net sales fell 7.3 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, a significant improvement from the 16.5 percent decline in the first quarter.
This development reflects conscious decisions. We are once again focusing more on our healthy core and reducing our presence in international markets with high service costs.
At the same time, we are seeing encouraging signals. In Europe – including Germany, a region on which we will increasingly focus going forward – net sales increased by 13.9 percent compared to the second quarter of 2025. This confirms the strength and relevance of our offering in key markets.
The quality of our customer base is also improving. The average order value increased by 11.4 percent and the gross merchandise volume per top customer increased by 4.1 percent, a sign of greater commitment. We are also recording progress in customer satisfaction. Our Net Promoter Score reached 50 percent in the second quarter – a significant improvement compared to the previous quarter and the previous year. This shows concrete progress in the service experience.
Overall, the direction is clear, we are building a leaner, more focused Yoox with a stronger customer base, healthier regional structures and growing confidence in future development.
Who are the “typical” customers of the platform?
Today, the “typical” Yoox customers can hardly be defined based on classic demographic categories. Instead, we see a diverse community bonded by a common attitude rather than external characteristics.
Our customers are curious, culturally interested and style-conscious. You don’t just follow trends, you interpret them individually. They combine influences, styles and references to create something of their own. They are digitally savvy and make conscious purchasing decisions – not driven solely by price or fast pace.
What they value is access to exceptional designer pieces that go beyond the classic fashion cycle: not tied to the season, but still relevant. Equally important to them is the curated, conscious and culturally charged nature of discovery.
For us this means: the product, content and experiences must be consistently aligned with the actual needs of the customers. What matters today is no longer who our customers are on paper – but rather how they express themselves.
The interview was conducted in writing.
This article was created using digital tools translated.
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