The Outnet's Stephanie Phair on Pitching Last Season’s Wares to a Sartorially Savvy Shopper

By Nandini D'Souza
March 9, 2011

Stephanie Phair

Stephanie Phair (courtesy of The Outnet)

As if the advent of Net-A-Porter wasn’t boon enough to fashion lovers, its offshoot, The Outnet, has brought a whole other level of good cheer to online shoppers. Namely, you can get that same roster of well-edited designers from Net-A-Porter at steeply discounted prices on The Outnet. At the helm of The Outnet is Stephanie Phair, a Conde Nast and online retail veteran with an instinct for creating fashion trend buzz online.

Over the last year, The Outnet has won a fan-base culled from both the high-fashion-seekers and the bargain-hunters in a staggering 170 countries. On top of its modern, magazine-like look, it now features editorials like a recent video with singer Sara Bareilles riffing on her music, her personal style and her shopping habits and another with Liberty London Girl blogger Sasha Wilkins on how to dress for a first date. There’s also the always-fun Dress Me section of the discount designer clothes site, which breaks down events by “Tea at the Plaza” or “The Great Outdoors,” for example, and offers suggestions on clothing style, silhouette and color.

But how do you pitch last season’s (or, gulp, 2009’s) fashion trends to a sartorially savvy shopper? Simple, believes Stephanie Phair. Don’t style it like it’s last season. A lot of fashion trends that end up on The Outnet has a timeless quality, or if it is easily identifiable to a particular season, it’s one of those investment buys that can withstand a trend. Fashion trends aren’t always as obvious as they seem. “As a global business,” says Stephanie Phair, “it’s actually quite hard to pinpoint when a trend is on the wane because just when one might be slowing down somewhere, it’s gaining momentum elsewhere.”

The Outnet discount designer clothing site also provides plenty of incentive with its flash sales. There’s the Pop-Up sale, which lasts around 72 hours; the Going, Going, Gone sale, where the price drops as the seconds tick, and a monthly giveaway. And these aren’t bottom-of-the-barrel items—you could walk away with a Marni bag.

This Thursday, the Outnet launches yet another fashion trend endeavor—a collection of 15 dresses by Anna Sui priced at under $300 each.

The Outnet’s roster of top fashion designers is impressive, discount or not. “Azzedine Alaia, Balmain and Marni are popular because they are so hard to find at a discount,” says Phair. “Our Christian Louboutin sales are always sell-outs!”

Fortunately, as soon as one great fashion trend sells out, something else great comes up. The Inside Source caught up with Stephanie Phair (just weeks before her wedding) to talk trends, bargain shopping and eBay.

The Outnet

Marni Ruffled silk-organza jacket. WAS $1,515 The Outnet Price $530.25 (Discount: 65% off)

Proenza Schouler Curved wedge sandals. WAS $1,220 The Outnet Price $366 (Discount: 70% off)

Dolce & Gabbana Feather-print silk chiffon dress. WAS $2,985 The Outnet Price $895.50 (Discount: 70% off)

The Inside Source: What are your favorite fashion trends for spring 2011?

Stephanie Phair: I’m excited about a return to ‘70s fashion. I think it’s one of the most figure-flattering trends and easy to outfit too—a pair of high-waisted pants, a blouse and platform wedges and you’re good to go. I’m also going to add some acid-bright color pops into my wardrobe this season by investing in a few key accessories. This is one of the best ways to update your wardrobe without too much expense. I love mixing classic pieces with on-trend accessories.

The Inside Source: What fashion trends do you think are on the wane in terms of what you're seeing on The Outnet? What fashion trends do you think are perennial?

Stephanie Phair: Fashion trends ebb and flow, but a good blazer will always make a statement and pull together any outfit. My wardrobe is full of them! Nautical-inspired clothing is often a big spring/summer trend and bold, clean lines are definitely in this season. Tailoring is another perennial favorite—it’s just the ways to wear it that change—at the moment it’s quite masculine-inspired.

The Inside Source: Who are your personal favorite fashion designers?

Stephanie Phair: I love Burberry Prorsum. Christopher Bailey’s designs are always classic with a modern twist, which I adore. I recently bought a Dolce & Gabbana cocktail dress on The Outnet. I don’t think I’ve ever had a dress that looked, felt and fitted so well. When it comes to my off-duty wardrobe, I like McQ, especially for denim.

The Inside Source: The Outnet discount designer clothing site is famous for its flash sales. What are some tips for shopping a flash sale without making an impulse buy?

Stephanie Phair: Our flash sales are a great marketing tool, but what our customers love about The Outnet is the fact that they can shop 200-plus designers at great discounts anytime—we’re open 24/7 to everyone. We upload products three times a week—every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday—but items still sell out fast, so you need to be quick off the mark. Make sure you register to be emailed about new arrivals. When you’re shopping, create outfits in your mind so you’re sure an item will work with the rest of your wardrobe. If you are shopping a multi-brand site like ours, come with an idea of what you want—such as a bag—but be flexible about the designer. You might be surprised and discover a label you hadn’t heard of before.

The Inside Source: What are the most popular features on The Outnet?

Stephanie Phair: One of the most popular features is ‘Dress Me’ where we house our editorial content (fashion shoots and videos) and provide instant outfit solutions for every occasion, whether it’s for a first date or a weekend in the city. We recognize that our customers aren’t just shopping at The Outnet for a great deal on a designer label; they’re also turning to us for great fashion and advice. They want to know how to outfit our products to channel current trends and ‘Dress Me’ is where we show them how. We also feature video interviews with trendsetters and fashion insiders who share their style tips and inspirations. Recently interviewees are pop princess Eliza Doolittle and the fabulous Imelda May, who performed at the Grammys, plus international style bloggers Sasha Wilkins (aka Liberty London Girl) and Susie Bubble from Style Bubble.

The Inside Source: What are some tips for a discount shopper to not look like she's wearing last season's fashion trends?

Stephanie Phair: I always say, “So what if you’re wearing last season!” Don’t forget that some trends bubble under the surface for a few seasons before they reach tipping point—wedges are a recent example—so you can buy something from past seasons that’s right on trend. I think it shows real confidence, style and originality if you mix and match previous season pieces with your current wardrobe. You’ll also never have to worry about turning up to an event in the same outfit as someone else.

The Inside Source: Let’s talk about that other bargain online shopping site…. What was your first find on eBay?

Stephanie Phair: A coffee table for my apartment in New York.

The Inside Source: How often do you search on eBay and for what kinds of things?

Stephanie Phair: I’ve just moved out of my New York apartment so I’ve been checking my listings on eBay daily as well as keeping an eye out for pieces for my new home. I find it’s a great resource for furniture finds.

The Inside Source: What are your favorits things to search for on eBay?

Stephanie Phair:

Old guilt frames for a wall collage of frames—you don’t even need to fill them!

Right now I’m on the lookout for a great dressing table. Something that feels luxe and like you have all the time in the world to get ready—when in fact you’re probably applying your lipstick as you run out of the door.

Antique storage trunks that add an old world charm and chandeliers are other things I like to seek out.

The diversity of make-up and beauty products on eBay is vast and contrary to what a lot of people think many of the items are brand new, so I always check these out too.