In 2008 José Neves launched Farfetch, bringing together his interests in fashion and technology, as well as his experience in design, wholesale and retail, to create a business that would celebrate and support the diversity of the global fashion industry. His vision was to create a single portal, offering independent boutiques the opportunity to compete with the leaders of fashion e-commerce.
Farfetch now comprises around 500 partner boutiques and almost 200 partner brands, offering over 100,000 pieces from more than 1,500 brands. With customers in almost 190 countries, the site receives an average of 10 million monthly hits.
José has been involved in the fashion start-up world since the mid-1990s when he launched footwear business SWEAR. José later founded SIX London, a fashion licensing and wholesale company selling to 600 retailers worldwide. In 2001 José opened the renowned bstore, which won the British Fashion Award for Retailer of the Year in 2006.
José and Farfetch have received numerous accolades, including Financial Times and ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Smaller Company Award (2016), Fast Company 2016 list of the world’s 50 most innovative companies, Business of Fashion’s 500 People Shaping the Fashion Industry (2016 & 2015), Ernst & Young’s 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year and Vogue’s DirectorsOf.COM Top Entrepreneur in 2011. In July, 2016 José joined the British Fashion Council’s board as a Non-Executive Director.