In the ever-evolving world of luxury retail, few figures have had as decisive an impact as Michael Kliger.
As CEO of Mytheresa and now at the helm of the newly formed LuxExperience Group, Kliger stands at the forefront of a rapidly transforming industry where technology, customer experience, and global expansion are rewriting the rules of engagement.
This new chapter comes at a pivotal moment. Following the recent acquisition of YOOX Net-a-Porter, Kliger is now steering one of the most powerful luxury e-commerce platforms into a future shaped by innovation and consolidation. With a renewed focus on technology-driven service, hyper-personalisation, and regional growth — particularly in the Middle East — LuxExperience is poised to redefine how affluent consumers shop online.
In this interview, Kliger discusses the strategic vision behind the YNAP acquisition, the evolving expectations of luxury clients in the Gulf, and how cutting-edge digital tools will elevate the online experience into something even more immersive, intuitive, and emotionally resonant.
Luxury e-commerce has seen tremendous evolution over the past decade—where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth in the next five years?
We see significant continued growth in luxury e-commerce as more and more consumers truly value the convenience, efficiency and inspiration of digital. The use of artificial intelligence will make digital technology even more intuitive, personal, and inspirational. This, combined with physical experiences, will make for a powerful value proposition for luxury lovers around the globe.
How is Mytheresa approaching the challenge of maintaining exclusivity and personal service in an increasingly digital-first world?
Exclusivity is rooted in tight curation, deep personalisation and impeccable customer-first approach. Our service goes far beyond the digital transaction; we host “money-can’t-buy” experiences for our top customers, including events in exclusive locations, intimate gatherings with designers, style suites worldwide and access to personal shoppers around the clock. Digital-first enables enormous value for customers but combined with moments that can’t be replicated: experiences that are personal, emotional, and truly unique to each client, makes it customer-first.
What role do you see emerging technologies—like AI, AR, and blockchain—playing in shaping the next phase of luxury retail online?
New technologies will allow us to be even more personal, more agile and more relevant for our customers. This, combined with true emotional, human relationships, will make for a very powerful way of serving, inspiring and connecting luxury customers.
You’ve spoken about the strength of Mytheresa’s presence in key global markets—how significant is the Middle East to your strategic vision?
The Middle East is one of our most dynamic regions and fast-growing markets. Growth is being driven by the region’s rapidly developing infrastructure – events, hospitality, cinema, art – which in turn fuels demand for a luxury wardrobe. The Middle East has a highly sophisticated clientele that expects excellence, exclusivity and exceptional service, making the region truly special and one of the key pillars of our strategic vision.
How are you tailoring the Mytheresa experience specifically for the Middle Eastern customer? Are we seeing more regionalised edits, services, or exclusive offerings?
We are deeply focused on offering an experience that feels culturally relevant. Every year, we collaborate with selected luxury brands to launch exclusive styles around Ramadan & Eid, and we work closely with local creatives and entrepreneurs to ensure our communication and experiences resonate authentically. Beyond the products, we have hosted bespoke events across the region – in Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Doha – creating unique moments of connection that reflect the values and tastes of our Middle Eastern clients.
With the acquisition of Yoox Net-A-Porter, what does this consolidation mean for the future of the luxury e-commerce landscape?
The acquisition of YNAP is more than consolidation; it is about building differentiated, complementary communities. LuxExperience is home to the strongest store brands in digital luxury and creates communities for luxury enthusiasts with unique digital and physical experiences. Mytheresa is the leading destination for wardrobe-building high-end customers. NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER possess exceptional brand equity and an authoritative editorial voice. YOOX and THE OUTNET provide valuable Off-Price propositions in luxury, providing access for another luxury clientele. With close to 25 years of pioneering expertise in our group, we are the true digital luxury leaders in the world. All store brands continue to operate separately, offering a highly curated and strongly differentiated edit of the most prestigious luxury brands and products, and the best customer service on all platforms.
How will Mytheresa retain its identity and agility amid the new business structure—particularly when it comes to brand relationships and customer loyalty?
Our strength lies in a focused strategy and commitment to serving a loyal, high-end customer base. Brand relationships remain a top priority and are built on years of trust, collaborations and shared passion for excellence and long-term vision. All buying, marketing, content, and customer activities will be managed by Mytheresa and will be completely separate from what the other store brands in the group do.
You’ve built Mytheresa into one of the most respected names in luxury fashion—what are you most proud of in that journey?
I am proud that we have built a business rooted in consistency, resilience and passion. From the beginning, we have focused on wardrobe builders and created a trusted community of luxury enthusiasts through a tightly curated edit, exceptional service and experiences that go beyond products. Mytheresa has attracted and retained, for a decade, a group of exceptional leaders and experts in their field who truly believed in this vision. Together, we have built something really special for our clients.
What’s the biggest challenge you face today?
The biggest challenge is staying constantly relevant. Luxury clients are evolving, and so are expectations. We are in close dialogue with our customers to understand their changing behaviours, which is how we saw the opportunity to launch our lifestyle category “Life”, partner with Vestiaire Collective on an exclusive resale service, and strategise how we will use AI to be a better luxury destination for our customers.
When curating brands and exclusive capsules, how do you strike the balance between iconic heritage labels and emerging designers?
Curating our brand offering is a careful balancing act. With around 250 womenswear and 160 menswear brands, we have to be highly selective. Often, for every new brand we introduce, another has to make way. We maintain this balance by offering exclusive capsule collections with iconic heritage houses like Valentino, Dolce&Gabbana, Versace, and Brunello Cucinelli, while also championing emerging designers through exclusive collaborations and meaningful exposure across our media channels. This approach allows us to stay both timeless and forward-thinking.
What is the long-term vision for Mytheresa’s brand identity, and how do you continue to evolve without compromising your core values?
Mytheresa’s DNA remains unchanged: curated luxury, exceptional service, and community building. As we evolve, we continuously refine what we do best, introducing new categories, improving services and strengthening our emotional connection with clients.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt, and what would you still like to achieve?
The last years have really taught us to be very consistent and strict with the vision and the purpose of our business, while being highly flexible and agile on how to pursue and fulfil them in an ever-changing world. With the recent acquisition of YNAP, I still have a lot to achieve for our customers, teams and shareholders.
