It’s virtually 10 years [18th May 2000] since Boo.com – one of the most high profile dotcom era businesses – went bust. Online clothing retailer Boo.com famously burnt £125 million in less than 18 months at the height of the dotcom bubble, when seemingly any business called something ‘dotcom’ had extra noughts added onto it’s valuation. There were lots of reasons why boo.com was always going to end in tears, but this, not to mention countless other spectacular dotcom disasters, led many seasoned commentators to write-off the potential of selling clothes online ['surely you need to try it on, to touch the fabric, to feel the quality?'] and even to question the potential of e-commerce itself. Since the bursting of the dotcom bubble, which was an inevitable and much needed dose of reality, we’ve seen the  sustainable growth of online sales underpinned by the spread of broadband and increasing acceptance of e-commerce across virtually every sector, not least fashion. The sale of Net-a-Porter [which sells high-fashion designer clothes and accessories online] at the end of last week for £350 Million is evidence, if any were needed, that the wheel has turned full circle. Natalie Massenet founded the business 10 years ago, pretty much as Boo.com went and despite the detractors: ‘people won’t buy a £5000 dress online’. But she has proven the value of e-commerce if you’ve got a strong business idea, excellent product, good marketing and a well-built website.

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