What will become of Pimkie? The women’s ready-to-wear brand announced on Wednesday its intention to close 64 stores by 2027, leading to the gradual elimination of 257 jobs, as part of a transformation plan by its owner Pimkinvest.
This “savings plan” is explained by “a drop in attendance and sales”, indicates in a press release the brand, bought from the Mulliez family association (AFM) in February by Pimkinvest, a consortium led by the Lee groups. Cooper France, Amoniss (Kindy) and Ibisler Tekstil.
“The levers to reduce the number of closures will be studied carefully, whenever possible, in particular alongside Pimkie’s donor partners”, it is specified in the press release. This plan aims to “register Pimkie in a long-term project, based on a healthy structure”, says the management of the brand.
Pimkie lists several projects including a “modernization of the offer and image”, a “digital transformation” or “the improvement of commercial performance”. The company intends to “make every effort to offer solutions promoting the repositioning of employees” via “internal reclassification” and “personalized support”, she assured.
In the wake of San Marina and Kaporal
Quoted in the press release, the general manager of Pimkie Sandrine Lilienfeld hopes to “reaffirm Pimkie’s place” in “the top 3 favorite brands of women aged 18 to 25”. The brand long owned by the AFM, which employs 1,500 people and has 232 own stores and 81 affiliated, announced in October that it had entered into exclusive negotiations for its takeover. The sale was finalized on February 22.
Pimkie union delegates had already warned in early February of the imminence of a job protection plan (PSE), fearing the disappearance of around 500 jobs.
The ready-to-wear sector in France has been shaken for several months by a violent crisis, which resulted in particular in the liquidation of Camaïeu in September 2022 and by the placements in receivership of Go Sport, Gap France and Kookaï in beginning of 2023. In recent weeks, the shoemaker San Marina (in liquidation) and the brand specializing in jeans Kaporal (request for a place in receivership) have also sealed their economic difficulties.