2023-06-29 23:34:56
The American company Titan Footwear will take over the emblematic shoe Clergerie, in receivership since the end of March, according to a decision of the Paris Commercial Court. “The insolvency administrators are in favor of Titan’s proposal, it is the only option which makes it possible to avoid a dry liquidation”, can we read in this document.
In financial difficulty, the company founded in 1981 in Romans-sur-Isère by Robert Clergerie had, during its golden age, exported its shoes to Hollywood and its historic store in the center of Paris sold up to 11,000 pairs. per year. From Lauren Bacall to Madonna, the biggest stars have had Clergerie on their feet.
Titan Footwear, a subsidiary of the Californian group Titan Industries, owns brands such as Daniel X Diamond and Badgley Mischka, and reports having achieved gross annual sales of $50 million in 2022. The Californian company specializing in “high couture”, bought Clergerie for 700,000 euros, with “initial investments (revival of activity and brand)” of an amount of 6.5 million, according to the terms of the offer registered in mid-June at the registry of the commercial court. from Paris.
45% of staff retained
Titan Footwear wants to “keep the high-end positioning” of the brand, said Thursday the lawyer for the buyer Laurent Azoulai, from the firm T&A Associés, specializing in this type of takeover. The only company to have maintained its offer, the Californian company should relocate part of the production which until now remained entirely in Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme), in the historic factory.
The company undertakes to maintain 45% of the workforce, ie 59 of the 134 employees, by making significant reductions, particularly among technical staff (stitching operators, prototyping, assembly, retouching, finishing, etc.). But this offer “risks being improved” with more job retention, according to a source familiar with the matter.
“They are committed to maintaining the workforce for two years, but after that, what are they going to do? We are afraid that they will keep the brand and produce entirely abroad, ”said Christophe Chanron, CFE-CGC union representative, at the Paris Commercial Court on June 14.
It would be a historic break for the shoemaker, which was until now one of the last to manufacture leather shoes in France in its factory, just like Paraboot, JM Weston or Heschung.
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