The women’s ready-to-wear brand Pimkie, which had announced the elimination of 63 stores in 2023, plans to close 36 additional stores in 2024, which would lead to the elimination of 239 additional positions, the company said this Thursday, January 18. management in a press release.
The announced closure of the first 63 stores was already expected to lead to the gradual elimination of 257 positions. Since the takeover of the brand in February 2023, Pimkie has initiated a transformation plan to “sustain its activity” and “return to growth”, indicates the company in a press release.
Twenty-three stores out of the 63 planned in this plan launched in June 2023 and “based on the resizing of the store base”, have already been closed by December 31, 2023, she adds. But “the economic context”, “the drop in attendance” and “inflation” in recent months have “significantly impacted sales and economic results”, pushing the company to accelerate this plan with the closure of 36 additional stores in 2024, which involves the elimination of “197 positions in France” and “42 positions at head office out of 143”. Pimkie also announces the affiliation of 14 stores to its Miniso brand network.
“A massive restructuring”
Thursday morning, during the CSE meeting, “the general director of Pimkie”, Salih Halassi “announced a massive restructuring destroying almost half of the company”, denounced the unions in a press release. “A plan impacting nearly 450 jobs, or around 50% of the company,” they regretted.
The ready-to-wear sector has been shaken for several months by a violent crisis. Minelli, Camaïeu, Burton of London, Gap France, André, San Marina, Kaporal, Don’t Call Me Jennyfer, Du Pareil au Meilleur, Sergent Major, Naf Naf… These brands well known to French consumers have suffered from a explosive cocktail: pandemic, inflation, prices of energy, raw materials, rents and salaries or even competition from second-hand goods and “fast fashion”.