That’s it, the Camaïeu store in Lescar has also closed its doors like the 513 other stores of the brand. Placed in judicial liquidation by the Commercial Court of Lille, Wednesday September 28, the women’s ready-to-wear brand had accumulated 230 million euros in debt. A heartbreak for the saleswomen. At 7:30 p.m., a few minutes before closing, the emotion was palpable. “It’s going to be very hard to separate me from my team, with really great and supportive girls”, explains Lisa Laborde, one of the sales assistants. The closure of Camaïeu has a very special resonance for her : “It’s my first job. At the end of my studies, I was hired here, six years ago. I have a twinge in my heart“.
Customer support
In total, 2,600 people will be made redundant at the national level. In Béarn and Bigorre, 11 employees will lose their jobs, four in Lescar and Ibos and three in Orthez. However, the employees have been able to find support from their customers who have flocked in recent days to take advantage of the destocking before the final closure.
“We never saw that, we had hundreds of people waiting outside the gates. It was a little confusing, but we held on“, admits Lisa Laborde. Many customers have had a kind word for the sellers. Some are even very moved like Stéphanie: “we see a store that had been in the gallery for years disappear. And then it’s very moving for the saleswomen who remain smiling while in a few minutes, they close the curtain“, she explains, tears in her eyes.
And now ?
For the four saleswomen of Lescar, it is now necessary to move on to something else. “Personally, I don’t have a plan. I’ll take the time to digest, but I’m not too worried about the rest“, says Lisa Laborde.
If like her, many give themselves the time “to explore other horizons“, all have received several job offers in different ready-to-wear brands, or in other sectors. When the liquidation was announced, several recruiters even came to deposit their card directly in the store.