the Lille commercial court validates the takeover of 239 jobs and 74 stores

In detail, Chaussea will take over 71 stores, Chloé Diffusion two, and GDC one. On the other hand, more than 100 stores will close permanently on Friday evening.

The Lille commercial court validated, Wednesday March 13, the offer presented by Chausséa to take over 71 of the 176 stores in the Chaussexpo chain. It also validated the takeover of three other stores, one by the company GDC and two by Chloé Développement. In total, 239 jobs and 74 stores will be able to be maintained.

“It’s not even 50% of the workforce that is taken over, so there is bitterness, but we can also rejoice that where we almost went to zero takeovers, we still have 239 employees who will keep their jobs”commented to AFP the lawyer for the CSE of Chaussexpo, Caroline Verhaeghe. Without buyers, the 102 remaining stores will lower the curtain for good on Friday evening. In total, 376 people will be made redundant.

Two of Chaussexpo’s three majority union organizations signed the job protection plan on Wednesday, said Caroline Verhaeghe, judging this PSE “correct in the context of a judicial liquidation”.

In January, the Desmazières company, parent company of Chaussexpo, which then employed around 750 people, was placed in compulsory liquidation with continued activity. Among the causes of this liquidation, its general director, Cyril Goulet, cited closures linked to Covid, increases in transport costs and rents as well as the drop in purchasing power of Chaussexpo’s customers.

Chaussexpo, new victim of the crisis in the ready-to-wear sector

“We do not know under what conditions colleagues will work at Chausséa, this is a source of concern because jobs are only guaranteed for 24 months”commented Jérôme Guérin, FO union delegate, while saying to himself “glad that jobs are being saved.” For the PES“we fought (…) but we didn’t get much”he also lamented, while his union did not sign the plan.

The company had already undergone two social plans in 2017 (29 stores closed and more than 80 departures) and 2018 (35 stores closed, 124 jobs eliminated). Chaussexpo joins the long list of clothing and footwear brands shaken in recent months by the crisis in the ready-to-wear sector, including Naf Naf, Gap France, André and San Marina. It was fatal to some of them, which were liquidated, like Camaieu in September 2022.