Menswear brand Balibaris acquired by its shareholder and director

Paris - The French menswear ready-to-wear brand Balibaris, which had been placed in administration, has just been acquired by its shareholder and director. The move saves 145 of the 157 jobs, according to a court ruling seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP) that confirms a report by specialist website FashionNetwork.

When administration proceedings opened in January, the company employed 199 staff. Founded in 2010, the label is known for its high-end positioning with collections manufactured in Europe, specifically in Scotland, Italy, Portugal and Romania.

It operated a network of 49 points-of-sale in France, four in the UK, one in Belgium and one in Luxembourg, according to the court ruling. Its headquarters are in Paris.

Balibaris encountered major financial difficulties, due in particular to “significant investments” in its store network and the “widespread increase” in operating costs, the Paris economic activities court noted in the transfer ruling.

Like many other ready-to-wear retailers, it also suffered from the growth of e-commerce and the second-hand fashion market. The judges analysed that this market is “driven by platforms such as Vinted and encourages consumers to favour more considered, sustainable purchases at a lower cost to the detriment of new purchases, whereas Balibaris offers a quality-to-price positioning that may seem high”.

Despite financial injections of several million euros, the company declared itself insolvent in December 2025. On October 30, 2026, Balibaris was sold for approximately 800,000 euros to Groupe Gorgé, which holds a 65 percent stake in Balibaris parent company Rouvre, and Retail Game. The latter is the personal holding company of Nathalie Haddad, the current president of Rouvre.

They have committed to retaining 145 of the 157 employees and keeping 52 of the 55 points-of-sale. “The recovery plan relies on the continuation and redeployment of the Balibaris brand, alongside a refocusing on the 44 profitable boutiques,” reads the transfer ruling.

“The offer comes from a financially very solid group with a director who knows the retail and fashion world well and has managed the Balibaris company for five years,” the court further noted.