Shoe brand Minelli announces permanent closure on May 30

Paris (France) - Shoe brand Minelli, which employs 86 people, announced on Wednesday its permanent closure after May 30. The company was placed into administration in March for the second time in three years. Its stores will remain open until the closing date.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce Minelli is permanently closing its doors,” stated the leather goods and footwear brand, founded in 1973, in a post on the social network Instagram.

“Our stores will remain open until May 30 with a 60 percent discount on all products, but orders on the website are unfortunately suspended,” it added.

Very partial takeover bids

Candidates for the brand's acquisition had until May 11 to submit their bids. The half-dozen offers made public on Tuesday by the court clerk are mostly very partial. They only provide for the takeover of one or two of Minelli's 21 points-of-sale or the brand without its employees.

Fashion brands Maje (SMCP group) and Father and Sons, optician Jimmy Fairly and the bakery chain Mie Câline have all expressed interest in one or two stores.

More surprisingly, the transport and logistics group Baghaira has proposed to take over the Minelli brand, its stock (valued at 2.7 million euros) and 'nine employees' from the Gémenos headquarters (Bouches-du-Rhône). The offer does not include its 21 stores and their '77 employees'. The bid is for 300,000 euros and focuses on e-commerce.

Finally, a former figure in the fashion and watchmaking industry, Philippe Sayada, is proposing a full takeover for just two euros, under conditions yet to be specified. The Minelli brand had already been placed into administration in 2023 in Marseille.

It was then saved by three buyers – investors and the clothing brand 'Mes Demoiselles Paris' – and integrated into a new entity, 'Maison Minelli'. This new entity has been in administration since March following a safeguard procedure.

This rescue came at the expense of many employees, with the workforce reduced from 600 to less than 200. The brand lost 3.7 million euros in its last published financial year, 2024-2025.

Claire's, Jennyfer, Okaïdi, and IKKS are among the many accessory or ready-to-wear brands that have been placed into administration or liquidated in France over the past two years. The sector has been disrupted by new consumer habits; inflation in energy costs, raw materials, and commercial rents; and competition from second-hand fashion and fast fashion, particularly from low-priced Asian websites.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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