Major Crisis in French Ready-to-Wear Sector Leads to Massive Store Closures and Brand Bankruptcies

France's prêt-à-porter sector is undergoing a deep crisis, marked by the closure of nearly 20% of clothing stores since 2019 and affecting both major brands and local retail landscapes. According to the Alliance du Commerce, approximately 6,000 fashion stores have shut down across city centers and suburbs, with the trend particularly visible as the number of shops for lease has drastically risen in places like Paris and provincial towns.

Several emblematic French fashion brands have been severely impacted, with around twenty filing for bankruptcy or entering judicial recovery. Major names include Jennyfer, which shut down 220 stores after filing for liquidation last year, IKKS losing over 350 points of sale following judicial recovery, and the latest case involving IDKIDS, owner of the children's brand Okaïdi, seeking judicial protection as of February 3, 2026. Other affected labels encompass Camaïeu, San Marina, Kookaï, Naf Naf, and André.

Economic pressures such as inflation, rising energy, and transport costs have compounded a fundamental market transformation, pushing the sector toward a chain collapse encompassing all price ranges. The retail sales figures reflect this reality, with the clothing and textile sector concluding 2025 with a 1.6% decline in sales compared to 2024, and winter sales recently showing a further 1.8% drop year-on-year despite early and steep discounting.

This crisis not only disrupts the fashion marketplace but also threatens the vitality of urban commerce, as empty storefronts symbolize the sector’s troubles. The continuing difficulties suggest a challenging recovery ahead for the French prêt-à-porter industry, historically a pillar of French retail and culture.