New episode in the decline of an emblematic French brand: the lingerie brand Maison Lejaby, declared in receivership in January, was absorbed by a Franco-Indonesian agreement but only half of its jobs will be retained, according to sources corroborate. The Lyon commercial court told AFP that it had ruled on this case on May 7.
The court chose the takeover bid presented by a company formed by the Indonesian group Mirae and the French company GC Consult, Olivier David, secretary of the CSE (social and economic committee) and representative of the CFDT of Maison Lejaby, explained to AFP. Compared to other candidates, this buyer “was the best bidder in relation to the sustainability of the company and the recovery of the workforce,” he indicated, specifying that they would take charge of 24 employees out of 49. The amount of the transfer is 453,000 euros .
The reorganization will affect all sectors of activity at the headquarters in Rillieux-la-Pape (Rhône), in the stores in Paris and Lyon and in the department store corners, according to Olivier David. Since May 8, the new buyers have been at the headquarters to take possession of the premises. “They want to work ‘tailored’ as we did before. For the moment, they do not want to change the production location that was in Isatex,” said the Tunisian group Olivier David.
Judicial liquidation in 2011
Maison Lejaby, which launched its first bras in 1930 and rose to second place in French lingerie in the late 1960s, was put into liquidation in 2011. It became a symbol of the “made in France” in danger during the campaign 2012 presidential election, the brand passed into the hands of Alain Prost (former CEO of the Italian La Perla and former CEO of Chantelle), who retained 195 employees of the company’s 450.
About three years later, the company, affected by the crisis in Russia and Ukraine, which then represented 30% of its turnover (28 million euros), had to cut 30% of its workforce.
The brand was subsequently acquired by entrepreneur-investor Thierry Le Guénic in 2019. Maison Lejaby is not the only company purchased by Thierry Le Guénic that has suffered a disastrous fate. He also took over in 2020 Habitat, which was put into compulsory liquidation on December 28, 2023, from the London clothing brand Burton, which is bankrupt and has not found a buyer.
Source: BFM TV
