The Marseille commercial court on Thursday declared the compulsory liquidation of the chain of children’s clothing stores La Compagnie des Petits. 172 employees will be made redundant.
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End clap for the Compagnie des Petits. The Marseille commercial court declared its compulsory liquidation this Thursday, May 27. The brand will no longer exist. This decision led to the dismissal of 172 of the 213 employees. 41 are in fact taken over by two partial buyers.
“It’s a disappointment because we would have liked the Compagnie des Petits to be taken over, explains the employee’s lawyer, Me Cédric Porin. But taking into account the absolutely catastrophic situation of the company in January, one thinks that any job saved would be a victory. Because we were not far from a complete liquidation “.
In detail, the H3M group owns the activity of Compagnie des Petits, a mid-range brand of children’s clothing, and that of Allo bébé, a childcare website.
Concerning the Compagnie des Petits, the Valège lingerie company takes over five of the 65 stores under its name, or 15 employees.
The boss of Valège was interested in the know-how and the profile of the saleswomen who are used to working with clients “, explains Me Porin. The customers of the Compagnie des Petits and that of Valège would indeed be “quite similar” : mainly women.
Finally, the company Lulilo, which owns the premium Made in bébé site, is taking over the Allo bébé site and 26 of its 45 employees.
The Compagnie des Petits, victim of mismanagement
The company La Compagnie des Petits, founded in 1991 in Pennes-Mirabeau by the Chinese Kai Yiu, had been placed in receivership since January 28.
“We went to the end of the process”, relates the employee’s lawyer. During the search for buyers, 11 business leaders came forward, some gave up. Three serious takeover proposals were retained. In vain.
La Compagnie des Petits was very successful in the 2000s, with up to 150 stores in France. The rest was spoiled. Me Porin evokes a “very bad management” of the company that led to the “collapse of society”. “They missed the digital switchover”, he laments.
The public prosecutor is carrying out an investigation into the crimes which could be constituted within the framework of the management of this company in the months preceding the judicial reorganization. Because if the Covid may have precipitated things, it is not the first responsible, according to the lawyer.
“The recovery should have taken place two years earlier, loose Me Porin. Because taking into account the debts, a buyer could not be seriously interested in the Company of the small ones “.
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