The ready-to-wear chain Kookaï, in the safeguard procedure, announced on Wednesday the closure of 20 stores by the end of the month, promising “reclassification proposals” to the 54 employees concerned. “It was decided Friday evening during a CSE meeting the closure of 20 stores, everywhere in France, at the end of the month, to clean up the accounts”, indicated to AFP the direction, which decided the closures in function “of the profitability and performance of the stores”. Around 100 stores will remain open. In total, 54 employees are concerned “and all will receive reclassification proposals”, indicated the management, which welcomed the “digital boom” since the announcement of the receivership, with a 200% increase in the figure. online business. Kookaï justified in February its placement in receivership by the “economic difficulties encountered by the ready-to-wear sector in Europe, which the Covid-19 crisis has only accentuated”. From now on, the sign is subject to a safeguard procedure.
Created in France in 1983, the brand then developed in Australia in the 2000s, and was bought in 2017 by Australian businessman Rob Cromb from the Vivarte group, which then included Caroll, Minelli, La Halle, Naf Naf, Chevignon, liquidated in 2021. In 2022, Kookaï posted a turnover of 45 million euros, an increase of 18% compared to 2021, but down 25% compared to 2019. ready-to-wear in France has been shaken for several months by a violent crisis, which resulted in particular in the liquidation of Camaïeu in September 2022 and the placement in receivership of Go Sport (largely taken over by Intersport) and Gap France (partially taken over by JD Sports) at the start of 2023.
On February 20, the San Marina shoemaker was placed in compulsory liquidation, dragging 650 employees down with it.
