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Tag: claudie pierlot

  • Sandro parent unphased by trade spat

    Sandro parent unphased by trade spat

    The parent of affordable-luxury fashion labels Sandro, Claudie Pierlot and Maje appears unphased by the Sino-US trade spat, vowing to continue its expansion in the region. SMCP’s CEO Daniel Lalonde said in an interview that the company plans to continue to open new stores in Mainland China and invest in e-commerce across the region.

    “From our perspective, everything is still intact [in China]. Any slowdown in our business is related to the comparison base … and we still expect to grow that market by more than 20 per cent this year,” Lalonde said. “We’re still confident on the region.”

    France-based SMCP is controlled by Chinese company Shandong Ruyi. This week it reported an 8.1 per cent increase in fourth-quarter sales to €276.1 million.

    SMCP has doubled its annual sales during the past four years, reaching €1 billion last year, largely due to rapid expansion in Mainland China. Asia is now SMCP’s third-largest geographic market behind France and the rest of Europe, with China accounting for the bulk.

    However, he said sales in Hong Kong were “a little softer” as a result of currency fluctuations between the Hong Kong dollar and the renminbi.

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  • Sandro’s parent enjoys double-digit growth

    Sandro’s parent enjoys double-digit growth

    Affordable luxury fashion group SMCP has cited Asia as one of the reasons for double-digit growth across all its brands in the first half year.

    The French-headquartered affordable luxury brand has reported global consolidated sales of  €493.3 million, up 15.5 per cent at constant currency, driven by “outstanding” growth outside Europe of 27.2 per cent.

    CEO Daniel Lalonde said double-digit growth was achieved across all brands, together with “strong profitability” and a resulting reduction in debt.

    SMCP owns three contemporary Parisian fashion brands: Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot. As at the end of last year, the brands were available at 1300 points of sale in 39 countries.

    Globally, like-for-like sales growth remained strong over the first semester, reaching 5.8 per cent, “driven by the dynamism of the brick and mortar store network as well as the exceptional results of the digital strategy,” which reached 14.3 per cent of net group sales.

    “This achievement underlines the effectiveness of our strategy, to generate profitable growth through the dynamic expansion of our core business, the success of our e-commerce approach and new store openings in highly attractive locations,” said Lalonde.

    “It also attests to the creativity and talent of our teams across the world. This well-executed strategic roadmap will continue to drive our long-term vision for the group.”

    Adjusted earnings before tax increased by 14.8 per cent from €73.1 million to €83.9 million in the first half, driven by strong sales growth and expanded margins.

    “This margin expansion is the result of a strong retail margin driven by the growing share of e-commerce and Asia-Pacific … while maintaining the pace of investment to support future growth.”

    Group net income rose from €1.1 million in the first half of last year to €27.4 million during the same period this year.

    Figures for Asia were not broken out, but the company has recently invested significant amounts in opening stores in Hong Kong and in Southeast Asia.

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  • SMCP Opens 100th Store in Mainland China

    SMCP Opens 100th Store in Mainland China

    Apparel group SMCP China has opened its 100th physical store on the mainland, the Maje, in Beijing’s Chaoyang Joy City mall.

    Since its debut in Hong Kong in 2012, the French group has built up a presence in Greater China with stores in 22 cities, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei. Its stores can be found in such malls as Shin Kong Place (SKP) in Beijing, IFC in Shanghai and Taikoo Li in Chengdu.

    In April 2016, SMCP initiated a partnership with T-mall, closely followed by the launch of its own online stores in September last year.

    Over the coming years, the group plans to continue draw on the popularity of its three brands in Greater China, Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot, to expand.

    Overall, the Asia Pacific region today accounts for more than 20 per cent of group sales, with 276 points of sale. At the end of last year, SMCP brands were available at more than 1300 points of sales in 38 countries.

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  • Claudie Pierlot sees Asia as ‘next growth vector’

    Claudie Pierlot sees Asia as ‘next growth vector’

    After consolidating its presence in Europe, fashion label Claudie Pierlot sees strong potential in Asia, particularly China.

    It is the smallest of the three labels owned by SMCP group, with Maje and Sandro already well established. Claudie Pierlot joined the group in 2009, and in the past three fiscal years has grown sales by nearly 30 per cent. It topped the €100 million revenue mark last year.

    Accounting for 16 per cent of the group’s total revenue of €786 million (US$933 million) last year, the label is expected to increase by yet another 30 per cent this year.

    Claudie Pierlot is opening between 20 and 30 retail outlets a year, half of them ‘corners’ and half monobrand stores, most directly owned. This rate of expansion has brought the label’s total network to 200.

    Claudie Pierlot GM Isabelle Allouch says the label is already growing in Asia given its style and accessible luxury positioning.

    After being acquired by Chinese group Shandong Ruyi, SMCP has a solid infrastructure in the region and is pushing hard to speed up brand development there. As a result, Claudie Pierlot has opened 10 stores in the past 12 months, in Hong Kong, Mainland China and South Korea.

    More stores are expected to follow in each of these countries on account of SMCP’s impending stock exchange listing. “The region is clearly our next major growth vector,” says Allouch.

    Claudie Pierlot was previously established in Japan, thanks to partnerships set up by its founder before the label was bought by SMCP. “We are entering countries one by one, so we will first concentrate on China. Japan will come later,” says Allouch.

    As well as working on its retail network, the label is also busy in the accessories category, which it wants to grow to become 10 per cent of the business. As well as footwear, it last month added a signature handbag to its product line.

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  • SMCP Group sales up 16 per cent

    SMCP Group sales up 16 per cent

    SMCP Group sales soared last year, reflecting the strength of the affordable luxury category and successful expansion in Asia.

    The French fashion retailer achieved 16.4 per cent growth in sales to €786 million (US$844 million) last year. SMCP stands for its three fashion brands: Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot.

    Like-for-like sales were up 7.1 per cent, which SMCP says was a reflection of market share gains as it outperformed rivals in the affordable luxury sector. Profit increased by 22 per cent to reach €130 million.

    SMCP’s e-commerce sales grew by nearly 80 per cent to represent about a tenth of group revenues. During the year the group launched two dedicated websites in China, Maje and Sandro on Tmall.com.

    The development of the accessories range is part of the group’s objective to make Claudie Pierlot, Maje and Sandro global lifestyle brands. Maje’s “M” bag was a hit last year, says the company, and sales of accessories rose by 42 per cent over the 12 months.

    Meanwhile, the group has formed a partnership this year with Mondottica to develop eyewear collections for the Maje and Sandro brands, completing the range of accessories after shoes and leather goods.

    A new concept for Sandro Homme stores was deployed in Greater China last year as part of the company’s international targeted expansion. There were 90 openings internationally during the year, including one on Fashion Walk in Hong Kong.

    Altogether, the company opened 105 stores over the year, ending with 1223 points of sale with its brands in 36 countries. SMCP says that consistent with previous years, it will introduce new points of sale at the pace of 100 to 125 a year.

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  • Hong Kong shines for Sandro Asia

    Hong Kong shines for Sandro Asia

    Paris-based affordable luxury fashion chain Sandro Asia, along with sister brand Maje and Claudie Pierlot, recorded 51 per cent year-on-year growth in Asia Pacific in the first six months of the year.

    Sandro opened its largest Asia flagship store in the heart of Causeway Bay in August, and plans to double the size of its year-old store in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Harbour City.

    This store quickly became the most lucrative of Sandro’s 410 retail outlets worldwide in terms of sales per square metre. In contrast, total tenant sales at Harbour City fell 14.7 per cent to HK$13.3 billion (US$1.7 billion) in the first half, according to financial filings by its parent company Wharf Holdings.

    Sandro now has eight outlets in Hong Kong, and plans to add another two or three more by the end of next year.

    Branding its products as “accessible luxuries”, Sandro’s CEO Jean-Philippe Hecquet says the segment became “very powerful” when people started to look inside their wallets.

    Hecquet, who previously worked for luxury group LVMH, says upper-middle-class consumers still want to enjoy their life even with less money. “They still want to buy luxury products, for sure.”

    Sandro’s launched in Hong Kong in 2012, and Hecquet admits it may have missed the “golden age” when mainland shoppers would queue up outside Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton outlets. But he says that while business is slowing for the traditional luxury brands, “we still see very decent traffic”.

    He believes the emerging young upper-middle class in Asia will be the future powerhouse for luxury goods, and the right time to expand is now. Hong Kong’s retail downturn has freed up more prime retail space and rents are going down. “We have been waiting for a long time to be able to open a flagship,” says Hecquet.

    He says the average age of Sandro’s customers in Hong Kong is between 25 and 30 years, and mainland visitors contribute to a significant portion of sales.

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  • SMCP vows to continue China roll-out

    SMCP vows to continue China roll-out

    SMCP, the group behind French fashion brands Claudie Pierlot, Maje and Sandro plans to pursue its international expansion, particularly in China, where it will continue to open about 30 shops a year.

    SMCP president/CEO Daniel Lalonde says the strategy has not changed after majority owner KKR agreed to sell control to China’s Shandong Ruyi in a €1.3 billion (US$1.4 billion) deal that made the company cancel its application for a Paris flotation.

    Shandong Ruyi will own 80 per cent of SMCP while KKR will retain a 10 per cent stake. The balance will be held by founders Evelyne, Ylan Chetrite and Judith Milgrom shared with management.

    Meanwhile, SMCP has bucked the global fashion industry’s sluggish sales growth trends with a 9.3 per cent increase in like-for-like revenue in the first half.

    Including the impact of foreign exchange and new stores, first-half sales were up 19.2 per cent at €377.2 million globally.

    Lalonde says SMCP’s digital strategy is paying off with online sales making up 10 per cent of total revenue, up from 6 per cent last year.

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  • Shandong Ruyi confirms SMCP deal

    Shandong Ruyi confirms SMCP deal

    Subject to regulatory approvals, Chinese textile and apparel manufacturer Shandong Ruyi Technology Group has acquired a controlling stake in fashion brand parent SMCP.

    The Chinese company has signed an exclusive agreement along with global investment firm KKR, with the expectation that SMCP’s founders and management will reinvest alongside Shandong Ruyi as minority shareholders, while KKR retains a minority interest.

    SMCP, with its brands Claudie Pierlot, Maje and Sandro, has more than 1000 stores in 34 countries, including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

    Shandong Ruyi says it intends to maintain the DNA and unique identity of the SMCP brands, with the SMCP design and creative teams continuing to work from its Paris headquarters. SMCP will retain its strategy and organisational structure while benefitting from Shandong Ruyi’s global retailing expertise.

    “We have been highly impressed by the success of Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot, and hold great respect for the founders and management of SMCP both for their passion and their achievement,” says Shandong Ruyi chairman Yafu Qiu.

    “This would be a significant step for Shandong Ruyi Group in our continued endeavour to become a leader in the fully integrated textiles and fashion business, both in China and globally. By taking on board the expertise of SMCP, a group well-rooted with a strong Parisian heritage, we would combine their merits with our existing strength in Asia, in particular China … We also look forward to supporting SMCP in achieving its long-term objective of becoming a global leader in accessible luxury.”

    “My sister Judith Milgrom and I are delighted to embark on the next phase in the journey of our company alongside Shandong Ruyi Group,” says SMCP founder/MD Evelyne Chetrite.

    “After record results for 2015, with 33 per cent net sales growth, we are very excited by the opportunity to partner with Shandong Ruyi Group, which can support us in our global ambition,” says SMCP president/CEO Daniel Lalonde.

    “We will continue expanding in areas where our brands have significant potential: Europe, North America, the Middle East and particularly Asia.”

    Founded in 1972, Shandong Ruyi Technology Group is one of the largest textile manufacturers in China and ranks among the Top 100 Chinese multinational enterprises.

    The group has a fully integrated value chain from cultivating raw materials, processing textiles and designing and selling brands and apparel.

    In the accessible luxury sector, SMCP has 1118 point of sales, 906 of them being run directly and 212 through partnerships. Its brands are in 33 countries.

    Shandong Ruyi’s bid to buy SMCP has been an “on again, off again” affair. On March 9 it was reported to have collapsed, but by the end of the month it was announced as going ahead again. Rumours of takeover bids for SMCP surfaced in January.

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  • France’s Groupe SMCP finds favour in China

    France’s Groupe SMCP finds favour in China

    Parisian fashion label Groupe SMCP says its ‘affordable luxury’ positioning is luring growing numbers of Chinese shoppers.

    SMCP is 70 per cent owned by private equity group KKR (one of the companies linked to a bid for Tesco’s US$6 billion Korean operations).

    In an interview with Bloomberg, SMCP CEO Daniel Lalonde said the company is witnessing “an incredible demand” for its products in Hong Kong, and he suspects the reason is the brand’s ‘affordable luxury’ positioning.

    “Chinese consumers love the brands – they like the fit,” he said.

    In Greater China – including the mainland – Groupe SMCP’s same store sales rose in the high double digits in 2014, over 2013. The growth rate is showing little sign of slowing in the first months of this year.

    Chinese shoppers now account for about 10 per cent of Groupe SMCP’s global sales. An increasing number of Chinese travellers are shopping in the company’s European stores, Lalonde told Bloomberg.

    Besides its own label, the retailer sells Claudie Pierlot, Maje and Sandro brands, all targeting “modern and elegant women”.

    Groupe SMCP currently has eight stores trading in Hong Kong and plans to open as many as five more this year. It also plans more stores in Macau.

    While Hong Kong’s retail sales have fallen by more than two per cent so far this year, largely due to the bottom falling out of the luxury watch and expensive jewellery markets, Lalonde told Bloomberg his stores have not noticed any downturn.

    “This is what I read and what I’m told – we haven’t been able to see that at all. We’ve seen very strong sales in all our stores that have been here more than two and a half years.”

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