Eleven Paris relaunches Little Eleven Paris, expands franchising network

Dan Cohen and Ilan Amar continue to follow their road map for Eleven Paris. They redefined the Parisian label’s business model in 2020, focusing on e-tail and monobrand stores, and reached new milestones in 2023.

“We’re very happy we have focused the business and are no longer working through the wholesale channel. We’re doing very well, both online and with our stores. Last year, we improved profitability by 25%,” said Amar, who did not however provide details about the label’s financial results. Two years ago, Eleven Paris generated a revenue of over €4 million.

Since then, it has expanded its monobrand store network, opening both directly owned and franchised stores. “We have agreed terms with affiliated partners to extend our footprint. We’re targeting touristic cities and fairly affluent areas frequented by Gen Z consumers. For example, we’ve opened in front of the Janson high school in Sailly, in Paris’s 16th arrondissement. And the stores we opened in Bastia and Ajaccio [in Corsica] are doing extremely well.” Last year, Eleven Paris also opened in Cannes and Montpellier, adding to the half dozen stores it was already operating in France. Several new openings have been approved for 2024, in Deauville, Le Touquet and Vincennes, in the eastern suburbs of Paris.

Amar hinted that an opening in Marseilles is likely to be finalised this year. In 2023, Eleven Paris re-introduced teenager products in its stores, and this year it is planning to relaunch the Little Eleven Paris childrenswear line. “In the past, our mini-me range used to account for 7% of sales. The line will have its own sections both in-store and online, with a well-positioned price and a range genuinely suitable for children, which we’re developing internally. Our adult t-shirts are priced at €55, those for teenagers at €45, and children’s ones will go for about €35. In a few seasons, [childrenswear] could account for between 10% and 15% of our sales,” said Amar.

Despite the fact that the apparel market is going through a troubled period, Eleven Paris is on the upswing. “It’s very tough, we are no exception, but results are coming, so it’s especially encouraging,” said Amar. Eleven Paris will take on another challenge this year. Cohen and Amar have decided to take direct control of the business in the USA, where the label has been distributed for some time via a licensed partner in the multibrand channel. The plan is to then deploy the same business model introduced in France. A strategy aimed at harmonizing the way Eleven Paris does business globally, adopting a common range and putting the label in direct touch with its US customers.