Maison 123 expands its French and international network

Maison 123 has been on the right track since its return to profit in 2021. It is pursuing an expansion plan that is taking shape both in France and abroad. The French women’s fashion chain has been granted sufficient investment capacity by its owner, the Etam group, to open around ten shops in France this year, and to continue to expand outside of its home country while communicating more widely on its transformation.

In France the mid-range clothing brand, founded in 1983, has already set up shop in seven locations this year, including Aix-en-Provence, Cherbourg, Roanne, Val D’Europe and Carré Sénart. It will shortly be opening in Dijon in the Toison d’Or shopping centre, and has plans to set up in Boulogne-Billancourt. In Paris, the brand has moved to rue de la Chaussée d’Antin, having taken over a unit previously occupied by Etam in April. Despite the reduction in floor space compared with the previous location, this address is “experiencing strong growth”.

“Eleven openings have already been agreed, but we could go as high as fifteen given the great opportunities that are opening up”, explains Axelle Mathery, the brand’s general manager since summer 2020. Lille city centre is also on the roadmap.

Maison 123 entered Spain in June with four corners in El Corte Inglés department stores. Two more will open in July, while three are scheduled for the end of the year. The selected cities are Madrid, Santander, Murcia, Seville and Jaen. For 2024, the brand aims to open its first directly-operated stores, “i.e. two to five points of sale in Spain,” says the CEO.

2 to 5 shops in Germany by 2024

In Europe, a tenth shop on the Belgian market opened this July in Mons, while in Germany, where it has 28 corners in department stores, the brand is planning to open two to five directly-operated outlets by 2024. This is a country where it had closed its two pre-Covid stores for economic reasons. Finally, on the export front, talks are under way to establish the brand in Mexico, via corners.

The clothing chain had been in poor shape since the end of the 2010s, and in the last three years, in order to turn things around, the brand decided to revise its style, with more feminine and casual looks, reduce purchase volumes and limit the use of promotions, while bringing sourcing closer together. The brand’s Ebitda, which had reached €1.6 million, tripled in 2022. In that year, sales totalled €140 million. The 160 million mark is forecast for 2023, with growth of 8.5% on a like-for-like basis.

June “was an excellent month” for the brand, with very strong private sales and a pre-sales discount period which saw a 20% increase in business compared to last year. “We favoured this event over the sales, which are less substantial for us. Our customers have already been to the shop. And we’re taking advantage of the sales to introduce the new collection, which is off to a very good start, with growth of 14% already,” explains Axelle Mathery.

For this autumn’s offer, the focus is on Vietnam, the source of inspiration and the setting for the brand’s new collection. Maison 123 is increasingly scripting its launches in order to get back on track. To this end, an advertising campaign was launched this year, while a team of ten female influencers was brought together to reinforce the brand – which now has 25% of its customers aged under 45 – on social networks.