Charles Jourdan and Stephane Kélian bankrupt

[droogist]

Wasn't sure where to put this...mods, feel free to move if necessary.

Overall, bad news for the French shoe industry:

Charles Jourdan and Stephane Kélian bankrupt

The 80-year-old French luxury shoe maker Charles Jourdan has filed for bankruptcy, a trade union source told AFP yesterday. “The managing director Christophe Beranger told us during an extraordinary works committee meeting this morning that he would file for bankruptcy this evening at the commercial court,” said member of the CGT trade union, Martine Truchet.

According to Truchet the company has garnered debts of €9 million (£6.13 million). As a result the 532 employees will face the consequences. The bankruptcy covers three companies: its manufacturing unit Charles Jourdan Industrie; the marketing and administration division Charles Jourdan France; and Sodepar, which is responsible for running the boutiques and factory shops.

A restructuring of the company in June 2004, whereby the production of handbags was outsourced to a foreign supplier, failed according to Truchet. Charles Jourdan shoes are still produced at the firm's factory in Romans in south-east France . The past week has been a difficult one for the French shoe industry. Stephane Kélian Production, the manufacturing unit of luxury shoe company Stephane Kélian, went into liquidation after filing for insolvency on 11 August.

The unit, situated in the south-eastern French town of Bourg-de-Peage , employs 143 people. It said that it had accumulated debts worth € 3 million (£2.04 million) and that it does not have the necessary price and production competitiveness to survive. Stephane Kélian went into receivership in 2002. It was then bought out by luxury group Francesco Smalto, which proceeded to divide the company into ten different units.

23 August 2005

http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/news/shoes.htm

 

[Stilettophile]

That is really sad news about Charles Jourdan. My earliest memories are of their Guy Bourdin ads in American Vogue during the mid seventies. My mom wore CJ and I always liked how beautifully they were made back then. Ive followed them closely since that time and have amassed lots of samples and most of the catalogs since the mid-seventies.
My favorite period was from Spring/Summer 77 through Spring Summer 80. Ive managed to collect a few standout (really high heels) from those collections.

Other divisions of the older CJ were Xavier Danaud and Jean Rimaud. Wonderful shoes bringing back lots of fond memories.

I hope someone rescues this wonderful brand that has languished for so many years and consistantly was re-interpreted by others.

 

[tresormakati]

Oh that's so sad! It has a good brand but was poorly managed

 

[Oria]

this is really sad, but i agree i've heard about their management issues for a while now, well really whispers. shoes is an expensive business, it took me 2 years to save, another 2 to structure, etc and i am still planning etc. it's not an easy business and regardless of how much i hate to think it's a business.

i hope they are able to recover or at least try to restructure again.

thanks droogist for the article.

 

[Melisande]

Thanks for the article droogist and for the photos Stilettophile. I also have many fond childhood CG memories, and the favorite pair in my collection today is also from CG. I've been noticing they were coming out with some uncharacteristic bags and apparel lately and was wondering what was going on. I really hope they will be rescued.

 

[Plastic'sWife]

... sad...
they were some cute heels, but IMO- they did not update much nor kept up with recent trends... at least the ones that I saw...

 

[Stilettophile]

Correction...one of the bridge lines in my earlier post should read - "Jean Rimbaud". (He did the plaid shoes shown in the pics).
Heres some more CJ from during their late 70's "Studio 54 moment".
~enjoy

If anyone else has more pics of their CJ's...please post. Perhaps all the positve energy will benefit their future.

 

[stilista]

sad news indeed. I think their older styles were much better than those recently. I bought a couple of pairs last year, but they were nothing special...much prefer their Studio 54 era! B)

Great collection Stilettophile! They deserve to be danced in!

 

[faust]

this is sad i'm wearing shoes by stephane keliane as i'm typing

 

[Vintage_Addict]

Stilettophile those are in your collection? oh my goodness those are so so beautiful. I remember (or actually saw recently) the Guy Bourdin ads you mentioned, those are incredible.

Protect those shoes! At least from me.

 

[Stilettophile]

Stilettophile those are in your collection? oh my goodness those are so so beautiful. I remember (or actually saw recently) the Guy Bourdin ads you mentioned, those are incredible.

Protect those shoes! At least from me.

Hi Vintage Addict

All the shoes shown in the pics are mine except for the bottom two. The metallic wedge, though, I have in many colors....just not that combination.
The rest of my 70's vintage covers many styles and is fairly large. Lots of sexy metal, lucite, and TALL heels. Ill post them soon.

 

[Vintage_Addict]

well i look forward to it Stilettophile!

 

[softgrey]

well ...the kelian store in nyc closed last year....
and i went in there regularly and would have happily bought something...
but the designs just weren't any good...imo...

and charles jourdan absolutely should have capitalized and jumped on the new interest in their vintage 70's styles and done some sort of re-launch of some of those styles...imo...
the brand's image is still glamourous and intact...
that company is completely salvageable as far as i am concerned...

btw-whenever i called the press office of charles jourdan to borrow shoes...
i could never reach anyone...
poorly managed i would say...


thanks for the news droogist...

 

[faust]

well ...the kelian store in nyc closed last year....
and i went in there regularly and would have happily bought something...
but the designs just weren't any good...imo...

They still retained their original Madison Ave. store. But I agree about their designs. It appealed more to a Botegga Venetta customer, not really a downtown crowd. The only pair of shoes I ever liked from them I bought in their Paris boutique (almost twice as cheap as in the US I might add).

 

[Stilettophile]

They re-introduced the open-bridged wedge a couple of years ago. Unfortunately they lowered the height and changed the charachter, (IMO).
I did pick up a pair of the re-issued style. Believe it was called 'Helium"...black satin with Rhinestones running up the back of the heel.

Hopefully CJwill be salvaged. Theres plenty of "glam" real estate left in the marketplace.

 

[softgrey]

agreed..kelian is much cheaper in france...
i don't know if it appealed to bottega customers either, who i think of as trendy downtowners actually...

**i don't think it appealed to anyone...
hence the problemo...



i'm just crossing my fingers that robert clergerie doesn't go down the same way...
and another brand that KIT and i used to talk about...walter steiger...

 

[Stilettophile]

Just acquired these....vintage served up Haute and tasty.. Will post others as soon as I can...NYC Fashion Week coming...so please be patient.

 

[Vintage_Addict]

beautiful.

 

[Curious]

Krikey! Just when I find out how much I like some of Stephane Kelian's designs. No wonder I didn't get the catalog I requested

Thanks for the news Droogist

 

[Stilettophile]

Any news if Charles Jourdan will make a return? They had a Spring 08 Collection, but I cannot locate their phone contact anywhere. Are there any members with info? I would like to update my Charles Jourdan Shrine.

Thanks~