André footwear enters judicial liquidation after 130 years

The historic French footwear brand André has entered judicial liquidation after 130 years of operation. Founded in 1896 in Nancy, the company is currently in a state of insolvency and employs only 30 staff members.

The Paris Economic Activities Tribunal opened the liquidation proceedings on September 9. According to court documents, the company could not be restructured due to failed negotiations with the shopping center giant Westfield and ongoing issues with its landlord.

The brand's decline has been attributed to several economic factors, including the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, rising raw material costs following the war in Ukraine, and intense competition from ultra-fast fashion retailers like Shein and second-hand platforms such as Vinted.

André has undergone several ownership changes in recent years. After being owned by Vivarte, it was acquired by the online retailer Spartoo in 2018, then by 1Monde9 in 2020. In 2023, the Belgian company Optakare, led by Karim Redjal, took over the brand following a second restructuring process.