“We experience this closure as a bereavement,” breathes Murielle, manager for five years of a Camaïeu store in Paris.
On Wednesday evening, she learned of the brutal decision of the Lille commercial court to place the ready-to-wear brand in compulsory liquidation.
For the 2,600 Camaïeu employees who work in the 511 stores in France, it's a shock.
“We knew we were in trouble.
But we still had hope, we believed in it until the end, ”continues the saleswoman.
From Saturday evening, with her colleagues, she will definitely lower the curtain.
“We are devastated.
We don't know what will become of us.
We all lose our jobs… I don't even want to think about Monday, ”she confides with sobs in her voice.
While waiting for the end, she runs the shop normally, with a smile... And sometimes a few tears.
“We will close on Saturday at 3 p.m. and we will have a drink between us, here, in the middle of the shelves”, still launches Murielle, while pointing to the counter on which some clothes and shoes still rest.
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On the front of the store, the saleswoman has also posted a poster, intended for her customers.
“We wanted to warn them.
And share our immense sadness with them.
Moreover, since the announcement of the closure, the shop is always full.
Many came to support us and it does us a lot of good.
Less than two months after its placement in receivership, the northern ready-to-wear brand, created in 1984 in Roubaix, will therefore disappear.
And leave more than 2,500 employees on the floor.
The management of Hermione People and Brands (HPB), shareholder of Camaïeu and subsidiary of La Financière immobilière bordelaise (FIB) had bought the brand in 2020 and had given itself two years to bring the brand back into balance.
But with the Covid-related closures, HPB has accumulated debt.
The shareholder said he was ready, like the Hauts-de-France region, to inject more money to avoid liquidation, but on condition that the State also provides financial support to save the brand.
He had indicated that he had requested an advance of 48 million euros from the State, but Bercy had judged that this request was not "realistic", the State not being able "in no case to replace the shareholders".