High-end footwear label, Robert Clergerie, shuts down operation; emotionally affected founder shares thoughts
Painful End for Legendary Shoe Mogul: Robert Clergerie Talks About Losing His Brand 👠}}_Image sourced from PIXABAY 🖼 by Thibaud Hue, Updated on , last modified on
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Saying Goodbye to a Legacy: Robert Clergerie. After the judicial liquidation of the brand that bears his name, Clergerie – a big name in French luxury footwear for decades – is now left to reminisce over "a lifetime of hard work". It all began in 1978 in Romans-sur-Isère, where he employed over 2,000 people, making the city thrive along with Charles Jourdan and Stéphane Kélian. Fast-forward to April 2023, with the bankruptcy of his two competitors, followed by his own, "that was it". In the end, the last 60 employees of his company lost their jobs.
The man of 91 years looked back on his entrepreneurial journey, speaking candidly to radio Ici, with a heavy heart and glistening eyes. He grappled with the loss of "a business" he had spent 40 long years building.
The Brand Jennyfer Files for Liquidation, 200 Stores on the Chopping Block ✂️"It all fell apart", Robert Clergerie lamented, as he recalled the transition from using premium materials to Chinese alternatives, disappointing even the most devoted customers. As the company's doors closed, he clung to "wonderful moments". "At least, I didn't waste my life," he admitted wistfully, expressing gratitude for the chance to pursue his ideas until the end.
Industry Insights:
- Market Fluctuations: With ever-evolving consumer preferences, luxury brands like Clergerie must be nimble and adapt quickly to stay afloat.
- Outsourcing and Automation: Moving production overseas or adopting automated processes can save costs but may compromise quality and employee relationships.
- Competition: In a saturated luxury market, innovation and differentiation is essential to staying competitive and attracting customers.
- Financial Manipulations: Often, behind the scenes, financial groups take over struggling companies, prioritizing profits over people and product integrity.
- Job Losses: Major changes to a company's operations can lead to job losses, as they restructure and seek to cut costs.
Throughout this trying time, Robert Clergerie, once a prominent figure in the world of French luxury footwear, must now confront the reality of a chapter closed, a costly journey that has left him – like his brand – in search of a new direction. 🌄
- In the face of a chapter closed for his brand, Robert Clergerie, once a significant figure in the French luxury footwear business, now considers the painful finale as a transition, looking back at a business he spent 40 years meticulously building and employing over 2,000 individuals.
- The financial manipulations and competition in the saturated luxury market, compounded by market fluctuations and outsourcing, have left Robert Clergerie facing the harsh reality of his business journey, while the last 60 employees grapple with job losses, in search of new opportunities.
