Little Marcel wants to open stores in his name
His basic model is a marine motif declined over a tank. But the bit of blue and white Little Marcel preferred the colored stripes printed on a black background on which lies the mark in writing schoolboy.
Imagined in a store of ready-to-wear Grau-du-Roi (Gard), this "Marcel" knows a great climb since its inception in 2005. Now available in 1,500 outlets across the Hexagon, the idea was originally that of a gift for his partner Eric Schieven Linda Leseigneur. A present that had not fatally destined to be reproduced on an industrial scale.
Owned by the couple creator, the company KLS, which operates Little Marcel, employs 45 people and develops, six years after its creation, a turnover "of about 20 million euros, up 20% the previous year, "says commercial director Michel Levy.
The South, a laboratory
In recent years, the catalog has been enriched and Little Marcel did not remain a prisoner of style nautical wear "left (his) signature." Offering various reasons, always colorful, the brand gingham dresses, swimwear polka dot … Distributed only in stores ready-to-wear at a price of "25 to 35 euros per t-shirt," she wishes to open signs his name in seven cities on the Mediterranean coast and Atlantic to accelerate its development model. All without external capital. "Without the staff, the installation of a shop costs around 300,000 euros," says commercial director.
"The South is our laboratory, advance Michel Levy. The idea is to open stores in areas where we have a mind awareness. "Thus, Hossegor (Landes), Bandol (Var) or Palavas (Hérault) should see the arrival of a store Little Marcel by the summer. "We first want to show us where the season strong on our brands work best, that is to say, in fine weather."
Therefore seasonal stores, an area of 100 to 150 square meters, that KLS develop its own before running franchises. "Let's say that eventually a 50-50 mix is a good balance." If the sign function, with an estimated turnover "at the beginning" of € 500,000 per store, "thirty stores are expected to emerge in both years. "
Installed to date on the fishing port of Le Grau du Roi, the warehouse in Little Marcel, whose textiles are machined in Portugal, is planning to move a few miles away in the town of Aigues-Mortes. Soon it will invest a storage center 4000 sqm, against just over 1000 today.
ALSO READ:
"Kindy takes the brand Achile
"Retailers are catching up in e-commerce
"The great return to form Spring
"The EDCF gives a hand to the costumes De Fursac
"Personalization, a very personal luxury
There are some life insurance companies that offer a guarantee for the premiums only for certain number of years within the term.