This Clothing & Footwear in France report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.
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Executive Summary
Clothing and Footwear Sales Flat
Despite the slow but steady growth of overall private consumption over the review period, value sales of clothing and footwear remained flat. Consumers purchased electronic goods and travel and leisure services during the period, to the detriment of clothing and footwear. To maintain their capacity for purchasing new technology, many shoppers now plan their clothing and footwear purchases, preferring to wait for sales to benefit from better price deals.
French retailers and clothing and footwear manufacturers have tried for decades to adapt to market changes. Some manufacturers, facing bankruptcy, have either moved their production facilities to low-cost counties or decided to concentrate on design and marketing activities, purchasing items abroad. Brand retailers have been the first to source their collections abroad to benefit from good prices. This strategy has allowed both retailers and manufacturers to maintain sales volumes during the period even as the average prices have fallen steadily. This trend, begun in the 1980's, is expected to continue.
A Highly Fragmented Market
The clothing and footwear market is highly fragmented. Two groups, Vivarte and Eram, are slightly larger than the others and have dominated the French market for years. But neither of them account for more than five percent share of the clothing and footwear market. The success of the French fashion market is based on the wide variety and range of products on offer. Most all shoppers are able to find what they are looking for.
As in other markets where the boundaries between market segments have been blurred because of the success of discounters, segmentation in the French clothing and footwear market is not based on purchasing power. Everyone can now shop in the morning in grocery stores or retail specialists like Kiabi, located in commercial centres, before visiting Zara, H&M, and Etam in the afternoon. Shoppers, finally able to save money in a better economy, are also now able to shop for pleasure once in a while in luxury shops like Hermés. Consequently, marketing campaigns are adapted to promote purchasing occasions and they are no longer targeted toward specific market segments.
French Market Leaders Threatened by Fast Moving Competitors
Vivarte and Eram are present primarily in the low to medium ranges of the market. However, during the review period, their market leadership appeared to be jeopardised by the emergence of new fast-moving contenders, all coming from other European countries. H&M, Zara, Esprit and Mango, among others, introduced new retailing concepts built around offering multiple collections and small series throughout the year. These companies, positioned in the medium-to-upper ranges of the market, are perceived to be trend setters in the fashion industry, offering products at affordable prices. Even if their growth strategies differ, their success is based essentially on their image of being fast movers able to renew their product offerings continuously to incite customers to buy fashion items more regularly.
Meanwhile, French retailers like Camaïeu, Etam and Promod, present in the same medium-to-upper ranges, have lost their leadership positions and are struggling to maintain their market shares, particularly in the women's outerwear subsector. French retailers remain leaders in the men's outerwear and childrenswear subsectors.
Only High-end Manufacturers Have Survived
The clothing and footwear manufacturing industry in France has almost disappeared. The only companies still able to manufacture in France, with the exception of Eram, are the top-quality manufacturers with specific expertise who enjoy significant value added on their products. These manufacturers also focus on short series that need to be on the shelves quickly. Generally, they have relocated part of their manufacturing capacity abroad, but they still conduct the most important parts of the manufacturing process in France. This is particularly true in the footwear industry.
Their success relies on their ability to create attractive and creative collections and to have direct access to their customers. They have consequently either developed their own distribution networks, like Free Lance and Robert Clergerie, or they rely heavily on small independent multibrand stores.
Developing a More Customized Approach
The clothing and footwear markets should continue to grow slowly but steadily. In the outskirts of French cities, low-price and low-quality products will be marketed in grocery stores and in large multiple specialists outlets such as La Halle aux Vêtements, Kiabi and Vêti. In the city centres, medium-level and premium offerings are sold in retail specialists like Zara, H&M and Camaïeu or in multibrand stores. These stores will attract shoppers by providing basic offerings throughout the year complemented by new collections introduced each month. They will increasingly offer a more customized approach in response to growing customer demand for change. As well, some independent retailers may develop new services involving tailored clothes. As fitness and weight issues become more prominent, an increasing portion of the French population will be unable to find clothes that fit them in international retail stores.
TABLE OF CONTENTS CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR IN FRANCE : MARKET INSIGHT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Clothing and Footwear Sales Flat
A Highly Fragmented Market
French Market Leaders Threatened by Fast Moving Competitors
Only High-end Manufacturers Have Survived
Developing a More Customized Approach
KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Consumers Opting More for Electronic Products and Travel and Leisure
The Volume of Imports Explodes
Fashion Is More Important Than Quality
From "Made in France" to "Designed in France"
International Chains Dominate the Retail Market
Slackening in Sports Clothing and Footwear Dynamism
MARKET DATA
Table 1 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Volume 2001-2006
Table 2 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Value 2001-2006
Table 3 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Volume Growth 2001-2006
Table 4 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Value Growth 2001-2006
Table 5 Clothing and Footwear Company Shares 2004-2006
Table 6 Clothing and Footwear Brand Shares 2004-2006
Table 7 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Distribution Format: % Analysis 2001-2006
Table 8 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Volume 2006-2011
Table 9 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Value 2006-2011
Table 10 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Volume Growth 2006-2011
Table 11 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Value Growth 2006-2011
DEFINITIONS
Clothing
Footwear
Sources
Summary 1 Research Sources
LOCAL COMPANY PROFILES - FRANCE
ERAM SA - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - FRANCE
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 2 Eram SA: Key Facts
Summary 3 Eram SA: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
Summary 4 Eram SA: Production Statistics 2006
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 5 Eram SA: Competitive Position 2006
ETAM DEVELOPPEMENT SA - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - FRANCE
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 6 Etam Développement SA: Key Facts
Summary 7 Etam Développement SA: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 8 Etam Développement SA: Competitive Position 2006
H&M HENNES & MAURITZ SARL - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - FRANCE
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 9 H&M Hennes & Mauritz Sarl: Key Facts
Summary 10 H&M Hennes & Mauritz Sarl: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 11 H&M Hennes & Mauritz Sarl: Competitive Position 2006
VIVARTE SA - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - FRANCE
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 12 Vivarte SA: Key Facts
Summary 13 Vivarte SA: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 14 Vivarte SA: Competitive Position 2006
ZARA FRANCE - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - FRANCE
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 15 Zara France: Key Facts
Summary 16 Zara France: Operational Indicators 2004-2006
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 17 Zara France: Competitive Position 2006
CLOTHING IN FRANCE
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
FOOTWEAR IN FRANCE
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR DATA
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