While the historic shoe brands are collapsing, Chaussea is buying them up one by one. Find out how this discreet strategy puts big brands within reach of all budgets.
San Marina, André, Minelli… For several years, the closures of shoe brands have been occurring at a worrying pace in our city centers. But in the middle of this shipwreck, a French actor advances his pawns with disconcerting composure. While the others lower the curtain, he makes up for it. Discreetly, he recovers one by one the brands that we thought were condemned. His name? Chaussea. And behind this family business born in Lorraine lies a strategy that could well revolutionize the way you wear shoes for your entire tribe.
It all comes down to a question of timing. Where distant investment funds get rid of brands at the first difficulty, this group which has remained family for more than forty years patiently waits for the right moment to pick them up. By saving in quick succession the elegant collections of San Marina and the timeless looks of Pataugas, the brand has offered itself a treasure: names full of history and affect. But the most surprising thing is not that she buys them back. That’s what she does with it next.
The best example is undoubtedly San Marina, now sold exclusively at Chaussea. These pumps, leather ankle boots and trendy sandals that we once bought for around 100-150 euros can now be found at much lower prices, often half the price. Enough to fall for a stylish pair, for the office or an evening, without feeling guilty about the price. This elegant window that we were eyeing without always daring to push the door is finally accessible. The principle? Recover these labels, manufacture them on a large scale and eliminate intermediaries, in order to democratize what was yesterday reserved for special occasions.
And the children are not forgotten. With the Kickers, these little boots with the famous red and green flower just bought by the group according to LSA, it is another cult name which joins the fold of the brand. If Chaussea applies the recipe that has made it successful, there is no doubt that they will soon arrive on the shelves at prices that are finally reasonable for families.
We still need to cut prices without compromising quality. This is where the last two pillars of the method come into play. Have you noticed that we almost never come across Chaussea in the city center? The group sets up exclusively on the outskirts, swapping the astronomical rents of pedestrian streets for commercial areas with free parking, so practical with children in a hurry.
Added to this is the astonishing method of on-shelf boxes, inherited from mass distribution: no salesperson, no hidden reserves, we flash on a model, we open it, we try it on the spot. Reduced charges and total self-service: so many savings that come straight from the label. The promise, at the end of the day? Shoe the whole family with cult and solid brands, without ever sacrificing the vacation budget.
