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Childrenswear brand Bonpoint could soon be sold to Chinese group
French high-end childrenswear brand Bonpoint is about to be sold to Chinese conglomerate Youngor Group, according to French news outlet La Lettre. The latter has reported that EPI, the family holding company that has been Bonpoint’s owner since 2007, and also owns footwear brand J.M. Weston, is at an advanced negotiation stage to sell Bonpoint
La Lettre wrote that “Valérie Hermann, a close collaborator since 2019 of EPI’s CEO Christopher Descours, is in charge of the operation, valued at €200 million.” Contacted by FashionNetwork.com, Bonpoint has not yet responded
The Youngor Group was founded in 1979, and is a leader in the textile and apparel industry in China. In 2023, it reportedly generated sales worth €1.7 billion (RMB13 billion), posting a decrease compared to 2022. The group, which is also active in real estate, designs and manufactures apparel, notably for its men’s ready-to-wear brand Youngor. In 2022, Youngor Group also acquired a minority stake in the Alexander Wang label
In 2023, China was a key market for Bonpoint, which was founded in 1975. As of the end of last year, Bonpoint operated 130 stores and shops-in-shops worldwide, of which about 30 were in China. The country is also the market in which the Bonpoint beauty line (which accounts for nearly 30% of the brand’s €150 million revenue) is most successful. Bonpoint first opened its own beauty stores and concessions in China in 2018
The childrenswear market is tough, and yields disappointing results, so perhaps EPI has decided to focus on different sectors, for example spirits or real estate. The reasons for its potential divestiture of Bonpoint remain unknown
If Bonpoint was sold to Youngor Group, it would be the second French childrenswear brand to find a new owner in Asia this year. Smallable, which went into liquidation on July 31, was set to be sold to AA Investments, a Hong Kong asset management company that seems determined to give the French pure-player a global reach
