SMCP Group explained

SMCP S.A.
Logo Alt:Sandro Paris
Type:Public (Société Anonyme)
Industry:Fashion
Founded: in Paris, France
Hq Location:49, rue Etienne Marcel
Hq Location City:Paris
Hq Location Country:France
Num Locations:1,684
Num Locations Year:2021
Area Served:Worldwide
Revenue: [1]
Revenue Year:2021
Income Year:2021
Net Income Year:2021
Assets Year:2021
Equity Year:2021
Num Employees:6000[2]
Num Employees Year:2021
Subsid:List of subsidiaries

SMCP Group, commonly known as SMCP, is a French holding company specializing in accessible luxury ready-to-wear, headquartered in Paris. The company was formed in 2010 through the merger of Sandro, Maje, and Claudie Pierlot. SMCP operates over 1,600 points of sale, including boutiques, flagships, and within high-end department stores, in 43 countries.[2] Isabelle Guichot has been the CEO of SMCP since August 2021.[3]

History

Founding

Prior to the founding of SMCP Group, Sandro, Maje, and Claudie Pierlot operated independently in the growing accessible luxury fashion niche in France.[2] Following the acquisition of Claudie Pierlot's eponymous label by sisters Évelyne Chetrite of Sandro and Judith Milgrom of Maje in 2009, Pierlot lost her long battle with cancer and died, leaving her label's future to the two sisters.[4] In 2010, SMCP S.A. was formed through the merger of Sandro, Maje, and Claudie Pierlot.[2]

Under private equity's control

In September 2010, L Capital, the private equity arm of French luxury conglomerate LVMH, purchased a 51 percent stake in SMCP Group.[5] The investment provided SMCP access to L Capital and LVMH's assets in the textile sector and experience working with rapidly expanding, formerly family-run brands.[5] In October 12, 2011, a Maje boutique opened in New York City, becoming the first SMCP store to open in the U.S. and marking the beginning of a period of rapid worldwide brick and mortar expansion.[6]

In March 2013, American private-equity firm KKR acquired a 65 percent stake in SMCP Group from L Capital and Florac for an estimated 650 million euros, becoming its majority owner.[7] The company grew steadily over the years and saw its revenue jumped 32 percent in the first half of 2015 amid a rapidly growing accessible luxury market.[8]

Acquisition by Shandong Ruyi

In April 2016, Chinese textile conglomerate Shandong Ruyi acquired a controlling interest in SMCP from KKR for an estimated 1.3 billion euros to take advantage of China's growing middle class and in hopes of one day becoming "a global leader in accessible luxury."[9] SMCP Group roughly doubled in size from 2013 to 2016.[10] The company saw a 19.2 percent growth in revenue in the first half of 2016, including an "explosive" 51 percent in Greater China, under new majority Chinese ownership.[11]

SMCP Group went public in October 2017 with IPO at 22 euros per share, giving the company a market capitalization of around 1.7 billion euros.[12] It was the second-largest IPO on the Paris stock market in 2017.[13]

In June 2019, SMCP acquired De Fursac, a French luxury menswear brand known for its expertise in tailoring.[14] [15] [16]

Claudie Pierlot, a subsidiary of SMCP, became the last brand in the group to ban the use of fur in its collection in spring 2020. Since then, SMCP has been a fur-free fashion group.[17]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group reported a 31 percent decrease in revenue and a loss of 88.5 million euros in the first half of 2020.[18] It quickly recovered and reported a profit of 600,000 euros or an increase of 89 million euros in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.[19]

Recent developments

In October 2021, SMCP's majority shareholder European TopSoho, a Luxembourg-based subsidiary of Shandong Ruyi, defaulted on 250 million euros worth of bonds, angering institutional shareholders Blackrock and the Carlyle Group.[20] A 29 percent share of SMCP was taken over and sold by its creditors.[21] In January 2022, Blackrock, the Carlyle Group, and other investors joined forces under GLAS, a trustee, and voted to dismiss five board members representing the former majority owner of the company, European TopSoho.[22]

Isabelle Guichot, former CEO of Balenciaga and Maje, was named CEO of the group in 2021 to replace Daniel Lalonde upon his resignation.[3]

In 2023, SMCP which is already present in 47 countries, announced its entry to the Indian market, where it will open its first stores in 2024, through a partnership with the Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) group.[23] [24] [25]

In April 2024, Maje, SMCP's subsidiary, formed a partnership with the after-sales start-up, Save Your Wardrobe, to develop its clothing repair service.[26]

Subsidiaries

SMCP controls the following subsidiaries as of August 2022.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2021 Full-Year Results . March 9, 2022 . smcp.com . August 28, 2022.
  2. Web site: SMCP's Profile - BoF . March 9, 2022 . businessoffashion.com . August 28, 2022.
  3. News: Didrich . Joelle . August 2, 2021 . SMCP Appoints Isabelle Guichot as CEO . . August 28, 2022.
  4. News: Groves . Ellen . March 4, 2009 . Obit: Claudie Pierlot, French Designer . . August 28, 2022.
  5. News: Diderich . Joelle . September 20, 2010 . L Capital to Buy Stake in Groupe SMCP . . August 28, 2022.
  6. News: Edelson . Sharon . September 15, 2011 . Sandro, Maje to Open New York Units . . August 28, 2022.
  7. News: Socha . Miles . Guilbault . Laure . Iredale . Jessica . April 18, 2013 . KKR Buys Majority of Sandro, Maje Group . . August 28, 2022.
  8. News: Socha . Miles . August 31, 2015 . SMCP Revenues Climb 32 Percent in First Half . . August 28, 2022.
  9. News: Socha . Miles . March 31, 2016 . Shandong Ruyi to Acquire Majority of Sandro, Maje Group . . August 28, 2022.
  10. News: Socha . Miles . April 4, 2016 . Sandro, Maje to Seize Affordable Luxe Trend in China . . August 28, 2022.
  11. News: Socha . Miles . August 31, 2016 . China Powers a 19.2% H1 Gain at SMCP . . August 28, 2022.
  12. News: Spencer . Mimosa . October 19, 2017 . SMCP Prices IPO at 22 Euros Per Share . . August 28, 2022.
  13. News: Conti . Samantha . February 9, 2018 . Shandong Ruyi Buys Bally, with JAB Retaining a Minority Stake . . August 28, 2022.
  14. News: Guilbault . Laure . June 25, 2019 . SMCP Acquires French Men's Label De Fursac . Business of Fashion . August 28, 2022.
  15. News: June 25, 2019 . French fashion group SMCP buys men's luxury brand De Fursac . . August 28, 2022.
  16. Web site: SMCP in Exclusive Talks to Buy De Fursac . 19 January 2024 . WWD.
  17. News: Burlet . Fleur . November 29, 2019 . Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot Go Fur-free . . August 28, 2022.
  18. News: Spencer . Mimosa . September 4, 2020 . SMCP Reports H1 Loss of 88.5 Million Euros, Plans Investor Day . . August 28, 2022.
  19. News: Weil . Jennifer . September 3, 2021 . SMCP Profits Grow in the First Half of 2021 . . August 28, 2022.
  20. News: Zhang . Tianwei . January 6, 2022 . Who Will Shandong Ruyi's Brands SMCP, and Gieves & Hawkes? . . August 28, 2022.
  21. News: Templeton . Lily . October 29, 2021 . SMCP Shares to Be Sold by Creditors After Shareholder Defaults . . August 28, 2022.
  22. News: Wynne . Alex . January 14, 2022 . SMCP Dismisses Former Chinese Owners From Board . . August 28, 2022.
  23. Web site: SMCP entre en Inde via un partenariat avec Reliance Brands Limited . 25 January 2024 . ABC Bourse.
  24. Web site: SMCP se lance en Inde avec de premières boutiques prévues en 2024 . 25 January 2024 . Fashion Network.
  25. Web site: SMCP entre en Inde via un partenariat avec Reliance Brands Limited . 25 January 2024 . Capital.
  26. Web site: Maje et Save Your Wardrobe développent un service de réparation . 16 April 2024 . Fashion United.