Camaïeu
Celio · France
Camaïeu is a French womenswear brand founded in Roubaix in 1984 that became the country's leading women's ready to wear chain. After the operating company was liquidated in 2022, menswear retailer Celio bought the brand at auction and relaunched it in 2024 in a small number of stores and online.
| Founded | 1984, Roubaix |
|---|---|
| Liquidation | 28 September 2022 |
| Brand owner | Celio (since December 2022) |
| Purchase price | 1.8 million euros |
| Relaunch | 29 August 2024 |
| Website | camaieu.fr |
What is Camaïeu?
Camaïeu is a French brand of affordable womenswear. For decades it was a fixture of French high streets and shopping centres, and it was described as France's leading women's ready to wear brand. Today the name belongs to the menswear retailer Celio, which relaunched it in 2024.
History
Camaïeu was founded in Roubaix in 1984. About two years before its collapse it was taken over by Hermione People and Brands, a subsidiary of the Financière immobilière bordelaise (FIB). On 28 September 2022 the Lille commercial court placed the company in judicial liquidation, and about 2,100 employees lost their jobs.
On 7 December 2022, at an auction near Lille, Celio bought the Camaïeu brand, logos and domain names for 1.8 million euros. Celio president Sébastien Bismuth said the revival would take time and noted that the two brands, one for men and one for women, had similar positioning.
Products and positioning
Under Celio, a team of about 25 people designed a collection of affordable women's clothing. It went on sale on 29 August 2024 in 12 stores and online. The relaunch aims to:
- Offer accessible everyday womenswear
- Sit alongside Celio's menswear in shared stores
- Rebuild a brand that still had millions of loyal customers
- Grow to around 50 points of sale over four years
Business model and distribution
The relaunched Camaïeu is run as part of Celio's business rather than as an independent chain. The camaieu.fr domain now redirects to the women's section of Celio's website, and the collection is sold in selected Celio stores. Retail analysts have noted that combining both brands in one store lets shoppers buy for a partner or friend at the same time.
Why it matters
Camaïeu's collapse became a symbol of the crisis in French mid market fashion retail, alongside other failed chains. Its revival inside Celio shows how a well known brand name can survive the liquidation of its operator and be reused at much smaller scale by a healthier retailer.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Camaïeu now?
The Camaïeu brand has belonged to the French menswear retailer Celio since December 2022, when Celio bought it at auction for 1.8 million euros. Celio relaunched the brand in August 2024.
Is Camaïeu coming back?
Yes, on a smaller scale. A new Camaïeu womenswear collection went on sale in 12 Celio stores and online in August 2024, with a stated goal of around 50 points of sale within four years.