Comptoir des Cotonniers
France
Comptoir des Cotonniers is a French womenswear brand founded in Toulouse in 1995 by Tony and Georgette Elicha and bought by Fast Retailing in 2005. In 2025 its operator Fast Retailing France entered court supervised reorganisation, and a divestment plan with 54 stores was reported as finally approved in February 2026. The buyer was not named in the sources consulted.
| Founded | 1995, Toulouse |
|---|---|
| Founders | Tony and Georgette Elicha |
| Former owner | Fast Retailing (from 2005) |
| Status | Reorganised 2025 to 2026, 54 stores kept |
| Segment | Premium and contemporary |
| Website | comptoirdescotonniers.com |
What is Comptoir des Cotonniers?
Comptoir des Cotonniers is a French womenswear brand. Wikipedia reports that it was founded in 1995 in Toulouse by Tony and Georgette Elicha, whose children later founded The Kooples. The family sold the company after about a decade, and Fast Retailing, the Japanese group behind Uniqlo, bought it in 2005.
Restructuring in 2025 and 2026
Comptoir des Cotonniers and Princesse tam.tam were operated by Fast Retailing France, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fast Retailing. According to Fast Retailing's own disclosure, the subsidiary applied on 20 June 2025 to the Paris commercial court for reorganisation proceedings, with the plan of concentrating stores in major cities and selling both brands in the same stores. FashionUnited reported that the court approved the request on 1 July 2025 and that about 100 stores remained in France.
RetailDetail reported on 27 February 2026 that the Paris Commercial Court gave final approval to a divestment plan agreed in November, with 54 stores kept, down from about 90. The article does not name the acquirer, so current ownership is not stated here.
Products and positioning
The brand focuses on Parisian womenswear and accessories in the premium band. Fast Retailing's filing shows the subsidiary's FY2024 revenue was 15.4 million euros, with an operating loss of 5.5 million euros, though this figure reflects the management entity rather than total brand sales.
Why it matters
The case is a prominent example of a mid-range European brand under pressure from ultra-fast fashion and second-hand platforms, as FashionUnited noted, and of a global group restructuring a non-core French business.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Comptoir des Cotonniers?
Fast Retailing bought the brand in 2005. Its French subsidiary entered court reorganisation in 2025 and a divestment plan was reported as approved in February 2026, but the buyer was not named in the sources consulted.
Where is Comptoir des Cotonniers from?
It is a French brand founded in Toulouse in 1995 and operated from Paris.