2024-09-04 06:30:38
Times are tough for textiles made in France. Guillaume Gibault, founding president of Le Slip Français, explains his company’s approach to relaunching itself in this context of crisis.
Made in France textile brands are facing difficulties and some of them are forced to prepare massive transformation plans. Le Slip Français, one of the main players in the sector, is no exception and is forced to almost halve its prices to get back on track. Guillaume Gibault, founding president of Le Slip Français, explains his company’s approach in this context of crisis.
Engineer Techniques: Just a year ago, Le Slip Français set itself a challenge: sell 50,000 briefs and boxers in 20 days to halve its price. What did this experience teach you?
Guillaume Gibault : Let the French follow us! Made in France is important to them and by offering a quality product at the right price, they follow us without hesitation. The challenge is to be able to offer a competitive price in the complex economic equation of made in France.
You have launched (r)EVOLUTION, a new range of cotton boxers and briefs for €25, compared to a price usually around €40. Can you explain your approach?
We are continuing the test in the summer of 2023. The only solution to offer a product at a competitive price is volume. This is the solution of industrialization, competitiveness and by mass production, we can reduce our costs and therefore our sales prices. We are starting with our underwear, our core range, but are thinking about what comes next to extend the approach to other ranges.
We try to build our purchases as accurately as possible. Massively, yes, but sell quickly and in the shortest possible production. This is the advantage of made in France and the short circuit. We adjust our production every week to follow demand as closely as possible. This is one of the essential conditions for the economic profitability of the project.
Textiles made in France are facing a new deep crisis. What is the situation of Le Slip Français today?
In the industry, unfortunately, there has been no major player for a while, the already fragile workshops are now even more vulnerable. Le Slip Français is at a pivotal moment of profound transformation of the company and its economic model.
The first results of (r)ÉVOLUTION are very satisfactory with 210,000 sales in four months but this is only the beginning and we remain very vigilant about the sustainability of the company which is not yet guaranteed! We need the support of the French.
Energy prices, inflation, the boom in second-hand goods and fast fashion… What are the main causes identified to explain the current situation? Is it a temporary crisis or a deeper one?
This is the result of a 30-year-old underlying movement. Deindustrialization, disinterest in the sector, lack of innovation, investment, etc., to which are added more cyclical elements: post-Covid disillusionment, inflation, soaring energy prices, fierce competition, second-hand goods, etc. The economic context is extremely unfavorable and requires us to be even more efficient.
Haven’t the anti-fast-fashion law and the “Shein” tax improved the situation? What requests do you make to the public authorities?
Legislative time is long. Our treasuries are managed in months, if not weeks or days… The solution, in my opinion, is not in the battle against others but the battle against ourselves: to provide a more favorable framework for companies made in France by deploying the power of mass distribution and by opening access to public markets.
The solution is here, go ahead!
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