At the time of the publication of this article, the Petit Bateau brand has not yet been completed by the Rocher Group. There is still a lot to be clarified.
The parties involved are covered. “In view of the latest announcements, details and modalities are discussed with employee representatives within the framework of the ongoing legal proceedings,” said Petit Bateau in an email to fashionunited without further details.
The Rocher Group’s communication team does not continue to comment and assures that the French group has “selected a potential buyer based on its ability to ensure the best conditions for the development of the brand and at the same time respect their identity and rooting.”
The clothing company Petit Bateau today employs 2,400 people: inside: 1,400 in France (including 600 in sales) and 1,000 abroad. It has three locations: a production facility and a logistics platform in Troyes as well as a production facility in Marrakech (Morocco), which was opened by Petit Bateau in 1989. There is currently no information that indicated that the work in Troyes could be closed or production could be relocated entirely from France.
Today, however, Petit Bateau’s clothing is not fully carried out in France or Morocco. About 15 percent of overall production (mainly weaving goods) are produced by partners in Europe (Poland, Portugal), Asia (China, Vietnam, India, Myanmar, Thailand) or in the island states in the Indian Ocean (Madagascar, Mauritius). When the press announced the takeover of Petit Bateau by the international holding regent, many players thought: inside of the fashion industry and consumers: on the inside to French production and feared that it could disappear.
The unions in particular are concerned and demand guarantees. In a press release, the union association CGT THCB (textile, clothing, leather and laundry) speaks of a “pure financial game” and demands that “the American investment fund is granted steering social requirements”.
The union is reminiscent of the case of the company DIM, but mentions job cancellations that lie several years before the brand was taken over by the Regent Group: “Since the takeover by investment funds in 2007, almost thousand jobs have been reduced in France in the course of successive relocations.” After the takeover by the American holding in 2022, no comprehensive social plan was publicly announced. In 2023, the DIM Brands International Group announced that it was relocated to more than 90 percent of production to its historical location in France.
Made in France: What now?
Petit Bateau was founded in the AUBE department in 1893. “Petit Bateau is a French institution that is deeply rooted in Troyes, has recognized know-how and takes a special place in the life of families around the world,” said Michael Reinstein, President of Regent, in a message.
The American businessman also assured his will to “preserve this heritage by protecting what Petit Bateau makes irreplaceable: his craftsmanship, his French spirit and trust, the families put families in every piece of clothing.”
Although the Société Nouvelle La Maille Souple, the production facility in Troyes, is in a difficult financial situation, it should continue her work under the leadership of the American Regent Group. Because the preservation of internal means of production is essential to secure the quality and inheritance that make up the core of the value of Petit Bateau. A dimension that the President of Regent has obviously recognized.
For her part, the Rocher group is confident that the new owner will preserve the identity and the “roots” of the brand, which it sees as its greatest strengths. In order to “ensure the best possible conditions for the long -term development of Petit Bateau”, the group chose regent. A development that the French group did not want to wear itself and instead prefers to concentrate on their core business, which cosmetics want to concentrate.
Petit Bateau in the red numbers
Petit Bateau has been faced with the same difficulties for several years as the other large French brands of the middle class: the increasing competition through cheap trading platforms and a generally declining consumption. Although the company’s turnover remained stable in 2024, the deficit rose from 5.21 million euros in 2023 to 9.41 million euros in 2024.
Although Alexandre Rubin, the managing director of Petit Bateau, emphasized in a communication “The Recept Dynamics” of the brand (increase in B2C sales by 2.7 percent in the first half of 2025), the takeover by Regent appears more as a rescue operation to secure the future of Petit Bateau. In order to make the brand again profitably, the structure and organization of the company could be checked. The assumption of companies in difficulties by investment funds such as regent is often accompanied by restructuring plans to reduce costs. It is not surprising that this review could affect the employees: inside.
According to the external expenses, the personnel costs represent one of the largest expenditure items for Petit Bateau. According to the company -tunited annual financial statements of the company, the number of employees in 2023 has already dropped (in the 2024 financial year, the average number of employees was 919 compared to 946 in the previous year).
The stores of Petit Bateau
According to the brand, Petit Bateau has 350 sales outlets in France and worldwide. The company produces 28 million parts annually and achieves 55 percent of its sales in France, 25 percent in other European countries and ten percent in Japan.
Last year, the French press reported several times about the closure of Petit-Bateau shops. The managing directors: Due to a lack of profitability, the managers were forced to close the stores. As part of a renovation plan from Regent, the optimization of the sales network will probably also be on the program. It is possible that holding will decide to rationalize the branch network and focus on the most profitable locations.
The variety of the network is also a characteristic of the Petit Bateau company. In addition to its own boutiques, the brand in retail, department stores, multimarking shops, franchise companies, factory sales and online shops are sold. This complete and diversified network could also be converted in favor of a direct-to-consumer strategy in order to strengthen the brand image and better control customer relationships.
Another option as part of the modernization plans is the investment in the second-hand area. This initiative, which the brand started several years ago, has the advantage of rejuvenating the customers and generating a growing flow of visitors on Petit Bateau’s e-commerce website.
Who is Michael Reinstein?
Michael Reinstein, President of the Holding Regent, began his career in the political environment as an intern or assistant in the government of the then US President Ronald Reagan, who was launched from 1981 to 1989.
Today Michael Reinstein has an ambiguous public image: On the one hand, he is considered an active financier who is recognized by the audition for the revival or repositioning of brands. On the other hand, voices – including (suppliers, former employees: inside and local media – criticize the methods perceived as aggressive or the negative consequences for some of the companies taken over.
In 2023, the Medium of Geekwire reported that several sellers who had worked with the e-commerce company Zulily, whose owner had been regent, were waiting for the payment of invoices of several thousand US dollars. One of the sellers stated that he had received a rain comparison offer after threatening a lawsuit. “
Regarding the takeover of the magazine Sunset, Regent trusted Michael Reinstein of the Los Angeles Times that editors had “left the company voluntarily” because they thought they did not fit the new, cost -conscious approach.
Ultimately, the future of Petit Bateau remains to be seen under Regent, but the emphasis on the inheritance, know-how and the maintenance of French production allows a more careful renovation strategy to take into account the social and industrial challenges.
This article was used with digital tools translated.
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