French men's outerwear market led by Marc Laurent

The French men's outerwear market remained a very fragmented environment throughout 2011 with the industry hitting a market value of €9.4 billion.

Marc Laurent SA, founded in 1985 which owns and operates men's apparel stores, led the market in 2011 with a 5% market value share due to its Celio brand. The company was followed by Association Familiale Mulliez, accounting for 4% value share, with its Jules brand.

Traditionally, a large share of sales within the French men's outerwear market stems from purchases by women. Marc Laurent estimates that around 50% of its sales are to women.

French men are expected to increasingly focus on their appearance and fashion over the period to 2016, especially among younger men less than 35 years of age.

This will lead to a different picture of the competitive landscape, in favour of international players which tend to have a more fashionable offer as well as a more stylish image than local players.

As a consequence, brands such as Celio and Jules are likely to gradually change their offer to a less classic one, as their brand image remains a little old fashioned to younger men.

For more information on the French men's outerwear market, see the latest research: French Men's Outerwear Market Report

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