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Why do young French brands struggle to market their creations?

French fashion is renowned for its expertise and creativity, but many brands struggle to turn their creations into commercial successes. Between the dominance of major retailers, the rise of e-commerce, and changing consumer habits, the obstacles are numerous. How can these difficulties be explained, and what solutions exist to help brands effectively market their collections?

In 2024, the French clothing market recorded a slight increase of 5.5% in October compared to the previous year. However, sales remain 7.9% lower than in 2019 ( Le Monde ). This stagnation is due to several factors:

Major brands dominate visibility and sales: Shein, Temu and Amazon currently represent 23% of fashion sales in France.
The rise of the second-hand market: it reaches 12% of clothing sales, changing consumers' perception of the price of new clothes ( Le Monde ).
A drop in the clothing budget: French spending on clothing has fallen to 3.3% of the total budget in 2024 compared to nearly 4% in 2019.

At the same time, online commerce has taken a prominent place. In 2020, almost 30% of clothing sales were made online, and this proportion is expected to reach 43% by 2025 ( Statista ).

Faced with the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer habits, even major retailers like Zara and H&M are experiencing a decline in store traffic, forcing them to revise their strategies. For their part, independent multi-brand stores, already weakened by high fixed costs, must cope with increased competition and an increasingly volatile customer base. They are reducing their risk factors.

The Limits of Traditional Marketing Strategies

To compensate for this challenging environment, brands are investing heavily in social media to improve their visibility and attract customers. However, this strategy has its limitations:

Decline in organic visibility : Instagram and TikTok favor sponsored content, making paid advertising almost mandatory to exist.
High advertising costs : Online campaigns require a large budget and constant monitoring to achieve a return on investment.
Engagement ≠ sales : Having likes and followers does not guarantee real sales, as the transition from visibility to purchase remains complex.

Furthermore, physical stores remain an essential distribution channel for discovering models (see, touch, try before buying), but they are difficult for young brands to access. Many of them are hesitant to take the risk of stocking unknown collections and prefer to rely on established brands.

E-POP Mode: an innovative phygital solution for French brands

Faced with these challenges, E-POP Mode offers a revolutionary approach combining a physical in-store presence and online sales. This solution allows brands to:

Benefit from a risk-free in-store presence : the collections are available in partner concept stores without requiring large physical stocks.
Provide a seamless shopping experience for customers : With a simple QR code scan, customers can purchase items online with fast delivery (48-72 hours).
Increase sales without overproduction : by avoiding dormant inventory, brands optimize their margins and preserve their cash flow.

A balanced distribution of income

One of E-POP Mode's major assets is its economic model which reduces the number of intermediaries, thus ensuring better profitability for manufacturers and stores:

Brands improve their profitability by avoiding distribution costs and benefiting from direct in-store exposure.
Stores gain an additional source of revenue without the hassle of inventory management.
Consumers have access to unique, high-quality pieces while supporting French know-how.

Conclusion

In a rapidly changing market, French brands must adapt to meet new consumer expectations and overcome obstacles to bringing their creations to market. E-POP Mode offers an effective alternative, combining in-store visibility with digital flexibility, allowing designers to focus on their passion while maximizing sales.

With this approach, the future of independent fashion in France could well be written differently.