Skechers set to open Parisian flagship in rue de Rivoli

By

Sarah Ahssen

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Feb 25, 2020

Californian footwear brand Skechers, based in Manhattan Beach, will open a flagship store in the heart of Paris at 102 rue de Rivoli on April 9. The inauguration of this directly owned store in such a premium location, formerly occupied by Gap, is the culmination of the retail development strategy that was first deployed in 2013 by the French subsidiary of Skechers. In the past, Skechers stores were to be found only in shopping malls, but now the brand will open a high street branch in the heart of the French capital.

In parallel, Skechers is sticking to the plan it initiated seven years ago, and is set to inaugurate new stores in the Aéroville shopping mall, close to the Roissy Charles de Gaulles airport in Paris, and in the Terrasses du Port mall in Marseilles. In 2020, the Skechers retail network will further expand in the Parisian region with an opening in June at the Créteil Soleil shopping mall, and two in September, at the Westfield Vélizy and Westfield Rosny malls.
 
In France, Skechers isn’t relying solely on directly owned monobrand stores. The brand currently operates six franchised stores, and will open a seventh in Toulon on March 7.

Skechers’s French expansion is part of the brand’s highly successful worldwide drive. In 2019, Skechers generated a global revenue in excess of $5.2 billion (€4.75 billion), equivalent to a 12.5% growth. International sales posted a 20.2% rise. As of December 31 2019, Skechers operated 3,547 stores worldwide, of which 800 were directly owned.