Across the channels, click and collect, the pop-up shop… Although born in 1949, La Canadienne has worn modern commerce clothing. That’s from 2003, when Jean-Sebastien Vieux, son of Alain and Jacqueline Filo (who took over as this fashion and leather expert in 1981), took over the company. Points out the CEO, who runs the company with his sister, Aurelie Filo, the general manager, who was convinced of the synergistic benefits between the physical and digital worlds.

Thus, prices, payment terms, product guarantees and loyalty programs are identical regardless of the channel. Rule The second-hand collection, which has historically marked the house as sustainable, launched in 2021 is no exception. It is possible in 24 to 48 hours, due to the interconnectedness of our stocks”, outlines Jean-Sebastien Vieux, who has just embarked on a new strategic plan centered around the physical store.

Popup Stores

At a time when “retail business is not restarting in Paris, and when there is an error in the ratio between the cost of rent and the volume of business”, in the words of the manager, La Canadienne is betting on temporary stores. “When you make 70% of your sales over four winter months, like us, a pop-up makes sense: it allows you to test new markets and increase business volumes,” emphasizes Jean-Sebastien Villault who, with seven stores in France, intends to accelerate the field of points Short term sale. A path he has been exploring for several years now, in Annecy, and even abroad, such as Luxembourg.

Also included in its roadmap, the presence of the brand in city centers of medium-sized municipalities could lead to openings in Dijon, Reims, Colmar etc., not to mention Clermont-Ferrand, where there is a shop of 300 m². Jean-Sebastien Vieux, who with La Canadienne employs 45 people (up to 65 in the high season) and had a turnover of 10 million euros before the health crisis, insists on “the need to bring customers into the store”. “Although remote listening and interaction, via digital tools such as ‘chat’ and ‘call back’, proximity must also be embodied physically,” he says.

And the manager remembers that interactions, whatever form they take, are an opportunity to connect about “the brand’s reason for being, which is to sell sustainable clothing.” “In the case of second-hand parts, there is a way to expand our catalog, but also to advocate for generalization,” said the CEO, noting that in 2020, La Canadienne appointed a Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and a sustainable charter. A business plan focused on traceability and transparency.