A menswear brand with UK stores has entered administration after debts of nearly £7m, with the business now under court supervision in France.

22:31, Wed, Feb 18, 2026 Updated: 22:46, Wed, Feb 18, 2026

Balibaris boutique, London

Balibaris has a boutique on the corner of Blandford Street in London (Image: Google)

A European fashion chain with stores in the UK has entered administration after debts of just under £7million forced the business into court protection. French menswear brand Balibaris has been placed into redressement judiciaire - the French equivalent of administration - by the Paris Economic Activities Tribunal.

According to a registry annotation consulted by AFP, judges set the company’s official cessation-of-payments date as December 24, 2025. The company said it had requested the redressement procedure to restructure debts that had become too heavy, including the remainder of a French state-guaranteed loan and around €8 million of bank debt. Founded in 2010, Balibaris operates in the upper-middle segment of the men’s clothing market, promoting collections made in Europe and a contemporary tailoring approach. The company concentrates its operations in Paris, where its headquarters are located in the 6th arrondissement. The retailer runs 57 points of sale in France, including concessions in department stores such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. It also has an international presence, with four boutiques in London as well as one store in Brussels and one in Luxembourg.

The brand employs nearly 200 staff and reports annual turnover of close to €40 million, alongside average yearly growth of about 5%.

The procedure opens a period of judicial supervision aimed at renegotiating liabilities and seeking a path to continuation while the company negotiates with creditors in an effort to preserve activity and employment.

The case comes amid wider difficulties across the ready-to-wear sector, where subdued consumer spending and strong competition from low-cost online operators have placed pressure on retailers with large physical store networks.

In recent months several clothing brands have faced insolvency or restructuring proceedings, including Kaporal and Jennyfer, while Naf Naf, Pimkie and brands within the IDKids group have also undergone judicial protection processes, reflecting broader changes across the retail model.

The redressement judiciaire procedure is commonly used in France to preserve business activity and jobs while companies negotiate with creditors.

During this period, the firm continues trading under court supervision while attempting to simplify its structure, restore margins and secure cashflow.

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Balibaris' difficulties come against a challenging backdrop for the French ready-to-wear market. With consumption remaining subdued, medium-sized chains - particularly those operating large store networks - are facing intense competition from international groups and non-European online platforms that are accelerating turnover and driving price competition.

Retailers are also contending with a tougher cost environment, including high rents in prime locations, more expensive logistics and omnichannel operations that do not always translate into profitability.

The sector has seen a string of similar cases in recent months.

Kaporal and Jennyfer entered liquidation, Naf Naf underwent restructuring again, and IKKS was rescued at the last minute.

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More recently, the IDKids group, parent company of Okaïdi, sought protection proceedings for several of its brands, while Pimkie has also passed through judicial protection and continuity plans.

Industry observers say the developments point not to a one-off collapse but to a broader adjustment of the traditional fashion retail model.