Pimkie, the leading women’s fashion brand, has initiated a strategic shake-up in its leadership following the departure of Sandrine Lilienfeld in July, who briefly held the CEO position. Salih Halassi, formerly the President of Pimkinvest, an entity formed by Kindy, Lee Cooper France, and Ibisler Tekstil for the brand’s acquisition in February 2023, has assumed the role of CEO. Simultaneously, Elodie Chelle has been appointed as Deputy General Manager.
Salih Halassi, renowned for his expertise in corporate turnarounds, stepped down from his role as the head of Kindy in December 2022, where he successfully revitalized the sock-specialist brand since 2017. His primary focus now centers on steering Pimkie’s strategic direction after its sale by the Mulliez family.
Elodie Chelle brings a wealth of experience to Pimkie, having served as the Upstream Operations Director overseeing purchasing, supply chain, and product offerings at Don’t Call Me Jennyfer since 2018. Prior to this, the 40-year-old Edhec and IFM graduate held the position of Director of Procurement at the lingerie chain Undiz for two years. She also worked as a consultant for retail specialist Aliznet, offering valuable insights to brands such as Eram and Gémo.
The collective vision for Pimkie remains unwavering: to establish itself as the preferred affordable brand for young women, committed to sustainable consumption and equipped with a resilient business model capable of withstanding market challenges.
To rekindle the brand’s appeal, Pimkie will focus on refining pricing strategies, crafting a compelling online narrative, and optimizing production proximity. The target is to source 40% of products from neighboring countries by 2025. Sustainability is paramount, with plans to offer a range of 100% eco-designed essentials within three years, alongside expanding second-hand sales across the entire network within two years.
Elodie Chelle emphasizes, «To drive our transformation, we are instilling a new corporate culture rooted in creativity, innovation, agility, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. We draw inspiration from Pimkie’s rich heritage. Our strategic decisions will consistently prioritize our customers and product offerings.»
A strategic cost-saving initiative is also underway, involving the phased closure of 64 stores and the streamlining of 257 positions between 2023 and 2027. Pimkie, boasting a network of 426 stores, with 302 in France, reported sales of 319 million euros in 2022, according to the company’s data.