André Shoe Chain Placed in Liquidation After 130 Years

Overview

• The tribunal de commerce opened a liquidation judiciaire for André on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, after concluding the business was in cessation de paiements and could not be redressed.
• The court cited persistent problems with the company’s landlord and the collapse of talks with Westfield, the shopping-centre operator, as decisive factors in ruling a rescue was not feasible.
• André’s workforce has shrunk sharply from about 99 staff reported in May 2025 to roughly 30 employees today, a drop that reflects recent store closures and repeated restructurings.
• The brand underwent several judicial restructurings in 2020, 2023 and 2025 and was bought in 2023 by Belgian buyer Optakare, but those measures failed to restore long-term viability.
• The liquidation signals wider strain on traditional brick-and-mortar fashion retail after the Covid-19 shock and could lead to further store shutdowns, creditor claims, and local job losses as administrators manage the wind-down.