Conbipel's 60-year run survived — only after closing 50 stores and selling the chain

Conbipel was founded in 1958 in Cocconato d'Asti as a retailer of quality leather garments, later expanding into textile clothing production. The chain grew to approximately 130 monobrand stores across Italy, becoming a fixture of mid-market Italian fashion. It changed hands multiple times: private equity firm Oaktree Capital Management acquired it in 2007, and the chain entered amministrazione straordinaria in January 2021.

In December 2024, Conbipel — by then owned by Grow Capital Global Holdings and the Fondo Salvaguardia Imprese through the Danish subsidiary BTX Group — initiated a Composizione Negoziata della Crisi procedure at the Tribunale di Asti. The restructuring plan called for the closure of 50 stores by 2026, acknowledging that the chain's network was too large for its revenue base. Court-appointed expert Patrizia Riva supervised the negotiations.

A white knight emerged in Euroseta, a Como-based textile group, which banded with Mabe — both owned by the family of Andrea Turati — to form Arcadia Fashion S.p.A. Invitalia supported the deal through the Fondo Salvaguardia Imprese. The acquisition was completed in June 2025, saving more than 1,000 employees and approximately 80 stores. The new owners committed to relaunching the brand with a leaner store network and restructured supply chain.