Naf Naf — French womenswear chain suffered three failures in five years

Naf Naf was a French womenswear brand founded in Paris in 1973 by brothers Patrick and Gérard Pariente. Named after the cartoon character, the brand grew into a well-known mid-market fashion chain with a distinctive playful identity. By 2020, Naf Naf operated approximately 112 company-owned stores and 60 affiliated boutiques in France, employing about 660 people. It was part of a cohort of French mid-market fashion labels struggling against fast-fashion competition.

Naf Naf entered its first receivership in May 2020 when its majority shareholder, Chinese retail group La Chapelle, wanted to exit. The Bobigny Commercial Court chose SY Corporate France over Groupe Beaumanoir, approving a plan promising 923 jobs and 118 stores. But the turnaround never materialised. By September 2023, Naf Naf requested a second receivership, citing unpaid COVID rent arrears. This time, Turkish textile company Migiboy Tekstil bought the assets for €1.5 million in June 2024, keeping 99 stores and 505 jobs.

The third failure came within a year. In May 2025, Naf Naf asked for receivership again. The court pronounced it on 30 May 2025, threatening roughly 600 jobs and 102 stores. This time, Groupe Beaumanoir — the bidder that lost in 2020 — took over the remaining business, keeping only 300 of 600 employees and just 12 of 102 stores, to be rebranded under Beaumanoir's own labels. The Naf Naf brand, after three rescues in five years, was effectively dismantled.