Concerns that the French footwear industry is in a steep decline have been raised once more following the announcement that two of the country’s best known luxury brands have ceased trading. Stéphane Kélian has gone into liquidation, and now Charles Jourdan, which has been producing luxury shoes since 1921, has also filed for bankruptcy.

The ending of quotas and a surge in cheap imports from China has been blamed for the closure of these two top end manufacturers, as they were unable to compete on price due to high labour costs and overheads. The high retail prices of these top high end brands are also viewed as a factor in their demise as consumers are move away from luxury footwear towards cheaper mid range brands.

432 employees are set to lose their jobs at Charles Jourdan, unless a buyer is found for the company that collapsed under its €9 million debt. 143 jobs were lost with the closure of Stéphane Kélian.