French Legacy Group (FLG) acquires and rescues Ateliers Heschung, a handcrafted footwear brand headquartered in Dettwiller, France. Founded in 1934, Heschung had been in receivership since January 2020. It has now joined the portfolio of FLG, which controls brands such as Robert Clergerie, Avril Gau and Violet Tomas. FLG’s objectives are to protect and promote French heritage in leather goods and footwear, and to reach 50 million euros by 2024.
The last piece
“Ateliers Heschung fits perfectly into this strategy,” Jérôme Espinos, president of French Legacy Group, tells Fashion United. The holding company is in turn controlled by the Mirabeau Patrimoine Vivant fund, led by former minister Renaud Dutreil. Ateliers Heschung employs 82 people in Steinbourg and manufactures its shoes using Norwegian craftsmanship. The leather comes from local tanneries.
Investment direction
“We invest in family businesses that we can support in terms of digitisation, globalisation and structure,” adds Renaud Dutreil. French Legacy Group’s ambition is to revive Made in France and aim for “zero defects”. Not only that. FLG plans to achieve a turnover of 50 million euros within the next three years. 60% of sales are to come from directly operated shops, and 40% through wholesale.
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