The restructuring also includes the transfer of 3,900 employees to redeploy personnel of cut branches. The operation is part of the strategy announced last August which stated the closure of about 100 outlets. American Apparel, instead, has dismantled the sales network in the UK except for the London flagship store. The closure of the stores did not come as a surprise. Last November, the American brand had announced the reduction of activities in Europe, particularly in Britain. According to the Los Angeles Times, the group had sent a letter to its 3,500 employees warning them of a possible dismissal given the fact that, recently, the same retailer plunged back into trouble a few months after being released from bankruptcy. Currently, the future of American Apparel depends on Gildan Activewear answer about an offer of $ 66 million for the intellectual property of the brand and certain other assets of the group. Across the pond, another brand navigates in troubled waters. French group Vivarte is closing 100 out of 680 stores of the chain ‘La Halle aux Chaussures’ causing more than 500 layoffs. After the restructuring of the brands La Halle La Halle aux Chaussures, for Vivarte it opens the possibility of selling other brands of the portfolio to raise cash in addition to those already offered: Kookaï, Chevignon and Pataugas. The group currently employs 17,000 people in France, and in 2014 experienced a situation of financial uncertainty that cost the dismissal of 1,850 employees.
2017 already seems a challenging year for retail. Macy’s is closing 68 stores and laying off 6,200 employees
