Since its creation in 1996, la fée maraboutée has established itself as a leading brand in the mid-to-premium fashion sector, combining timeless elegance with modern inspirations. Acquired by the Capza fund in 2022, the brand continues its dynamic growth trajectory, marked by the opening of ten new boutiques in 2024, bringing the total to over 115, alongside new shop corners in iconic department stores such as Galeries Lafayette in Reims and Tours, and Printemps Marseille La Valentine.

With a DNA rooted in travel and human connections, la fée maraboutée embraces authenticity and creativity to captivate its clientele while maintaining a solid distribution network. Wholesale remains a key pillar of its business model, accounting for a quarter of the brand’s revenue. The brand is committed to further developing this channel through strengthened collaborations with retail partners and an enhanced strategy in department stores.

At the same time, la fée maraboutée places a strong emphasis on integrating sustainable practices into its creation and production processes while turning to international markets to tap into new growth opportunities. In this exclusive interview, Amandine Laroche, Marketing, Communication, and Digital Director, shares the brand's vision, DNA, and ambitions for the future.

LNB: la fée maraboutée was founded in 1996 and acquired by the Capza fund in 2022. What is the story behind the brand, and what defines its main inspirations?

Amandine: Since 1996, la fée maraboutée has drawn inspiration from travel and human encounters, creating collections that are eclectic, generous, and always unexpected. Guided by deep values of proximity, generosity, joviality, and simplicity, the brand celebrates all forms of femininity through creations that embody harmony between diversity and authenticity, while staying committed to environmental responsibility.

LNB: How would you describe the DNA of la fée maraboutée?

Amandine: la fée maraboutée embodies a harmonious blend of creativity, authenticity, and liberated femininity, driven by strong human values and a spirit of discovery. Its roots lie in a passion for mixing influences and the jubilant vitality of abundance. With dresses and bold prints as its iconic signatures, the collections explore contrasts and textures, evolving and enriching themselves season after season, year after year.

LNB: Who is la fée maraboutée's primary audience?

Amandine: Our customers are multigenerational and multicultural women who feel comfortable in their own skin. They seek to express their style and celebrate their individuality. Feminine and refined, they place great importance on elegance and well-being. Open-minded and curious, they enrich themselves through the cultures that surround them, affirming their personalities with independence and eclectic taste.

LNB: What are la fée maraboutée’s priorities for the coming years?

Amandine: Conscious of our impact, we are above all committed to more sustainable fashion. Our values steer us towards primarily European production, the use of responsible materials, and achieving GOTS certification (Ecocert Greenlife license no. 252903) since 2022.

Our second priority is international growth, with the goal of expanding la fée maraboutée’s presence into new countries. Our international distributors are performing very well, and we’ve seen a genuine enthusiasm for our French brand abroad. These markets, less affected by purchasing power challenges, represent a significant strategic growth opportunity.

Finally, our third priority is attracting a new audience of women in their 40s. Since 2023, we have partnered with numerous influencers to increase our visibility with this key demographic and strengthen our connection with this generation.

LNB: Can you tell us more about your “Un Nouveau Souffle” initiative and its impact on your sustainability efforts?

Amandine: Responsibility has been at the heart of la fée maraboutée since its creation. The brand has expressed this commitment in various ways, including prioritising European-made production and supporting associative partnerships. In 2020, we took this commitment further with the launch of the dedicated range Un Nouveau Souffle. This line makes it easy to identify pieces made from environmentally and socially responsible materials. At least 30% of the fibres used in this collection come from natural, plant-based, animal-based, or responsibly sourced artificial fibres, many of which are certified.

LNB: In a recent Fashion Network article, you mentioned challenges in your wholesale distribution this year. What strategies are you implementing to strengthen and stabilise this channel?

Amandine: We foster relationships of trust with our distributors, based on a win-win partnership. We encourage them to embrace our brand’s universe and style so they can represent it faithfully and proudly to their customers. Additionally, we provide exclusivity on our la fée maraboutée Atelier line, featuring more daring pieces to enhance their offering. Stabilising our wholesale channel also involves supporting our retailers in adopting an omnichannel approach, which is essential for meeting the expectations of today’s consumers.

LNB: What motivated your decision to incorporate LE NEW BLACK into your B2B strategy?

Amandine: As a leading B2B platform in the fashion industry, LE NEW BLACK offers us numerous strategic advantages. It provides an immersive customer experience through detailed and regularly updated product pages. Its intuitive interface and centralised tool optimise our B2B sales processes while allowing real-time performance tracking. LE NEW BLACK is also a key driver for our international development, connecting us with a broad network of qualified retailers. Additionally, the platform’s premium image enhances our positioning, and their team’s support ensures we achieve our objectives effectively.

LNB: Which aspects or features of the platform are most useful in your day-to-day operations?

Amandine: Several features of the platform are particularly valuable on a daily basis. Real-time sales tracking, accessible to agents via a web version, enables quick and effective performance analysis. The e-merchandising tool is a significant asset for highlighting key pieces and optimising sales. Additionally, the audience report provides detailed insights into visits by client and country, while the collection report identifies emerging trends, allowing us to adjust our offering accordingly. These tools collectively facilitate proactive and informed collection management.