Australian beauty brand Napoleon Perdis may close 20+ stores in voluntary administration
Solvency and accounting firm Worrels has been appointed as voluntary administrator to the makeup brand Napoleon Perdis.
Founder and makeup artist Napoleon Perdis attributed blame to a wide range of factors from “greedy (lenders)” to declining “foot traffic” in the retail sector and entry of multinational fashion brands to the Australian market.
The company's 56 stores closed their doors for a stocktake on Thursday but reopened today, Friday.
More than 600 staff are employed the company, which opened its first store in 1995,
The majority of their storefronts are in NSW, specifically Sydney, however they have at least one store in every capital city across across Australia
Worrels was appointed after the Napoleon Perdis directors were unable to find investors or sell the business over the past few months.
Mr Perdis (pictured below) said in an interview with Your Money, that demand for their products is still strong through partner stores including Priceline and Terry White chemists, as well as its online store.
He complained that landlords are "squeezing" small and large businesses while they allow "large multinational (businesses) to negotiate much lower per square meter return rate".
"I just want an equal playing field"
"For a couple of years now we've been trying to consolidate our retail structure and there's been enormous costs," he stated.
He disclosed to ABC, "If you estimate that we close 20 to 25 stores, there's three staff per store on average, so close to 100 staff may need to be redeployed, however we're looking to actually see whether we can place them in partner businesses like Priceline."
An initial creditors meeting will be held within eight days, with a second meeting to determine the brand's future expected to be held within a month.
Several Australian retailers have entered administration during the past 12 months, including menswear chain Roger Daved.