Camilla Pedrozo

About

Home to the pretty cherries, Bonpoint is a

French fashion house for children founded by
Marie-France and Bernard Cohen in 1975. The
label was inspired by Cohen’s own family when
she realized children’s clothing often seemed
too adult-like. La Maison Bonpoint in-house
design and couture studios are the essence
and core of the label’s unique style. The
Parisian fashion house cultivates the
precision of beauty, the passion of quality,
and a meticulous attention to details and
finishing that builds on the label’s
reputation.
 Brand History
1975 La Maison Bonpoint is founded by Marie-France and Bernard Cohen
Bonpoint opens their first boutique on 67 rue de l’Universite in Paris, France
1986 Bonpoint launches their first fragrance, Eau de Bonpoint
1996 Bonpoint launches “YAM by Bonpoint”; Clothing for teenage girls and young women
2006 Christine Innamorato becomes Bonpoint’s new artistic director
Bonpoint opens their first Maison on rue de Tournon in Paris, France
Bonpoint launches their first shoe collection
2007 The Cohens sell Bonpoint to the Societe Europeenne de Participations Industrielles (EPI)
Bonpoint opens their first flagship boutique in Asia; Located in Shanghai, China
2010 Bonpoint launches their skincare line for children and adults
2011 Bonpoint celebrates the 25th anniversary of Eau de Bonpoint
Bonpoint launches their new fragrance, Concentre d’Eau de Bonpoint, designed for men and
women
Bonpoint opens a flagship boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City, NY
2015 Bonpoint celebrates its 40 years!
Bonpoint launches their first couture collection by Christine Innamorato
2017 Bonpoint opens a fragrance and skincare conceptual store in Shanghai, China
 Brand Identity
Product
Bonpoint products are classified
under six main categories. These
categories consist of ready-to-wear
clothing, couture clothing, shoes,
accessories, skincare, and
fragrances.

Symbol
Bonpoint exhibits unambiguous style in
all their collections. The label
intertwines romance and tradition
using embroidery, smocking, and
cashmere knits. This intricate styling
results in collections that give
timeless impressions.
Organization
In 2007, Bonpoint was purchased by the Societe
Europeenne de Participations Industrielles (EPI). The
Paris based, family-owned luxury goods holding company
is directed and ran by Christopher Descours. The holding
company also owns other high-end luxury brands like J.M.
Weston, Michael Perry shoes, and the French champagne
house Piper-Heidsieck.

After purchasing Bonpoint, EPI has amped up the label’s

international presence. The holding company has brought
the label to consumers across Europe, the United States,
and Asia. Today, Bonpoint has over 120 stores in 27
countries. The company has grown slowly and organically
over the past few years, never sacrificing the
Team
philosophies of exclusivity and quality it was founded
on. Bonpoint’s in-house design and couture studios are
the core and essence of the label’s unique style.
Their artistic director, Christine Innamorato, and
their chief executive officer, Hughues de la
Chevasnerie, lead a talented and dedicated team of
ladies. These expert stylists, pattern designers,
makers, and cutters share the company’s passions for
children’s wear and luxury fashion. The team performs
fittings on infants and children in order to fine
tune the perfect Bonpoint garment. Each clothing item
is cut with exact precision displaying the
exceptional talent of those the brand employs.
 Core Competencies

Christine Innamorato
After succeeding Bonpoint’s famous founder
in 2005, Innamorato sent ripples of
inspiration throughout the French Maison.
Her fashion education at Esmod and long-
time professional experience at Cacharel
brought an exciting and fresh new take on
Bonpoint clothing. Innamorato continues to
create enchanting collections for infants,
children, and teenage girls every season.

“Innamorato’s creative flair and innate sense for color blend seamlessly with the understated romance of
the label to produce a tempered and tasteful twist on the Bonpoint collections” – Bonpoint
 Core Competencies

Brand Image
Bonpoint combines chic and glamorous
children’s clothing with stunning fabric
and high-quality workmanship. The luxury
children’s label carries ultra-chic
clothing that has a romantic charm and
refined nature. The label expresses the
idea of children’s French couture. It is
organized as a real fashion house with a
creative studio and sewing workshop of
stylists that all share the same passion
for children’s wear and luxury fashion.

“The label was a pioneer in the field with its exclusive focus on children’s wear. It’s
developed a reputation for impeccable fit and attention to detail, eschewing trendiness in
favor of timeless design” – Hilary George-Parkin
 Industry
Bonpoint is classified under the “Global Children’s Wear”
Industry. According to Euromonitor, the children’s wear
industry is globally outpacing both womenswear and menswear
by growing 5% in current value to a sizable $204.6 billion.
Although designer children’s wear is only a small portion of
the total industry, the sector is at an estimated $5.89
billion and is expected to continue to grow (George-Parkin).

Parents around the globe are having fewer children later in

life, at a time where they possess more purchasing power and
a higher discretionary income. Bonpoint’s target market are
households with high disposable incomes that exhibit lavish
spending on the latest fashion trends for their children. Due
to the growth in the Global Children’s Wear Industry,
designer brands are seizing the opportunity and creating
apparel and accessories for children under the age of 12.
Long-time children’s wear companies like Bonpoint are
witnessing an influx of competition due to the rapidly
growing market.
 Annual Sales

According to De la Chevasnerie, the label’s annual

sales are estimated to be around 100 million euros
a year, this converts to an estimated $114 million
(Les Echos). The label has demonstrated excellent
performance and exceptional growth over the past
few years, their revenue alone has grown an
estimated 21.5% in the last year, in euros
(Thomson).

Bonpoint claims almost 75% of their turnover and

sales is made overseas. Although a large portion of
their sales are made in France, the CEO claims the
consumers in these boutiques are mainly tourists
(Les Echos). The label has had exceptional growth
in the Asian market, the revenue from their 14
flagship boutiques in China grew an estimated 45%
in the past two years (Thomson).
 Key Competitors
Groupe Galeries Lafayette is a benchmark in luxury
omni-channel retailing specialized in city-centered
fashion. The group serves customers in France as
well as overseas. The group exemplifies the French
“art of vivre” through its famous brands like La
Redoute, an online retailer that carry ready-to-wear
children’s wear and their famous department store
chain Galeries Lafayette, that carry luxury Children Worldwide Fashion S.A.S (CWF) is a
children’s wear brands. French licensee that manages children’s
ready-to-wear clothing for brands like
Burberry, Chloe, and Marc Jacobs. CWF is

Others the European leader for luxury children’s

fashion under license. The group has a
large international presence and never
Aside from holding companies, Bonpoint has several fails to maintain the values of their
competitors in terms of luxury children’s wear. Over brands. They pay close attention to the
the past few years, high-end fashion labels have quality of their products and services to
introduced new children’s wear collections into ensure their customers receive the absolute
their brands. Some of these brands consist of Baby best. The group partners with brands that
Dior, Gucci Children, Fendi Kids, and Stella hold a worldwide reputation for their
McCartney Kids. collections for children, ages 0 to 18.
 Products
Ready-to-Wear Accessories
Bonpoint offers ready-to-wear clothing to children With every collection that is released,
ranging from the ages of 0 to 18. They create Bonpoint creates unique and high-quality
collections for newborns, infants, children, and accessories for all children. The accessories
teenage girls. The label’s clothing products for newborns and infants consist of cashmere
consist of tops, bottoms, swimsuits, nightwear, booties, soft blankets, bibs, and hats. The
and outerwear. The ready-to-wear clothing is young and teenage children’s accessories have a
precisely cut and measured based on real life wider range of products like sunglasses, belts,
fittings for each age group. Although the clothing hats, scarves, hair accessories, and bags. The
is part of the ready-to-wear collection, Bonpoint label’s accessories maintain the classic
creates all their clothing products with Bonpoint style but carry a stylish and colorful
impeccable detail and the utmost quality. childish spirit.
 Products
Couture
In 2015, Bonpoint’s artistic director, Christine Innamorato,
launched the label’s first couture collection - Bonpoint
Couture. Every year, Innamorato creates two full, as well as
two mini, couture collections that exhibit the label’s grand
standards of quality and beauty. The couture clothing can be
identified through the label’s signature cherry logo
embroidered on a white linen hangtag with gold stitching.

Upon request, the couture pieces can be personalized by hand

embroidering the child’s name on the ribbon tags. The
couture collections are crafted in the label’s own Paris
Atelier, flaunting their impeccable couture techniques by
creating high-quality, timeless fashion for infants and
children. These techniques are exemplified on their couture
collections with hand-sewn hemlines, invisible turn ups,
intricate hand-embroidered decorations, and their six-
stitches-per-centimeter signature. The couture collections
have proven to be a great success for the label, producing
an estimated 10% of the label’s total sales (Thomson).
 Products
Skincare
In 2010, Bonpoint launched a skincare line for both children and adults. The
label introduced four new products, a soft oil, hand cream, moisturizing
serum, and lip balm. The success of the label’s skincare line is owed to the
ultra-natural ingredients that leave mothers and babies skin silky smooth. The
product formulas are hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested, and crafted to
adapt to skin with their ultra-soft and silky texture. All of the products
carry the label’s signature orange blossom scent. The skincare products are
perfect for infants soft skin and has become a favorite amongst mothers.

Shoes
Bonpoint has a wide range of shoe collections
for children of all ages. The collections
range from first step baby shoes for infants
to comfortable and stylish shoes for children.
The label’s styles have practical shoes for
any occasion. They have a variety of formal
shoes, such as ballerina slippers and
moccasins, as well as casual shoes like
trainers and sandals.
 Products
Fragrance
In 1986, Bonpoint launched its signature children’s
fragrance L’Eau de Bonpoint. The nose behind the
label’s famous fragrance was Annick Goutal, Marie-
France Cohen’s sister. Bonpoint’s “scent of
childhood” features bergamont, orange blossom, basil,
mandarin orange, and moss. The combination of these
ingredients creates a perfectly balanced scent.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of their signature

fragrance in 2011, the label launched their Concentre
d’Eau of Bonpoint. The fragrance is a noble and
intense version of their signature scent featuring
neroli and orange blossom specifically designed for
men and women.
 Distribution
Boutiques
Bonpoint currently has over 110 boutiques in
over 27 countries worldwide. Some of these
locations include Tokyo, Beijing, Tel Aviv,
Riyadh, and Dubai. All Bonpoint flagship
boutiques are designed to have a homey
atmosphere, which is created through the use of
vintage furniture and hard wooden floors
imported from France. The boutiques are
specifically designed to resemble a family home,
reflecting the Bonpoint “art de vivre” and
welcoming consumers into the lovely Bonpoint

Houston, Texas
world.
 Distribution
Wholesale
Luxury multi-brand e-commerce websites and retail
department stores carry select pieces from the
label’s collections. Some of these retailers include
Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney’s New York,
Melijoe, and Maisonette. These websites and
department stores make Bonpoint clothing easy to
access. They give customers a chance to purchase
their favorite pieces from the latest collections
and beauty products.

This exposure increases Bonpoint’s recognition

world-wide and brings in consumers that are likely
to keep purchasing children’s wear from the label.
The Divisional Merchandise Manager at Barney’s New
York, John Totolis, stated that Bonpoint is the
department stores top-selling children’s wear brand
(George-Parkin).
 Distribution
E-Commerce
The Bonpoint official e-commerce website offers consumers a
complete selection of their latest collections and products.
The label’s website is managed by a French company called
Mazarine. The company has helped Bonpoint create an e-
commerce site that offers consumers a “purchasing experience
aligned with the luxury label’s DNA” (TopCom).

Today, parents around the globe turn to online shopping for

several practical reasons. Due to their busy lives, a
convenient and quick online shopping experience is more
appealing to them. Bonpoint’s fresh and modern website is
aesthetically pleasing and makes shopping an enjoyable
experience for parents.
Bonpoint has also expanded into mobile retailing. The label
launched a seasonal WeChat store dedicated solely to the brand’s
skincare line and fragrances. The brand uses an interactive H5
that allows consumers to directly open the WeChat store and shop
their favorite Bonpoint products. A seasonal WeChat store is an
effective way to spotlight a selection of products and potentially
drive commercial sales without investing in a full-time e-commerce
store (Curiosity China).
 Current Challenges

Although Bonpoint has exemplified exceptional

growth and turnover over the past few years,
the label’s online presence is not close to
where it should be in comparison to
competitors. Direct retail sales, which
consists of solely online sales, amount to an
estimated 5% of the label’s total sales. De la
Chevasnerie states that both the retail store
and digital experience must be consistent in
order for the company to continue to grow (Les
Echos). All present-day companies must adopt a
strong online presence in order to remain
relevant in this ever-changing digital age.
 Strategic Direction
Expansion
As a response to consumer requests, Bonpoint plans
to continue expanding their business. The label is
set to open at least three new boutiques by the
end of 2020. The label has been experiencing a
high demand in Canada and has its sights on
opening new flagship boutiques in Toronto and
Vancouver. The label is also adding Las Vegas,
Nevada and Costa Mesa, California to their list of
homes. Although Bonpoint has a lengthy list of
flagship boutiques, the company has expressed that
they do not want the label to be everywhere. They
pay close attention to the level of demand in each
city and then carefully select where the flagship
boutiques will be located.
 Strategic Direction
Online Presence
De la Chevasnerie has a strategic plan to further
develop the label’s online business to become
synonymous with the label’s “Rive Gauche” chic.
According to the head of EPI, Christopher Descours,
digital will soon be part of any purchase made
anywhere in the world (Thomson). Bonpoint introduced
its digital strategy in 2009 but the exposure and
sales have not grown as expected.

The label’s current online sales only take up an

estimated 5% of the label’s total sales. De la
Chevasnerie’s focus is to use the internet to
increase sales and enhance the consumer’s
appreciation and understanding of the brand at the
same time. By further developing the brand’s online
presence and site, the label will witness an increase
in their online and total sales.
 Strategic Direction
Collaborations
Bonpoint has diversified their assortment
by routinely announcing collaborations
with different brands worldwide. This has
helped the label expand their exposure
beyond clothes. De la Chevasnerie
commented on collaborations by mentioning
that the label plans to create homeware
products and interior décor for children
in the future. By collaborating with high-
name brands around the globe to create
exclusive limited-edition collections, the
label has increased its overall brand
recognition and sales.

Neva Oslo x Bonpoint:

The Mon Premier Diamant (My First Diamond).
Delicate diamond bracelets for mothers and children
 Strategic Direction
Adidas x Bonpoint: L Uniform x Bonpoint:
CSAO x Bonpoint:
Shoe collection for children Elegant suitcases for
Charity - Limited
and teenagers that revisit newborns, school bags and
edition line of bags,
Adidas greatest hits (Stan backpacks for children,
pillows, and pouches
Smith and Superstar and diaper bags for
from Liberty Fabrics.
sneakers) with a Bonpoint mothers.
twist.
 Proposal
Improving the label’s online presence, a major
strategic plan, is an excellent way for the company
to gain exposure and improve their overall sales. A
specific method that the label can adopt is to
create exclusive online collections for consumers.
The label can offer exclusive collaborations with
famous, high-name brands and also offer collections
designed by their talented creative director.

By offering these exclusive collections, the label

is guiding consumers to shop on their e-commerce
site. With consumers visiting their website to
purchase these collections, the label will witness
an increase in their online foot traffic and online
sales. This method will bring in more consumers to
purchase Bonpoint products online and as a result,
increase their annual revenue.
 Works Cited
“About the Company.” Bonpoint - Facebook, 10 Apr. 2018, www.facebook.com/pg/bonpoint/about/?ref=page_internal

“Bonpoint Boutique in Houston, Texas.” Bonpoint, www.bonpoint.com/us/bonpoint-boutique-houston.

“Bonpoint's Top Competitors.” Bonpoint - Retail Business Review,

www.apparelaccessoriesluxurygoods.retail-business-review.com/companies/Bonpoint.

Bulteau, Mathilde. “Baby Soft New Skincare from Bonpoint.” Translated by Ellie
Hibberd, Vogue Paris, Vogue Paris, 29 Sept. 2015, en.vogue.fr/beauty-tips/buzzday/diaporama/baby-soft-new-
skincare-from-bonpoint/22822#les-nouveaux-soins-pour-enfants-bonpoint_image1.

“EPI (Holding Company).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPI_(holding).

George-Parkin, Hilary. “The Moms and Trends Fueling the Boom of Fancy Baby
Clothes.” Fashionista, Fashionista, 17 July 2017, www.fashionista.com/2017/07/luxury-fancy-baby-kids-clothes-
trend.

“Kiddie Couture: An Insider's Look at the Bonpoint Atelier in Paris.” Fashionista, 9 Feb. 2017,
www.fashionista.com/2017/02/inside-bonpoint-atelier-couture.

Jovanovic, Rozalia. “Bonpoint CEO on How a Small Luxury Brand Makes It in China.” Jing Daily, 12 Oct. 2017,
www.jingdaily.com/bonpoint-ceo-small-luxury-brand-makes-it-in-china/.

Thomson, Adam. “Purveyor of French Couture to Children.” Financial Times, Financial Times,
9 May 2016, www.ft.com/content/372fdf06-1223-11e6-839f-2922947098f0.

Vogue. “A New Level of Luxury.” Vogue, British Vogue, 23 Aug. 2017, www.vogue.co.uk/article/bonpoint-couture-
collection