A major player in French menswear, Celio is revitalizing its brand, moving beyond its ‘normal’ universe with a comprehensive new store concept, first unveiled in summer 2024 and officially rolling out in 2025. This strategic shift includes the momentous debut of a mixed-gender offering, testing womenswear alongside its core men's line for the first time on a large scale.
The cornerstone of this evolution is the brand's new 1,200-sq-m flagship store opening on level -1 of the Forum des Halles shopping center in central Paris, placing Celio alongside premium brands like Lacoste and Sandro. This move is a significant step following a period of dynamic capsule collections—themed around manga, mountain wear (Chamonix-Mont-Blanc), and collaborations with influencers like Inoxtag and GMK—designed to surprise and attract new customers since the 2020 "Be Normal" campaign launch.
The new concept marks a distinct departure from the traditional red-and-white Celio aesthetic. It features large shopfronts, abundant lighting, open space, and the use of natural materials, moving towards an environment that is pared-back, elegant and structured. Developed with experts Laura Chavy (Ateliers AUAV) and Olivier Saguez (Saguez & Partners), the design utilizes omnipresent metal to neutralize the surroundings, allowing the quality, materials, and colors of the clothing to stand out, complemented by wood in service areas for warmth.
Sébastien Bismuth, CEO, Celio emphasizes, this 1,200-sq-m store doesn't just reprise the codes of our concept: it evolves them, adapts them and enriches them. The new store affirms the brand’s ambition to become a global player, capable of serving all customers, he highlights. women alike."
Previously tested in twenty ‘Bi-store’ locations under the ‘Be Camaïeu’ banner, this mixed-gender offer will gain significant exposure at the high-traffic Paris center. The overall strategy involves opening more spacious stores, like in Dijon, to showcase a deeper assortment. Importantly, Bismuth's team plans to leverage certain elements (metal fixtures, lighting, screens) to gradually align the existing network of 280 French stores without requiring a complete, costly overhaul.
With sales close to €600 million in 2023 and slight growth confirmed for 2024, Celio is backing this transformation with logistical expansion - its warehouse is adding over 12,000 sq m by early 2026.
