After nearly two decades of collections, womenswear brand Heimstone will close its doors, founder and artistic director Alix Petit announced on December 15. The decision comes amid diminished purchasing power and an increasingly tough market. The closure is planned in two stages: its physical boutique, located at 23 Rue du Cherche-Midi in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, will close on December 20, and its e-commerce platform will cease operating on December 30.

“For nineteen years, I have poured immense energy, total dedication and passion into Heimstone, which has shaped me as much as I have shaped Heimstone. But a life is never made up of a single chapter, and I now feel naturally guided towards the end of a cycle,” said Petit in a press release.

An “exhausting” French system

“I am turning the page with clarity, pride and serenity,” she continued. “I feel neither nostalgia nor regret, only the profound certainty that it is time to close one door to open another. Above all, thank you. You have been committed, loyal and dynamic year after year. This community of women is without a doubt the greatest achievement of this adventure.”

The designer also spoke candidly in a video posted on social media, thanking her community as well as her long-standing partners, while criticising a French system that “wears down” industry players, far removed from its “official line.”

A brand with international reach

Heimstone made a name for itself with collections featuring flowing cuts and colourful prints, as well as numerous pop-up stores. The label made appearances in Marseille, Lyon, Lille and Bordeaux, as well as in Brussels and London. With Heimstone, Petit placed a strong emphasis on in-store concepts, regularly innovating. Collaborations included Damart, Catimini, Spartoo, Bocage, Bugaboo and Olivia Dar.

For sales, Heimstone relies on eight stockists, including Featsy by Piccadilly Circus in Annecy, By Mahe in Megève and Frimousse le Drugstore in Rennes. A graduate of Atelier Chardon Savard, Petit made Heimstone an internationally sought-after brand at the height of its recognition, with sales in the United States, the United Arab Emirates and across Asia.