DPAM

DPAM has been part of Sergent Major Group since 2015, when the Sergent Major brand acquired its longtime competitor in an approximately €50 million transaction after DPAM accumulated more than €50 million in debts and entered conciliation proceedings with the French Court of Commerce. The Sergent Major Group, owned by investment funds Siparex and EDRIP, operates the combined entity with more than €400 million in combined turnover across both retail banners. The acquisition consolidated two of the four major French children’s apparel chains.

DPAM (Du Pareil au Même, “All the Same”) was founded in 1986 by Simon Benharrous as a rebranding of his earlier 1982 C’Mauve children’s apparel company, originally headquartered in Wissous near Paris. The brand built its early reputation on rapid product turnover (up to 2,400 new SKUs per year), word-of-mouth marketing without significant advertising spend, and a price-quality positioning approximately 40% below traditional children’s wear competitors. DPAM publicly listed on Euronext Paris before going private through subsequent ownership changes; before the Sergent Major acquisition, investment house Argos Soditic held a majority stake. The brand subcontracts manufacturing to lower-cost producers in India, China, Taiwan, and Malaysia.

DPAM operates approximately 600 stores across 26 countries on four continents, with concentration in France and meaningful presence in Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, and Japan. Adjacent retail concepts under the DPAM brand include DPAM Bébé (infant furniture and accessories), DPAM Chaussures (children’s footwear), and DPAM Enfant (core childrenswear). For mall operators, DPAM is a mid-market childrenswear counterparty with footprints typically averaging 100 to 200 square meters, frequently positioned in family-oriented mall zones. Leasing decisions for both DPAM and Sergent Major are coordinated through the Sergent Major Group commercial real estate organization in France.