Maison Close rebrands as Scandale, plans to open Paris flagship and expand internationally

Twenty years after it was founded, Maison Close is rebranding. The French lingerie brand has announced that on July 22 it will officially adopt the name of Scandale, a label founded in 1932 whose rights it acquired at the end of 2025. The rebranding marks a new stage in the Marseilles-based company’s journey, aimed at accelerating its international deployment by tapping the heritage of one of the French lingerie sector’s most iconic names.

Nicolas Busnel, founder and creative director of Maison Close, bought Scandale from its then owner, businessman Erik Ryd, in October 2025. The acquisition, which was announced within Maison Close in January, as the company was celebrating its 20th anniversary, aims to unite under the same banner nearly a century of French lingerie history, plus two decades of contemporary business.

Maison Close was founded in 2006, and gradually made a name for itself in the high-end lingerie segment, before extending its range to ready-to-wear, swimwear, accessories and lifestyle products. It has developed a strong visual identity, recognised well beyond the lingerie market, winning over both consumers and fashion/brand image professionals.

The decision to give a new lease of life to Scandale hinges on the unique heritage of the brand set up in 1932 by Robert Perrier. Based between Lyons and Paris, Perrier was an early advocate of the use of synthetic fibres in the French fashion industry, and developed some of the modern era’s first elastic compression garments. Over the decades, Scandale built a reputation based on fabric innovation and bold advertising, notably through the work of René Gruau, who designed its iconic logo.

Scandale had several owners over the years, eventually being acquired by the Hop Lun group. In 2014, US actor Halle Berry bought a stake in Scandale, then seeking to expand in North America. Despite these changeovers, the brand has always enjoyed a special place in the history of French lingerie.

Transition period

Maison Close’s rebranding into Scandale will involve several key steps. A permanent Scandale store will open on rue Cambon in Paris in September, the rebranding’s first physical retail incarnation. Maison Close’s last collections will be commercialised under their original name as collector editions, ahead of the new brand’s full deployment.

The Marseilles-based lingerie company is led by Busnel alongside Caroline Bour, who was appointed managing director in December 2025. It has a strong presence outside France, generating most of its revenue in the USA, its main market, followed by France, Germany, the UK and Italy. The company is forecasting €20 million in revenue for 2026, and is keen to make the most of Scandale’s relaunch to continue to expand internationally.