Origins Exits France

The Origins division of Estée Lauder said Tuesday it is closing its two points of distribution in France.

The brand will give up its counter in Le Bon Marché on July 31 and is shutting its freestanding store in the St. Sulpice neighborhood of Paris, according to a spokeswoman. Origins entered France in 2000, but later found itself stymied.

“We couldn’t continue to promote the brand, as emblematic as it is, with distribution reduced to two points of sale,” stated Philippe Warnery, vice president and general manager of Origins and Ojon international. “However, we do not exclude the possibility of coming back to France in the future, in so far as we have developed a long-term strategy and adapted to this prestigious market.”