Emall Vietnam has acquired the Pierre Cardin shoe business system in Canada as part of its strategic expansion into international markets.

Target Information

Emall Vietnam, a retail and distribution company based in Ho Chi Minh City, has successfully finalized legal procedures to acquire the Pierre Cardin shoe business system in Canada. This acquisition follows a lengthy nine-year negotiation process. According to CEO Phạm Minh Thắng, the deal encompasses both tangible assets such as physical stores and inventory, as well as intangible assets including the brand within specific territories and a distribution system. Notably, in May 2025, Emall completed the acquisition of 28 Pierre Cardin stores in Thailand, indicating a strategic transition from a contract-manufacturing/distribution role to a supply chain owner at both regional and international levels.

The legal ecosystem for the Pierre Cardin brand is notably complex, due to its decentralized licensing structure. Instead of directly owning foreign branches, Pierre Cardin often enters into exclusive licensing agreements with local partners, granting them near-total control over product development and distribution within designated territories. This has resulted in a legal matrix where the concept of 'genuine goods' is restricted by territorial borders, creating challenges for maintaining brand consistency and legal rights globally.

Industry Overview in Canada

Canada's fashion retail industry is highly regulated, with a robust legal framework supporting intellectual property rights. The competitiveness of this market also hinges on international trade agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which facilitates tariff-free access for goods sourced from member countries, i