A woman shopping for wooden furniture (file image)(Image: Carlina Teteris via Getty Images)
A furniture retailer that collapsed earlier this year is set to make a comeback after being rescued from liquidation. European furniture brand Alinea will return after MH France, the French subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce group Aosom, acquired the French retailer's brand and operating rights. The takeover was approved by courts in France on July 9, 2026, before being announced by MH France chief executive Emmanuel Benichou on July 11. Benichou confirmed the acquisition in a post on LinkedIn. He wrote: "Today, I am pleased to announce that the MH France/Aosom.fr group has just acquired the Alinea brand and its operating rights. "Some brands go beyond just their commercial activities; they are part of the landscape and Alinea is one of those brands. Since its creation in 1988 in Avignon, the brand has left its mark on several generations of French people, and the world of furniture and decoration.... Today marks the beginning of a new chapter."
The furniture business is set for a comeback [generic image](Image: Getty Images)
He added that, as part of the relaunch, Alinea's online store will shortly go live once more, as well as a franchise-based retail network to follow. MH France said it plans to preserve Alinea's identity while combining French and European-inspired collections with imported products. More details about the retailer's long-term strategy are expected in the coming weeks.
The liquidation salvation comes following years of difficulties for the brand prior to Alinea's ultimate demise in March. Placed under court-ordered administration at the end of 2025, the business was later formally liquidated on March 31, 2026. This resulted in the closure of all of its 36 stores and the dismissal of nearly 1,200 staff following the rejection of the only comprehensive takeover bid on offer for the furniture brand. The retailer's website had already stopped accepting orders on February 26, which saw opportunistic scammers launch a number of fake clearance websites impersonating the brand. But now, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, it seems that Alinea is officially back in business. In his online statement, Benichou emphasised that the Alinea takeover represents "both a responsibility and a tremendous opportunity", and for customers to essentially watch this space in the coming weeks as the brand makes major steps to return to operating capacity. He also reminded fans of the furniture brand to remain vigilant while the brand reboots, with the CEO expressing concerns that scammers may again try to schmooze eager customers out of their hard-earned euros with further fake online stores and websites.
MH France currently retails through a number of e-commerce marketplaces and sells products under a slew of brand names.
Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.