Maurice Bidermann facts for kids

Maurice Bidermann, whose birth name was Maurice Zylberberg, was a French businessman. He was born on April 4, 1932, and passed away on March 30, 2020. He became very successful in the textile industry, which makes fabrics and clothes. He was also honored as a Knight of the French National Order of Merit in 1991.

Maurice Bidermann's Life and Career

Maurice Bidermann was born in Anderlecht, Belgium. His parents, Tauba and Joseph Zylberberg, were from Poland. Because his family was Jewish, Maurice and his sister Evelyne had to live with a Christian family in Aix-en-Provence from 1941 to 1943 to stay safe. His other sister, Regina, was hidden in a convent. In 1943, Maurice was briefly held by German police but was sent to a clinic due to health issues.

After the war, Maurice arrived in Paris in 1946. In 1948, he traveled to Israel and joined the Israel Defense Forces for about 18 months. He then returned to France and worked in a food factory for a short time.

Starting in the Textile Business

In April 1950, Maurice began working in the textile and clothing business. He joined his uncle George Bidermann's company. Maurice quickly brought in new ways to make clothes. He also introduced modern ways to manage the people working there. These changes helped the company make clothes much faster and better.

His ideas helped the Bidermann company become one of the best in Europe. This success allowed them to start selling their products to other countries. In 1966, he made a big deal with the Soviet Union to sell 310,000 men's clothing items.

Growing the Bidermann Group

In France, the Bidermann group made clothes under licenses for famous brands. These included Yves Saint Laurent, Daniel Hechter, Daniel Cremieux, and André Courrèges. In the United States, the Bidermann Group also got licenses for popular brands. They made men's sportswear for Calvin Klein and women's wear for Ralph Lauren.

The family business started with only 60 employees in 1950. But in just 25 years, it grew into a huge company. It had about 30 factories and employed around 18,000 people worldwide. About 12,000 employees were in other countries, and 6,000 were in Europe.

Challenges and Changes

Later, the Bidermann Group faced some difficulties. New competition and global events made it harder for the company to grow. Maurice Bidermann worked hard to keep jobs and tried to improve the company. In the 1990s, he acquired licenses for other well-known brands. These included Burberry, Arrow, and Gold Toe. However, in 1995, Maurice had to sell part of his French company to another group, the Deveaux Group.

Giving Back to the Community

Maurice Bidermann was also known for his philanthropy. This means he gave money and support to help others. He wanted to help create a spirit of cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian people. He supported groups like Action against Hunger, which helps people in need.

He also supported the Museum of Warsaw in Poland. This was special to him because his parents were from Poland. In 1974, he helped create the Association of French Friends of university AFBGU for the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He also supported programs that brought Jewish and Muslim students together at the University of Haifa. He helped train mediators and teachers at the University of Tel Aviv. Maurice also helped start the Lycée Franco-Israeli Raymond Leven in Tel Aviv. He even provided small loans to projects involving both Israelis and Palestinians.

Maurice Bidermann's Family Life

Maurice Bidermann was married to Danièle Bibas. She was born on December 11, 1940, in Casablanca, Morocco. They had two daughters together. Maurice Bidermann passed away on March 30, 2020, at the age of 87.