PARIS, July 27 (Reuters) - French turnaround firm Bernard Krief Consultants on Monday bid a "symbolic sum" of less than a few million euros for the financially strapped French fashion house Christian Lacroix, it said on Monday.
The investment company said it had been contacted by Patrick Devedjian, France's minister in charge of the national fiscal recovery plan, to save the lossmaking couture business, which has been in administration for nearly two months.
Bernard Krief Consultants, which acquired the distressed car part company Heuliez during the financial crisis, said it had made an offer to acquire Christian Lacroix debt-free.
It proposed to buy its commercial operations, haute couture activities and take on at least half of its 120 employees.
It said it hoped to raise its offer later as negotiations with court-appointed administrators were likely to last at least one month.
"We have made an offer this morning before 10am ... It is only symbolic really," Louis Petiet, head of Bernard Krief Consultants told Reuters.
Asked if the offer consisted of a few million euros, he said: "not even."
"Our offer will be improved later. We think that about 100 people is the right staff size," Petiet said.
The company behind the designer, known for his baroque and embroidered dresses, has never made a profit in its 22 years of trading.
Earlier this month, Christian Lacroix stitched together a small couture show with the help of friends and dressmakers who worked for free. Many observers feared it could be his last.
The Christian Lacroix company, which was once part of French luxury group LVMH, now belongs to the Falic family, who owns the U.S. retail group Duty Free Americas.
Bernard Krief Consultants said it aimed to increase Christian Lacroix's revenues fivefold within five years.
In 2008, the company made a loss of 10 million euros ($14.26 million) on revenues of 30 million euros, while orders for its 2009 women's ready-to-wear summer collection have been down 35 percent. (Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Rupert Winchester)