Asian discount clothing giant Shein has been fined a massive 150 million euros in France for failing to comply with legislation on cookies, the French privacy watchdog Cnil announced on Wednesday.
A customer in a temporary boutique of the Asian brand Shein, on June 26, 2025 in Dijon, Côte-d’Or. – AFP/ARNAUD FINISTRE
The Cnil, which has also imposed a record fine of 325 million euros on Google for similar grievances, denounces the fact that these computer trackers had been deposited on the devices of Internet users who had visited the Shein site without their consent, or without respecting their choice or informing them correctly.
These are the two biggest penalties ever imposed by the Cnil, with the exception of a 150 million euro fine imposed on Google in 2022, also on the subject of cookies.
The French data protection watchdog justified the exceptional nature of the fine imposed on Shein by the fact that the legislation on which this decision is based is already in force, in particular the French Data Protection Act (Loi Informatique et Libertés), which the company could not ignore.
“Since 2020,” Cnil’s restricted committee “has on numerous occasions sanctioned organizations for similar breaches, making its decisions public,” stressed the institution in a press release.
This is a colossal sanction, given the very high number of users potentially affected – an average of 12 million French people every month – argued the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (Cnil).
Shein complied “during the course of the procedure,” the Cnil pointed out.
The company “firmly contests” this decision “and will lodge an appeal with the Council of State and the Court of Justice of the European Union,” it told AFP.
“We consider the fine to be totally disproportionate, given the nature of the alleged grievances, our current compliance, and the proactive corrective measures we have put in place,” said Shein.
“The severity of the penalty appears to be motivated by political considerations rather than by a fair and balanced application of the regulations,” the company judges. Recalling that it has “fully cooperated with the Cnil” since August 2023, Shein says it regrets that “no warning was ever issued” prior to the “formal notice.”
The brand, which stands out for its extremely low prices, profusion of SKUs and aggressive marketing, has been booming in France and Europe in recent years.
However, it has attracted the wrath of human rights and environmental associations, trade players and the authorities. Accused in turn of environmental pollution, deceptive business practices, unfair competition, and undignified labor, Shein symbolizes, according to its detractors, all the ills of “ultra fast fashion.”
The company with sales of $23 billion (by 2022) is the target of a proposed French law aimed at regulating ephemeral fashion, notably through an advertising ban, financial penalties, and an obligation to make consumers aware of the environmental impact of their clothing.
At the beginning of July, the platform was fined 40 million euros for misleading commercial practices by France’s Repression des Fraudes, for, among other things, marking up certain prices before applying a discount.
Paris, Sept 3, 2025 (AFP)
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Monica Vinader has chosen English singer/songwriter Sienna Spiro as the face of the aspirational, ambitious premium jewellery brand.
Sienna Spiro
The “meaningful collaboration” links the jewellery brand “known for its design integrity and exceptional quality” to “one of music’s most compelling emerging voices… with her lyrics rooted in feeling and intention, qualities that closely align with Monica Vinader’s approach to design”, we’re told.
Throughout the campaign, Spiro wears the new Infinity collections as well as Monica Vinader pieces engraved with lyrics from her song ‘You Stole the Show’.
The engravings spotlight the brand’s personalisation services, “transforming jewellery into objects of meaning, from song lyrics and private messages to personal mantras”, the retailer said.
The brand, which has several stores in London, plus stores at Liverpool One, in Manchester and Edinburgh, appointed a new CEO in November. Sebastian Picardo now heads the previously family-run brand founded by siblings Monica (artistic director) and Gabriela (non-exec director) in 2008.
At the time of his appointment, the sisters said Picardo is “perfectly placed to guide our next phase of growth” and will work to accelerate the business’s global reach, “scaling innovation, inspiring existing and new audiences, and setting new standards for modern luxury jewellery”.
Scottish gymwear brand Dfyne has opening a 21,623 sq ft headquarters in Glasgow that “marks a major milestone in the company’s growth just four years after launch”, it said.
Dfyne
Designed in collaboration with workplace designer/builder Oktra, the new HQ provides a permanent base for Dfyne’s growing team and “reflects the brand’s ambition, identity, and people-first values.. as the business continues to grow”.
The opening marks ‘phase one’ of the project, with further phases planned to extend the workspace and complete the ground floor fit-out, it said.
The workplace is organised around a series of “clearly defined zones, balancing focused workspaces with informal collaboration areas and spaces to showcase Dfyne products”.
“Cultural storytelling” is also embedded within the design. Brown leather seating in the new meeting booths references a brown leather sofa from Dfyne’s original headquarters – a piece closely associated with the brand’s early days and formative moments.
“This detail symbolises [our] journey from a small founding team to a fast-growing international brand, while maintaining a strong connection to its roots”, it said.
CEO Oscar Ryndziewicz added: “In only four years, and thanks to our incredible community, we’ve grown to such a level that we can create a new, tailor-made space for our team that embodies our brand values. With the creation of unique workspaces, our new HQ is purposefully designed to enable everyone who supported the company’s growth to spark connections and inspire innovation.”
Puma is continuing its fruitful fashion-meets-sport collab with UK streetwear brand Represent, this time “rewriting the playbook of basketball-inspired staples”.
Puma x Represent
Fusing “Heritage Hoops Energy with Modern Streetwear”, it brings the two brands neatly together with a campaign fronted by German NBA star Dennis Schröder who “embodies the collection’s balanced fusion of court performance and off-court style”.
The “simple yet elevated collection” spans footwear and apparel that’s “highlighted by expressive and detailed cut-and-sew designs”, as well as a fresh interpretation of Puma’s All-Pro Nitro 2 sneaker.
Its “court-ready” Jersey and Shorts debut comes with a newly designed Puma x Represent graphic, featuring mesh construction and contrasting trim “that nods to retro game-day uniforms”.
The range is, of course, accompanied by “courtside essentials” including a Graphic T-Shirt and Hoodie, “pieces that bring bold visual detailing to the championship collaboration”.
A Coach Jacket and accompanying Pants also “comprise comfortable warm-up layers with everyday wearability”.
For footwear, Puma x Represent presents a re-envision All-Pro Nitro 2, a performance design underpinned by “explosive Nitro cushioning and a lightweight Ultraweave upper”. The black and white two-tone colourway is punctuated by subtle logo hits on the heel and tongue.
Complementing one of Puma’s “most modern examples of basketball performance technology”, the collection brings “a touch of ‘80s flair with the low-top Majesty”.
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