A few days after staging a pop-up in the heart of Paris’s Marais district and, above all, unveiling a deal with the French brand Pimkie that sparked controversy across the clothing sector, Shein has announced a major push into the French market.

The Asian platform has chosen France to open its first permanent bricks-and-mortar retail spaces — a world first and, it says, a “commitment to revitalising city centres.”

The brand has been often accused of unfair competition for flooding the market with cut-price products sold online. The first Shein space will open within the Parisian department store BHV, which is currently reinventing itself, in the coming weeks.

Six stores will open from November, initially at BHV Marais in Paris, followed by five more, rolled out gradually, in Galeries Lafayette stores managed by an affiliate in Dijon, Reims, Grenoble, Angers and Limoges, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

“In choosing France as the location for our physical retail experiment, we recognise its position as a major fashion capital and embrace its spirit of creativity and excellence,” said Donald Tang, executive chairman of Shein. “It is natural that this journey should begin in Paris, at BHV, the cradle of modern commerce, before extending to five other cities across the country.”

Shein has teamed up with Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), a retail property company that operates BHV Marais and several Galeries Lafayette stores, following sale and affiliation agreements with the Galeries Lafayette group. The takeover of the Paris department store was a sensitive matter, not least because relationships with certain brands became strained in 2024, and in relation to the finalisation of the acquisition project initiated with the Galeries Lafayette group in 2023.

“We convinced Shein to make our country its first physical testing ground. With Shein, the world’s largest online clothing platform, we are opening a new chapter, starting with BHV and soon our affiliated Galeries Lafayette stores in the regions,” explained Frédéric Merlin, head of the French retail property group, in a press release.

“This project enables us to attract a younger clientele and meet our customers’ expectations, while preserving the DNA of our stores and breathing new life into the hearts of our cities, from Paris to the provinces. It’s also a major innovation: thanks to its in-depth knowledge of online sales, Shein knows what appeals locally and can therefore tailor the offer in a unique way to each area.”

“This alliance is more than just a launch – it’s a commitment to revitalising city centres throughout France, reviving department stores and developing opportunities for French ready-to-wear,” said Shein, promising “the creation of 200 direct and indirect jobs in France within SGM.”

Founded in China in 2012 and now based in Singapore, Shein is primarily a clothing and accessories brand, known for its extremely low prices, a vast array of items and aggressive marketing.

Accused of environmental pollution due to the colossal volumes it puts on the market, and suspected of subjecting workers to unacceptable conditions – because of its sourcing, mainly from China – Shein is also in the crosshairs of the French and European textile and clothing sectors.

The sector, whose French and European federations recently joined forces to sound the alarm over the group’s development, accuses the Asian behemoth of creating unfair competition for companies across the Continent by failing to comply with European standards on the environment, social rights and consumer safety, to which they are subject. It also benefits from a European measure exempting small parcels from customs duties, which enables Shein to ship its products at low cost and complicates the work of customs authorities when it comes to inspections.

Shein’s recent initiatives in France, including a planned IPO that is reportedly still in the works, are often criticised as part of the ultra-fast-fashion giant’s influence strategy.

The company, which does not disclose its sales figures, is now among Europe’s leading online fashion retailers. However, it employs only a few dozen people in France.

With AFP