Shein Plants First Permanent Flag in France Amid Uproar

The birthplace of the word “chic” is about to have its tolerance for ultra-cheap fashion tested by Shein.

The Chinese online retailer, known for flooding the globe with cut-rate dresses and jeans, will open its first permanent French shops in November through a deal with department store owner Société des Grands Magasins, Reuters reported. The debut locations include a sixth-floor store inside Paris’ BHV Marais and additional outposts in Galeries Lafayette-branded department stores in Dijon, Grenoble, Reims, Limoges and Angers.

Until now, Shein’s brick-and-mortar forays have been focused on pop-ups.

SGM president Frédéric Merlin pitched the move as a way to bring younger shoppers into aging department stores.

But not everyone agrees. Galeries Lafayette, which franchised its name to SGM, said the rollout breaches its agreement and vowed to block it. The retailer blasted Shein’s practices as being “in contradiction” with its values.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also came out swinging, saying the decision clashes with the city’s push for sustainable local commerce and voicing extreme concern over the BHV lease.

The political heat comes as France sharpens its stance on fast fashion. Lawmakers recently advanced a bill that would ban advertising for brands like Shein.

Yann Rivoallan, who heads the French fashion retail association, accused Shein of “destroying dozens of French brands” and warned its “megastore” will further flood the market with disposable clothing.

For Shein, the pivot to physical retail represents both an opportunity and a risk. The brand has long thrived by shipping directly from Chinese factories to consumers, dodging duties on low-value parcels. A brick-and-mortar strategy forces it to hold inventory and take on higher fixed costs, but it likely can withstand the pressure coming as the U.S. and European Union prepare to end duty exemptions on its main e-commerce model.

French retailers, already struggling against the likes of Zara and H&M, have been hit hard by Shein’s rise. Chains like Jennyfer and NafNaf slipped into insolvency this year, underscoring the pressure from a competitor built on volume and speed.

— Holden Walter-Warner