Asian fast-fashion giant Shein has chosen France as the location to open its first permanent physical outlets. The company, which has primarily operated online, will occupy “shop-in-shop” concessions first in Paris, followed by five others in the cities of Dijon, Reims, Grenoble, Angers, and Limoges. Shein told the BBC on Thursday that France’s “influential global fashion market” was a “natural choice” as the firm’s testbed for permanent physical stores. The company has previously opened temporary pop-up stores in cities such as Madrid and Paris but has never operated a permanent physical shop.
The new outlets are being opened through a partnership with retail property group Societe des Grands Magasins (SGM), which runs the BHV Marais and Galeries Lafayette department stores. Shein said the outlets will create an estimated 200 jobs in France and that the collaboration aims to revitalize city centers and department stores.
A Physical Presence Amidst Regulatory Scrutiny
This move comes after the French Senate adopted a bill in June to regulate the fast-fashion industry by sanctioning companies like Shein and rival Temu, and banning their advertisements. Founded in China in 2008 and headquartered in Singapore, Shein has been under scrutiny for its business model, which rapidly produces low-cost, trendy clothes. Concerns have been raised about the environmental impact of its goods, and the working conditions within its supply chain. A 2024 investigation by the Swiss advocacy group Public Eye found that workers in some suppliers at one point worked for 75 hours a week, despite Shein promising to improve conditions. The company, which ships to more than 150 countries, hopes that trialing physical retail in France will benefit French customers and the wider retail sector.
Author’s Opinion
This move is a strategic attempt by Shein to gain legitimacy in a high-fashion market while simultaneously addressing regulatory pressure. By partnering with established French department stores, Shein is trying to shed its purely “online discount retailer” image and associate itself with high-street fashion. This is a pragmatic, high-profile way to counter the French bill to regulate fast fashion, allowing Shein to demonstrate a commitment to local investment and job creation. However, the move also introduces a new challenge: a physical presence makes the brand’s labor and environmental practices more visible and accessible to public scrutiny, which could intensify the debate over its business model.
Featured image credit: Shein
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