Today, BHV (Municipal Department Store) in Paris welcomed the new fast fashion giant Shein's first physical store in Europe. But just before the opening, at least 90,000 people signed signatures expressing the hope that BHV would withdraw its decision. The opening of the new store was overshadowed by public online opposition from the Paris mayor, street protests by the BHV union and fellow brands, and the withdrawal of financing from the department store by financial institutions.
Various parties are showing different trends, with support and opposition ebbing and flowing:
In the past few days, European and American media headlines have been filled with news that Shein is selling similar "child sex dolls". France's consumer watchdog said it reported Shein to prosecutors and regulators after discovering the dolls on his website. In a letter responding to the "BUG" column, the French Association for the Natural Environment stated that it opposed Shein's expansion in France because about 80% of its products are made of plastic fibers and contain chemical ingredients harmful to the human body.
Faced with doubts, Frederic Merlin, chairman of SGM Department Store and head of BHV, stood firmly with Shein. Even before the opening, a huge poster of him and Shein Group Executive Chairman Tang Wei was hung on the outer wall of BHV.
The more Shein tries to integrate into France, the more he encounters endless resistance. Why has its "fastness" become the "original sin" in the eyes of the French?
(At the entrance of BHV department store, protesters held up photos similar to "child sex dolls" found on the Shein platform)
those opposing voices
Doubts about Shein's entry into BHV have been going on for nearly a month.
“Some companies forget their ‘reputation’ for the sake of business strategy,” this is a comment published by Forbes France, which was merciless in its comments about Shein’s intention to open a store in BHV. When it says "forgot its own reputation", it refers to BHV Department Store.
It is necessary to talk about the background of BHV Department Store here. This is a century-old department store in Paris. Its popularity and reputation are no less than that of Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, which are well-known to Chinese people.
The department store announced on October 2 that they would open a Shein physical store. The goals are very clear, which are to "younger customer base," "better use of space in the mall," and "provide consumers with more choices." But no one expected that less than a week after this decision was announced, 90,000 people signed their signatures expressing their hope that BHV would withdraw its decision.
Because Shein is moving into a BHV, some big traditional brands have even directly stated that they are dissatisfied with the new neighbors and want to move out.
The fact that Shein is going to open a physical store in France seems to be just an ordinary piece of business news, but in France in October, it was almost broadcast on the radio. It even triggered a discussion about the "goodwill" of shopping malls. Why?
There is a background that cannot be ignored: in the past ten years, many French local retail and local brands have been greatly impacted by online shopping, and many small urban shops have had to close due to their inability to maintain their operations. But the biggest beneficiary here is not Shein, or even the Chinese e-commerce companies that go overseas, but the retail giant Amazon. Therefore, in the past few years, France has been constantly hearing about various boycotts, fines, compliance inspections, etc. against Amazon.
Therefore, the negative voices caused by Shein's intention to enter a department store are actually not just directed at Shein, but also the accumulation of emotions over the years.
Another underlying reason for these doubts and suspicions from the public is the decline of local manufacturing, which is not only reflected in clothing manufacturing and commercial department stores. Many local brands have gone bankrupt, closed down, or been acquired, which has added to the sense of crisis for the French.
(Picture: In mid-October, local French television reported that the BHV union held a public protest against Shein’s move)
I just got a hefty fine
On October 13, two weeks before the store opened, Shein was deemed to have committed "greenwashing" by the French Advertising Ethics Jury (JDP).
The ruling stemmed from a complaint by France Nature Environnement against its advertising, which believed that Shein misled consumers with slogans such as "For more sustainable fashion" and "Achieve net zero emissions by 2050". The jury noted that these statements relied on goals that were too far-fetched, ignored current environmental impacts, and were unverifiable by consumers. Although the ruling is not legally binding, it is of great symbolic significance and has a demonstration effect within the industry.
In its response letter, the French Association for the Natural Environment pointed out that the main reason for opposing Shein's expansion in France is the systemic environmental and social problems caused by its "ultra-fast fashion" business model. It said that the brand relies on over-production and stimulating consumption operations. It launches about 10,000 new pieces of clothing every day, and uses 18 marketing methods such as advertising and short-term promotions to induce consumers to purchase frequently and accelerate consumption. About 80% of its products are made of plastic fibers, which contain chemical ingredients that are harmful to the human body. In order to pursue timeliness, the company transports about 5,000 tons of goods by air every day, resulting in high carbon emissions.
The association calls on the government to introduce stricter policies to curb the environmental and social harm caused by "ultra-fast fashion". It recommends increasing the ecological surcharge for a single piece of clothing or setting an annual production cap through the "extended producer responsibility" (EPR) system, levying additional fees on brands that overproduce, and reducing waste from the source. At the same time, it advocates limiting marketing methods that stimulate excessive consumption, emphasizing that only by controlling both production and marketing at the same time can the clothing industry move toward a more sustainable model.
Asked what is the difference between Shein and Zara and H&M’s traditional fast fashion, association expert Axèle Gibert pointed out that the fundamental difference lies in the speed of update and consumption driving force. The association believes that traditional fast fashion brands usually launch new series on a quarterly basis, while Shein launches nearly 10,000 new products every day, which has upgraded from "fast fashion" to "ultra-fast fashion". This high-frequency product replacement constantly creates pressure for “immediate consumption” and encourages people to continue to purchase and eliminate products quickly, thereby amplifying the negative effects of resource waste, pollution emissions and social costs.
Not long ago, French officials issued two huge fines. One was fined 40 million euros for "misleading business practices", and the second was fined 150 million euros for data violations. Shein swallowed the first ticket and appealed the second one.
Public anger and official hammering together constitute Shein's European dilemma: the secret recipe for growth that once promoted the rapid rise of ultra-fast fashion is facing an unprecedented public opinion crisis in Europe, a land that advocates "slow work and careful work". This is not only a problem for the Shein family, but also reflects the risk management and re-gaming of the entire fast fashion industry under the wave of sustainability.
Even to a certain extent, Shein's rapid development caught up with one of the most controversial periods in Europe and became a "scapegoat" for popular sentiment.
What cannot be ignored is that this is not just a "feeling of uneasiness." France is even considering whether to oppose "fast fashion" at the legislative level. The reason behind this is the environmental concerns caused by fast fashion, especially "ultra-fast fashion". This is the origin of the 4,000 euro fine.
(The mayor of Paris publicly condemned Shein’s move into BVH department store)
Why has Kuai become the original sin in the eyes of the French?
Why did "fast", a weapon that is unfailing in the global market, suddenly malfunction in France and even become an "original sin".
Shein has pushed the logic of fast fashion to the extreme and created an efficiency machine that is difficult for traditional opponents to match. According to Reuters data, in the year from the end of 2022 to the end of 2023, Shein launched a staggering 1.5 million new products in the U.S. market. This number is approximately 37 times that of Zara and 65 times that of H&M. Its production cycle can be compressed to a three-day cycle, and the daily new product speed is as high as more than 7,000 models. By capturing social media trends and small batch trial production, it has achieved algorithm-driven "real-time design." This novelty of large quantities, fast delivery, and low prices has become the core magic that captures young people around the world.
However, this model accurately stepped into the minefield of values in Paris.
Especially in Paris, the fashion discourse is built on the cornerstones of "heritage, know-how and uniqueness". Here, fashion is not just clothing to protect the body from the cold, but also an extension of culture, art and personal identity.
Sophie Abriat, a well-known French writer and fashion journalist, publicly denounced Shein in the media as "junk food in the fashion industry". By constantly launching ultra-low-priced new products, it mainly uses non-degradable synthetic fibers, leading to serious textile waste and environmental pollution. She mentioned that the French Senate’s imposition of an ecological tax on online fast fashion products was Shein’s strategy to open physical stores to avoid this tax, and called on the European Union to speed up regulatory measures on the fashion industry.
A BHV department store employee said at the protest site that two years ago, the department store promised to sell products made in France or handmade. But Shein's arrival overturned the previous commitment.
However, can all this perfectly explain the criticism Shein has received in France?
Shein is not the founder of fast fashion. The ancestors of global fast fashion may still be a series of brands such as Zara in Spain and H&M in Sweden. These brands expanded their footprint around the world 20 years ago, opening stores in all fashion capitals around the world and even entering almost all brand department stores.
However, no one criticized or even boycotted Zara based on its "heritage, skills and uniqueness". Even many so-called local fashion brands in France, and even luxury brands, are manufactured and OEM in China, or complete most of the processes in China and then return to France for OEM. At this time, no one is blaming these French brands for easily earning the price difference.
Of course, there have always been many confusions about environmental protection, and it didn’t start with Shein. But the call for legislative restrictions on "fast fashion" started with Shein.
Why? In order to let everyone better understand Shein's industrial chain and highly automated logistics center, Shein also invited many Internet celebrities to China for on-site inspections and live broadcast posts. However, these posts were heavily attacked in the West.
The more you try to integrate, the more you are resisted?
In the past few years, Shein has also been making changes, trying to enter mainstream fashion discourse with a "de-stigmatizing" attitude.
Not only did it announce that it will launch second-hand trading platforms in France, the United Kingdom and Germany, it also announced an investment of 250 million euros in the United Kingdom and the European Union, of which 200 million euros will be used to establish a "revolving fund" to support European start-ups and other enterprises to develop and innovate textile recycling technologies. For a brand that started out as an algorithm-driven brand, these actions have revealed obvious “status anxiety.” It hopes to change from a "low-price manufacturer" to a "fashion participant" and gain legitimacy at both ends of culture and capital.
But the problem is that Shein’s growth rate and magnitude caught the entire European fashion system off guard.
Statistics from Semrush show that as of the beginning of 2025, Shein’s website has approximately twice as many monthly visits as Zara, ranking first in the global fashion e-commerce category. This growth rate breaks the norm in the retail industry. Since its founding in 2012, Shein has grown from a cross-border women's clothing website to a global retail force that can compete with Nike, Amazon, and ZARA in just 12 years. When this unprecedented scale entered the European and American markets, the entire industry chain felt unbalanced. Independent designers are worried about being submerged, big brands are worried about being diluted by the "parity logic", and the government is worried about regulatory lag.
This summer, the United States took the lead and terminated its tax-free policy for imported goods worth less than $800. This means that after August 29, all packages sent from overseas to the United States with a declared value of less than or equal to $800 will be subject to tariffs according to the applicable rates of each country. Since then, both Shein and Temu, a subsidiary of Pinduoduo, have significantly reduced their marketing investment in the United States and moved to Europe. Data from Circana shows that Shein has become the fastest-growing platform for consumer spending in France.
The other contradiction is more realistic. Shein's "light touch" on the local economy made him a target.
It is currently unclear the specific operating model of Shein's physical store, but Shein's opening of a physical store in Harajuku, Japan, in 2022 shows that consumers cannot purchase directly in the store. The furnishings in the store are mainly used for trying on clothes and taking photos. If you need to purchase, you can scan the QR code on the label and the warehouse will deliver it to your home. Shein's spokesperson in Paris said in an interview with local media that Shein's first batch of new physical stores in France are expected to create 200 jobs. However, Yann Rivoallan, president of the French Women's Ready-to-Wear Federation, countered that compared to the jobs that Shein can bring, tens of thousands of jobs will be lost in France.
Shein is occupying a place in the global retail industry at an alarming rate and is also trying to move closer to "fashion orthodoxy", but re-discussions about industrial security, cultural sovereignty and financial interests are taking over the mainstream. Behind the union boycott is also a new variable in the fashion industry represented by Shein. When the right to speak in fashion shifts from the Paris show to a short video of a girl on the other side of the ocean, how will the entire industry respond?
Business allies and social containment
In the face of changes, the attitudes of major industry players are divided.
Galeries Lafayette stated that it firmly opposes the introduction of the Shein brand by SGM Group in its affiliated stores in Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges and Reims. The company believes that as a "super-fast fashion" brand, Shein's positioning and business practices conflict with Galeries Lafayette's brand image, product positioning and core values. At the same time, this decision also violates the terms of the franchise contract between the two parties. Galeries Lafayette has officially communicated its objections to SGM Group and its chairman and said it will take measures to prevent the implementation of the decision. At this time, the company does not intend to comment further beyond this official statement.
French financial firm Caisse des Dépots has withdrawn from a deal led by SGM to buy the BHV building, saying its investment was based on values that promote local and responsible business.
More than 20 brands have announced they are leaving BHV, while Disneyland Paris canceled its planned Christmas window displays.
After encountering boycotts, the president of SGM tried to reverse public opinion on different occasions, saying that he cooperated with Shein because of its strong online potential, hoping to attract more young consumers hungry for freshness to its offline department stores and drive sales of other brands in the mall. This is a typical "traffic empowerment" logic. The background music he used on social media to announce the opening of Shein's new store was "Can't wait for this day to come."
In the face of doubts, foreign media said that Shein hired French leaders, including the former interior minister, as consultants and tried to negotiate with French retailers, while Tang Wei also actively met with skeptics in France, but failed to reverse the tide of criticism.
The opening of Shein's new store on November 5 will be a stress test. On the one hand, the global market, especially mature markets, puts forward higher requirements for corporate standards. On the other hand, it will be a real test whether Shein's viral growth model, which has relied on young people and social media in the past, can be sustained in a global regulatory environment.
Text | "BUG" column Hao Qian Kang Lu