2023-05-07 01:26:08
Passing in front of 18 rue des Archives, in the Marais in Paris, Irina observes with bewildered eyes the long wait that has formed in front of the ephemeral store of the controversial Chinese ready-to-wear brand Shein. “I take a photo to show it at home. I’m hallucinating”. Indeed, the event, very relayed on social networks, knew how to reach its customers in search of clothes and accessories at unbeatable prices. The sign plans to welcome up to 10,000 customers by Monday.
“Thousands of articles come out every week”
The brand is very popular with teenage girls and students. “In high school, we talk regarding what we found on Shein, there are plenty of choices and it’s not expensive”, explains Lola ready to wait an hour to discover the collection of her “own eyes”. This is also what seduces Célia, 14 years old: “My clothes, I wear them for regarding two months because I like to change my style and on Shein, I can have regarding fifteen clothes and accessories for around fifty euros. It’s impossible in other stores, even at Primark.”
Manon, 21, spends a lot of time on the site because “Thousands of items come out every week. Once you start digging around, you always end up coming out with a small order that isn’t that small in the end,” saidshe vows smiling before adding: “In addition, we often have ads on social networks. So, I always end up cracking up.”
In the line, many are the parents who accompany their daughters. Some, like Murielle, were convinced: “At the beginning, I went to the site for my daughters, they told me a lot regarding it, but I was skeptical because they are cheap clothes that come from China and finally, the quality is fine. I buy for me too now.” But a bit far, Michel is not of this opinion*. “With these prices, it can’t be of good quality. I don’t think it’s all going in the right direction… We’re in a consumer society. Look at her, she’s a fashion victim at 11 years already”,* he said, pointing to his daughter.
“Shein is fashion, doesn’t care regarding human rights, the environment”
The brand is criticized for the quality of its clothes, but above all for the working conditions of its employees, the environmental impact of its production and for its marketing which promotes overconsumption. It is for this reason that Yohan looks with “sadness“Those hundreds of customers waiting to enter Shein’s pop-up store. “People need to buy cheap things, I understand, but it pains me a little because Shein is fashionable and doesn’t care regarding human rights, the environment. With the drop purchasing power, which is increasing a lot, primarily concerns the wallet and ecological, human and social issues take second place. And that scares me”.
Customers are aware of these issues but many feel resigned or overwhelmed. “It’s unfortunate but we at our level can’t do much. It’s up to our leaders to act, they’re the ones who make the world. Boycott? I don’t think that’s going to advance the things. There, we can buy pants for 10 euros, a sweatshirt for 5 euros … It’s in our budget especially with inflation”, says Zidene.
A petition to ban the Shein brand in France
A petition has been launched to ban the Shein brand
and more generally “ultra fast fashion” in France. It collected more than 20,000 signatures this Saturday evening. It was launched by a collective “composed of citizens, brands, federations, personalities and experts”, explains Victoire Satto, co-founder and CEO of The Good Goods, the first information media for a sustainable transformation of the fashion industry and consumer habits. The media “supports and carries” this petition.
“This brand is a threat in so many ways”
Victoire Satto denounces the company’s methods and in particular “its very aggressive commercial strategy which seems to fall under anti-competitive practices and which uses our personal data in a massive way”. She also points “a threat to health since the clothes contain toxic toxic substances. According to various studies, at least 15% of the clothes produced by this brand do not comply with European regulations”.
On the social level, the co-founder of The Good Goods recalls that China is accused of exploiting the Uyghur people, a Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region. “For the economy too, it’s a threat, it jeopardizes and discourages brands that are committed or in transformation, which have real challenges to meet and concrete objectives”, she regrets.
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