Shein X emerging designers present accessible fashion in Paris

A digital native brand, ultra fast-fashion and live stream shopping – welcome to the world of Chinese giant Shein and the Shein France fashion show.

Thursday, September 12: the Shein France show took place at the Pavillon Vendôme, a former bank in Paris’s Place Vendôme. Fifty models walked the runway, showcasing designs by 18 young international creators from diverse backgrounds: regular collaborators, freelance designers, Shein X competition participants, and students from IBSM Bordeaux.

The theme chosen by Shein France’s artistic director, Luca Raveillon, was ‘The New Codes’, he explained to FashionUnited: “We’ve seen a lot, especially in the series ‘Emily in Paris,’ of berets and Breton stripes. I asked the designers, ‘What does French style mean to you?’ They all agreed: ‘We’re not forgetting the heritage of French fashion, but we’re mixing it with more contemporary and urban pieces.'”

The result? 50 percent original creations and 50 percent Shein items. The show flirted with different moments of the day: outfits for work, streetwear, cocktail wear, slogans like ‘It’s a dress, not a yes’, but also, more surprisingly, looks inspired by the fetish scene: oversized capes, suggestive transparencies, corsets, thigh-high boots, and fishnets. “Beyond Paris, in an inclusive approach, we wanted to embody all of France to reach the widest possible audience,” added the artistic director.

When ultra fast fashion, embodied by Shein, defends its production model

As proof of this desire to professionalise aspiring designers, a QR code provided access to their profiles, including their name, photo, background, and a sentence summarising the spirit of their collection. For example: ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’ by Eddie Corps from Mexico, ‘Shine, dare, live” by Mathilde L’homme from France, and “a childhood dream come true” by Mohammad Hossein Mahjouri from Iran, demonstrating the opportunity offered by the brand to unknowns outside the traditional fashion ecosystem.

The designs were available for purchase during the show via the Shein app’s live stream, creating an almost unique bridge between a venue symbolic of luxury jewellery and the reality of the famous ‘purchasing power’ – a term that has invaded the political and economic sphere and for which this “Chinese Edouard Leclerc of fashion” is shaking up the rules of the game by dressing Gen A, Z, X, Y, and even boomers because, according to statements collected on site, “Shein’s customers are loyal.” It remains to be seen at what cost – not the one on the labels, but the environmental and social cost.

To address this, Leonard Lin, Shein’s president for the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), answered questions, starting by defending the brand’s production model, explaining once again that clothes are initially produced in small quantities (100-150) to test the market before being launched on a large scale. What about returns? “They are less than 10 percent and 95 percent are resold,” assured Fabrice Layer, Shein’s head of public affairs, who was present at the event in a Shein suit and tie.

Regarding the impact on the climate, Leonard Lin assured that the company wants to optimise sourcing, both for raw materials and manufacturing. To convey this intention, the Shein France fashion show, a media event, was composed of 20-30 percent deadstock fabrics. The brand even went so far as to name its supplier in Paris’s Sentier district – a statement easily verifiable.

“If these thresholds are removed (and Brussels is aware of them, editor’s note), we will pay what needs to be paid,” the managers affirmed in unison. In fact, the issue seems to stem more from the slow pace of decision-making.

One last piece of information noted in the press release: “During the show, Shein also unveiled a new programme aimed at identifying, supporting, and developing emerging European designers, with an initial investment in the millions of euros. A dedicated team will aim to integrate 250 European designers over the next five years into the Shein X programme.” Enough to make detractors jump?

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.FR, translated and edited to English.