The backlash against Shein’s growing presence in France is intensifying. Just two days after the announcement that the Chinese fast-fashion company would open a store inside Paris’s historic BHV Marais department store this November, French brands began withdrawing from the site in protest. Guillaume Alcan and Antoine Vigneron, founders of the Paris-based shoe label Odaje, were among the first to act. They packed up their booth on the department store’s first floor, removing every pair of
of shoes from the display. Hours later, Figaret Paris president Eléonore Baudry followed suit, personally joining four employees to clear the 1500 shirts from the brand’s corner within BHV Homme.
Shein, which built a global business by selling low-cost apparel directly from factories in China to more than 160 countries, has recently secured a deal with real estate company Société des Grands Magasins (SGM) to open its first permanent store in BHV.
Soon after the deal was finalised, employees of BHV staged a protest outside the store, denouncing management’s partnership with Shein, which is set to open a 1000-square-meter boutique on November 1, according to Reuters.
SGM, which also operates several Galeries Lafayette department store franchises in France, has defended the partnership as part of its plan to attract younger shoppers and modernise its retail portfolio.
“We are convinced this partnership is beneficial for the group and its employees,” SGM said in an emailed statement on Friday.
An online petition calling for Shein to be barred from opening at BHV drew nearly 100,000 signatures in its first week.
A struggling store and a divided owner
Labor unions say the move threatens BHV’s identity and could further strain a business already grappling with late payments to suppliers and falling sales.
The department store, founded in 1856 and located near the Hôtel de Ville, has faced declining footfall and financial strain for years. After SGM acquired the business in November 2023, suppliers reported payment delays, leading to inventory shortages that have hurt sales.
Meanwhile, Galeries Lafayette, which licenses its name to SGM for stores in several French cities, said it “profoundly disagrees” with the decision, arguing that Shein’s business model and labor practices “contradict the department store’s values”.
The company also claimed that the move violates its franchise agreement with SGM.
Meanwhile, Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, denounced the establishment of Shein at the BHV Marais.
“This choice is contrary to the ecological and social ambitions of Paris, which supports responsible and sustainable local commerce,” she said on Linkedin.
Ramping up expansion
Shein has operated pop-up locations in Paris during previous fashion weeks, but this expansion signals a more ambitious attempt to embed itself in European retail.
“France seems to be the ‘test market’. If it works, expect a full-scale rollout across Europe,” Ara Aznavourian, business development director at analytics company ClearD3, said on Linkedin.
“The move has sparked backlash from French retailers and unions. And they have every right to panic.
“Sales in the sector are already down since Covid, and roughly 3000 fashion stores have closed in the past five years due to rising costs and online competition, including some major chains.”
He added that department stores see Shein’s arrival as a potential traffic booster, but local mid-market fashion retailers fear price wars, margin pressure and market flooding.
Through its partnership with SGM, Shein plans to open stores in five other French cities: Dijon, Grenoble, Reims, Limoges and Angers.
The company is also deepening its ties with French fashion through a separate strategic alliance. Last week, Shein announced a partnership with French womenswear label Pimkie, which will sell through Shein’s global marketplace. The collaboration launched the “Shein Xcelerator” program in France, a platform designed to help local brands access Shein’s logistics, data and on-demand production systems.
The company has framed its Paris expansion as an effort to bring accessibility and affordability to the heart of the global fashion industry. But for many in France, Shein represents the opposite: a model of disposable fashion that contradicts the country’s push for sustainability and responsible manufacturing.
The political and regulatory context
Shein’s retail push into France coincides with the country’s growing scrutiny of fast-fashion platforms. In September, the French Senate approved a bill that would impose new taxes on ultra-low-cost apparel, ban advertising for companies like Shein and Temu, and penalise influencers who promote them. The measure, which still requires final approval, would add up to €10 in environmental fees per garment sold.
France has also fined Shein several times in recent months. The competition authority levied a €40 million penalty in July for misleading advertising, while the country’s data privacy regulator fined the company €176 million for allegedly collecting user data without proper consent.
European regulators are also tightening controls on direct-to-consumer imports. The EU plans to eliminate duty exemptions for low-value packages by 2026, closing a loophole that has helped Shein and other Chinese retailers sell cheaply across Europe.
“Its model has fuelled overconsumption, environmental harm and ethical concerns. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Shein isn’t going away,” Pascal Vieilvoye, group CEO and CFO of cosmetics and fashion solutions company Concept4Group, said on Linkedin.
“And once a giant like this establishes a physical presence, the rules of the game change. Physical stores mean accountability, duties paid, EU labelling respected and local regulations enforced.”
Further reading: Shein files for Hong Kong IPO to pressure London’s listing regulators
