Parisians Are Très Furieux Over Shein’s Arrival
Do you hear the people sing? It might just be the sound of thousands of Parisians who are less than thrilled to welcome Shein to their fair city. The notorious fast-fashion retailer is set to open its first brick-and-mortar store this week at BHV Marais, one of the most iconic department stores in Paris. Naturellement, Parisians — who famously love both haute couture and protesting — aren’t exactly having it. A number of French brands have pulled their products from the department store’s stock in protest, while some longtime BHV shoppers are vowing never to return. “The store has sold its soul to the devil,” one customer, Marie Cosson, told NPR while stopping in “to say good-bye to the staff.”
Shein has faced widespread condemnation for its environmental impact and poor working conditions. The brand — which adds thousands of items to its site every day — is widely considered to have worse carbon-dioxide emission rates than any other fast-fashion company. In August, it was fined €1 million by Italy’s antitrust agency, AGCM, over greenwashing accusations. The brand has also been accused of serious labor-law violations, including instances of child labor and dangerous factory conditions.
Earlier this month, workers at BHV gathered outside the store to protest the arrival of the infamous fast-fashion brand. “Shein goes against our beliefs,” an unnamed employee told the New York Times. “We have always been a beautiful store with beautiful brands, and we try to promote corporate social responsibility.” Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people have signed a petition to say “non à Shein.”
Even local officials have denounced the store’s opening — Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, called it “contrary to the ecological and social ambitions of Paris” in a LinkedIn post. Florentin Letissier, Paris’s deputy mayor for sustainability and waste reduction, slammed the store to NPR. “These are cheap clothes made in modern slavery conditions,” he said. “They’re bad for the planet and for our own designers.” Vive la révolution!
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