Shein Faces Backlash Over Paris Store And Childlike Sex Dolls
PARIS (AP) — Fast fashion giant Shein is facing a problem new wave of controversy It opens its first permanent store in Paris on Wednesday, in one of the city’s most iconic department stores.
The launch of Shein, which has long faced criticism for its poor green credentials, and workforce practicesLocated in the heart of France’s fashion capital, the incident triggered a backlash from environmental groups, Paris City Hall and France’s garment industry.
The retailer is also under fire after French authorities last week found sex dolls with childlike features listed on the retailer’s website.
The case was referred to prosecutors, and the government warned that the global e-commerce platform could be banned from the French market if such content resurfaces.
In response, Shein said it was banning all sex doll products and temporarily removing the adult products category pending review. The company also launched an investigation to determine how the listings bypassed screening measures.
Several dozen protesters camped outside the BHV store on Wednesday morning, while some customers lined up ahead of the opening. An online petition opposing the opening in Paris has surpassed 120,000 signatures, and child protection and environmental groups have condemned Shein.
“This is a dark day for our industry,” Thibaut Ledunois, director of entrepreneurship and innovation at the French women’s ready-to-wear federation, told the Associated Press. “Shein is developing a beautiful showcase in our country, justifying all the bad, sad and terrible business they have developed around the world.”
The Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), which owns the BHV Marais store in downtown Paris, called the sale of sex dolls unacceptable but praised Shein for reacting quickly to calm the controversy.
BHV has been experiencing financial difficulties in recent years and SGM believes Shein’s arrival will help revive business, even though some brands have chosen to leave the store in protest.
“We are proud to have a partner that speaks for itself,” said Karl-Stéphane Cottendin, SGM’s chief operating officer. “We are very happy to open the boutique”
Founded in China in 2012 and currently headquartered in Singapore, Shein has rapidly risen to become a global fast fashion giant. The retailer, which sells mostly Chinese-made clothing and goods at affordable prices, has faced criticism over allegations that its supply chains may be tainted by forced labour, including in China’s far western Xinjiang province, which human rights groups say are serious. human rights violations It was carried out by Beijing against members of the ethnic Uighur group and other Muslim minorities.
Cottendin dismissed these concerns and praised Shein for doing a “tremendous job” of improving his practice.
“Today, it is a brand that produces under much more legitimate conditions,” he said. “We have ensured that the entire production chain, from production to delivery, strictly complies with French and European regulations and standards.”
Fast fashion, characterized by constant change of collections and very low prices, has flooded European markets with low-quality products. increasing environmental, social and economic costs. United Nations warns textile industry solely responsible accounts for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to water depletion.
France is now taking action to limit the growing influence of companies based in Southeast Asian countries, such as Shein, Temu or AliExpress. The draft law targets fast fashion with measures such as consumer awareness campaigns, advertising bans, taxes on small imported packages and stricter waste management rules. The Senate adopted the proposal earlier this year and the government informed the European Commission ahead of a joint committee meeting to finalize the text.
