Controversial fast fashion
Chinese online portal Shein plans pop-up store in Switzerland
The Chinese online portal Shein is famous for its cheap fashion and is now the largest fashion retailer in the world. But that’s not all: Shein is now planning a pop-up store in Switzerland.
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The online portal Shein is known for its cheap fashion.
Milena KalinEditor Economics
The Chinese online portal Shein also wants to gain a foothold in Switzerland – with a pop-up store. The group sells controversial fast fashion. This means that the clothes are quickly designed according to the trend and then cheaply produced and sold. An example: pullovers are available from as little as 7 francs.
Shein spokeswoman Charlene Lee confirmed to the “Aargauer Zeitung” that Shein wants to open a temporary pop-up store in Switzerland. “We can’t communicate a date for Switzerland at the moment, but we are working very hard to realize this step,” says Lee. With pop-up branches, the aim is to make Shein fashion tangible for customers.
First store in Japan
In Japan, the Chinese portal recently opened a permanent shop for the first time. Garments are displayed on 200 square meters and two floors. According to Lee, the focus remains on the online business.
Shein’s fast fashion is very controversial. 9000 new articles land in the online shop every day. Shein does a lot of advertising, especially on social media – and thus attracts young customers with a small budget in particular.
Clothing full of pollutants
The working conditions are criticized, for example by the non-governmental organization Public Eye. Employees would have to sew twelve hours a day and would only get a low wage for it. In addition, Greenpeace recently pointed out that toxic chemicals were hiding in the clothes.
But that doesn’t stop anyone from ordering from Shein. Last year, the Chinese group was valued at $100 billion after a round of financing. That’s more than the Spanish Zara parent Inditex and H&M combined. This makes Shein the largest fashion retailer in the world.