Some Up In Arms as Shein Moves Into Paris

Shein will have a physical presence in Paris beginning Saturday, and even the mayor is dismayed—Anne Hidalgo called the opening "a betrayal of Paris' values." The Chinese fast-fashion behemoth will open within the historic Paris department store BHV, a retailer with roots stretching back 170 years. The move has sparked a wave of protests in France, with several French brands exiting BHV in protest and a petition in opposition racking up 110,000 signatures.

In early October, Reuters reported that BHV workers staged a Friday afternoon strike as well. "Shein goes against our beliefs," one striking employee told the New York Times. "We have always been a beautiful store with beautiful brands, and we try to promote corporate social responsibility." The Change.org petition called Shein "a "model that destroys jobs, the climate, and dignity," citing the thousands of new products it pumps out daily, its carbon footprint (alleged to be the fashion industry's worst, reports the Cut), and allegedly terrible working conditions.

As one longtime BHV customer tells NPR, "The store has sold its soul to the devil." The store also sold itself: It was bought by the property group Societe des Grands Magasins, which is working to bring Shein into other French department stores in a bid to "attract a younger, more connected clientele." The BBC reports Shein will next open in Dijon, Reims, Grenoble, Angers, and Limoges—with the French locations marking the company's first permanent physical locations.