The mayor of Nice on the French Cote d’Azur, Christian Estrosi, opposed the temporary boutique of the Chinese brand Shein. The private company, which was supposed to host the trade for three days in mid-April, canceled the event after the mayor’s intervention, the AFP agency wrote today.
“Shein is not welcome here,” Estrosi said of the clothing giant, which has been accused of employing children, forced labor, counterfeiting name-brand products, or promoting the over-buying of clothes harmful to the environment. “The city of Nice has no intention of hosting a company that does not respect humanist values and poses a threat to local businesses,” Estrosi was quoted as saying by BFM TV.
The store was supposed to be in the premises of the former South Railway Station, which has now been converted into a multifunctional complex. The city leased its restaurant part to the company Iera, which canceled the Shein pop-up shop without delay at the mayor’s request.
Chinese fashion clothing retailer Shein was founded in 2012 and is now headquartered in Singapore. It has become a symbol of fast-fashion, i.e. fast fashion that follows the latest trends and offers them at very low prices. It is especially popular with teenagers and young consumers who shop through the Shein platform.
France is trying to fight against the trend of fast fashion mainly because of the environmental impact and the protection of local businesses. In mid-March, the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, passed a bill that seeks to make fast fashion less attractive through fines and advertising bans. The Senate will only vote on the bill.
The short-lived Shein boutique opened in Lille, northern France, in the fall and faced many protests. He sold his clothes in Paris and Toulouse without difficulty.
Tags: Shein mayor canceled planned Chinese fast fashion store
