Wedged between a brasserie and a bakery, the flowery storefront of 18, rue des Archives in Paris could go unnoticed. This is without counting on the sixty young girls gathered on the sidewalk wet with rain. Friday, May 5, Shein takes up residence in the Marais. After Toulouse, Montpellier and Lyon in March, the capital is hosting this very real store on the Chinese clothing website for four days. Tops at 4.75 euros, jeans at less than 14 euros and accessories for 1 euro: until Monday May 8, the brand hopes to welcome more than 10,000 customers with “phew prices” as a billboard at the entrance boasts.
” It’s a bit of heaven heresmiles Solène Richard who hardly hides her impatience a few meters from the door. I shop every week on the website. I couldn’t miss this. » The student came with two friends and her mother. In the queue, the average age does not exceed 25 years. In 2022, the site represented 6.2% of clothing purchase volumes among young people according to panelist Kantar, just ahead of the Swedish giant H&M.
From “cheap extravagance”
Further on, Pascale clashes among teenage girls. The retiree took the bus from Rouen at 7.30 a.m. to be sure not to miss the opening. “I have a closet full of designer clothes”assures the sexagenarian who wears a frilly shirt ordered on the Chinese site. “It’s cheap extravaganceshe enthuses. Shein isn’t just for young people. » For her, today, no budget limit: “I’m leaving Paris tonight, so might as well have fun. »
As the doors finally open, the first in line take out their mobile phones to immortalize the event. In a few seconds, the videos will end up on Instagram or TikTok. Since its launch, Shein has been using social media to promote its products. Filmed and commented unpacking and fittings are invading the Web.
In front of the very real shop, a family of Chinese tourists stops, curious to see what attracts so many people on a Friday morning. The son tries to peek inside the pop-up store. “What here? »he ends up asking a passerby in broken French. “It’s Shein”, replies tit for tat the young woman. Perplexed, the tourist turns on his heels. If the clothes sold by the brand are for the most part manufactured in the province of Guangdong, China, it is impossible to obtain them in the country.
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