Inside Shein’s Paris store opening: Huge lines, protests — and prices that surprised shoppers

• Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein opened its first physical store in Paris on Wednesday.
• Protesters and shoppers faced off outside the French capital’s iconic BHV department store.
• It comes as the French government announced it would suspend Shein’s online site.

Fast-fashion giant Shein’s arrival in Paris this week was a tale of two cities — one welcoming, one outraged.

On Wednesday, the Chinese company opened its first physical location in the French capital’s iconic BHV department store, drawing huge lines of eager bargain hunters, as well as long lines of protesters and a hefty police presence.

The divisive nature of the occasion was hard to ignore as I stepped out of the metro station onto the Rue de Rivoli.

Cries of “shame” and anti-Shein placards filled the air to my right-hand side, while seemingly unperturbed shoppers snaked out of sight to my left.

Shein has faced ongoing criticism over labor and environmental practices — but outrage spiked ahead of its Paris store opening when childlike sex dolls were spotted for sale on its website.

Just hours after the new store opened its doors, the French government said it would suspend Shein’s site after prosecutors said they were investigating the issue.

In a statement shared with Business Insider, Shein said: “We are committed to working with the French authorities to address any concerns swiftly as we have always done and we are seeking dialogue with the authorities and government bodies on this issue.”

I visited the store and spoke with both shoppers and protesters about Shein and its new home in the world’s fashion capital.

The new shop is located in the famous BHV department store in central Paris.

Shoppers and protesters faced off across the Rue de Rivoli.

I made my way through the crowds, dodging police and fellow journalists — including a TV crew who were on the receiving end of a rather colorful send-off when they tried to get a close-up shot of some shoppers — before heading indoors.

Police kept a watchful eye on proceedings.

Some protesters chanted and hurled insults at those lining up.

In the run-up to Shein’s opening, several independent brands pulled their products from BHV to avoid being associated with the fast-fashion retailer.

Dozens of people had turned up for the opening.

Some said they had braved the line simply out of curiosity.

“I just came here because there was a kind of strike in front of the shop,” one visitor, Owen, told me inside the store. “I never knew Shein before.”

The store is on the 6th floor of the BHV.

Signs at the entrance to the shop gave visitors a sense of Shein’s goals for the space.

“You are here, in Shein’s first physical store. Right in the heart of Paris,” it reads.

“Our mission: to bring meaning back to retail. Here, you can see, touch, try, feel.”

Coffee and mocktails were on offer for weary shoppers and swarming journalists.

Inside, I found all the usual trappings of a 2025 store opening. A DJ, a bar (although sadly the strongest drink on offer was a mocktail), and a sea of phones and cameras.

People seemed to be in high spirits as they combed through the racks and rails for the best deals.

A steady flow of customers kept the sales staff busy.

Shoppers prowled the aisles looking for deals.

One shopper, Thierry, told me he thought Shein offered a “very good deal for people with low salaries.”

On the protesters outside, he added that he believed many were “hypocrites.”

“The majority of people who complain are the first ones online, buying on Temu, on eBay, on Shein, on AliExpress,” he said. “They go home, the first thing they do is go online to buy things cheaper, so it’s hypocritical.”

A wide variety of clothing was on offer.

The black coat pictured above cost 54.99 euros, or about $63. Elsewhere, I spied a fleece for 20.99 euros, which is around $24.

This coat would have set you back 96.49 euros, or about $111.

Another shopper, Philippe, said prices seemed a bit steeper than those he’d seen online.

First-time Shein shopper Owen said he was “disappointed” in the quality of the products in the store.”I thought it would be more cleverly designed. It’s just a usual shop, no surprising stuff,” he added.

The store was packed by the time I left.

Outside, protesters lined the street opposite.

One of the people joining the protest was Pierre from Friends of the Earth, a grassroots environmental organisation.

“We are opposing the model of fast fashion that is detrimental to human rights and to the environment,” he told me, adding that Shein was “one of the most iconic brands of fast fashion.”

Shein has faced widespread criticism for the environmental impact of its ultra-fast, low-cost fashion model, which critics say fuels the climate crisis and a throwaway culture.

Many held anti-Shein placards.

Shein’s arrival in the French capital has been a source of contention for some time.

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, said in a post on LinkedIn in October that the city “condemns the arrival of Shein, a symbol of fast fashion, at BHV Marais.”

“This choice goes against Paris’s ecological and social ambitions, which support responsible and sustainable local commerce,” she added.

Shein has faced repeated questions over its labor record.

Another attendee, Merdan, said he was there to protest the store opening over Shein’s labor practices.

Shein has faced allegations from campaign groups that its supply chains have been linked to cases of forced labor.

The company has said that it enforces “stringent requirements” on its suppliers “to comply with health and safety, labour and social welfare, and environmental standards, as well as applicable laws and regulations.”

One placard read: “For sustainable style versus disposable fashion.”

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