Kerri BridgmanAnd honestly? Fashion has been waiting for someone to say this out loud.
Here’s the short version:
Shein opened a physical store in Paris… and France essentially responded with:
“Not on our watch.”
They moved to suspend Shein’s operations almost immediately. Clean. Direct. No hesitation.
Let’s Zoom Out.
Shein didn’t pick Paris at random.
Paris is the home of couture. Craftsmanship. Legacy.
It’s where clothing is treated like art, not like a $6 impulse buy at 2am.
So walking into that territory with a business model built on:
- overproduction,
- disposability,
- questionable ethics,
- and zero transparency…
…is a bold move. But France went bolder.
France isn’t reacting.
They’ve been planning.
They’ve already been drafting legislation to penalize ultra-fast fashion, companies that encourage overconsumption and produce clothing at a rate the planet cannot sustain.
This suspension is just the first domino.
And as someone who has worked inside production, let me be blunt:
You cannot claim “sustainability” when your business model relies on newness every single day.
Fast fashion is built on speed and volume.
Quality, longevity, and ethics require time and care.
Those two realities don’t coexist.
The Part Almost No One Is Talking About
Everyone sees the price tag and the convenience.
Most people skip the cost.
And the cost is real:
- Environmental damage
- Waste after 3 wears
- Factories operating at impossible timelines
When something is cheap, someone else is paying for it. If a dress is $7 retail, I promise you nobody in that supply chain is winning. And anyone who argues that buying it and wearing it is still sustainable does not understand the other hidden costs associated with fast fashion.
The Irony
SHEIN opened the store to gain legitimacy in the fashion world.
France responded by locking the door. That is not just government action. That is cultural and industry protection. Paris wasn’t built on cheap trends.
What This Means For The Industry
This changes the energy.
For years, everyone has talked about fast fashion being a problem. France actually did something.
And whether other countries follow or not… the mindset has shifted.
🪡 Fashion is not disposable.
🪡 Clothing carries energy.
🪡 Craftsmanship matters.
This is the first real sign of accountability on a global scale.
My Take
Fast fashion trained people to believe clothing should be cheap, fast, and endless.
But that’s not fashion. That’s consumption, France just drew a line.
And honestly? I hope more countries do the same.