Earlier this summer, as Paris prepared to welcome the world for the Olympic Games, the glamour and deep connection between fashion creation and the French capital were celebrated at Place Vendôme with a grand show coordinated by Vogue magazine.

On Thursday night, just a stone’s throw from this iconic luxury locale—home to the Ritz, Louis Vuitton, and the world’s leading jewelers—Shein held its fashion show featuring young talent. Several hundred influencers, about a dozen fashion journalists, and a few special guests of the brand gathered under the arcades of Cour Vendôme, where Shein had arranged long banquet tables overflowing with its lifestyle products.

As the small crowd entered the Pavillon Vendôme, the rain intensified and lightning streaked across the Parisian sky—as if the relationship between the brand and France was destined to be electric. The global fashion retail giant is indeed under scrutiny by the French parliament, with a law aiming to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry adopted in a first reading by the National Assembly. Representatives of the French fashion industry regularly criticise the business model of the Singapore-based e-commerce platform.

These concerns were far from the minds of the 18 young designers who collectively presented around 50 looks. Working from the vault located in the basement of the Pavillon Vendôme—a former bank—they prepared the show using materials and resources provided by Shein.

The event unfolded in a joyful and highly eclectic atmosphere, featuring everything from a businesswoman (carrying editions of Le Monde and Vogue in her bag) to a sultry “black widow” in lingerie, wedding dresses, femme fatale silhouettes reminiscent of the 1950s, and brooding men wearing dark outfits with sharp-shouldered overcoats. The show, paying homage to Parisian icons from Édith Piaf to Jacques Dutronc, covered all the style categories offered by Shein on its website. Captured by numerous cameras, the runway event will undoubtedly be skilfully utilised by the brand’s teams, who excel at engaging with customers, especially on social media.

Moreover, the brand is advocating its commitment to inclusive fashion by featuring models of all ages, body types, and skin tones from the International College For Models in Paris. This argument for fashion accessible to all is strengthened by a strategy of supporting young designers.

The multinational company, which runs a program called SheinX to market proposals from yet-to-be-discovered creatives, announced its intention to support 250 young European talents over the next five years with a budget of 10 million euros. At a time when funding sources are notably scarce, Shein is clearly making strides.

“Europe is home to incredible young talent, and we are working not only to empower this new generation of designers but also to advance our ambitions in sustainability and circularity. Just as local designers at our show have integrated circularity into their creations, we intend to continue promoting the adoption of circular choices and preferred materials across our entire offering,” said Leonard Lin, president of Shein for the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). “With collaborations like this and our commitment to investing in attracting more designers to the SheinX program, we hope that Shein can be a catalyst for emerging fashion voices while advancing circularity.”

The executive noted that production in the Euromed region has ramped up and that he is engaging with stakeholders in circularity, particularly in textiles. He defended the group—often criticised for its environmental and social impact due to its significant industry presence—by explaining that it optimises production through a model of testing short runs of about 100 pieces. He also mentioned that the company is restructuring to develop more responsible sourcing of materials.

When questioned about the legislative changes in France and Europe—where the European Union is set to eliminate the €150 threshold for applying customs duties on e-commerce—the new European president explained that the group will comply with all regulations and pay the necessary taxes in each country.

The new European head, who frequently travels between Singapore and various countries across the continent, is well-versed in his field. He is neither a marketing expert nor a former sales director, nor even a financial director. A cornerstone of the group, he serves as the director of public affairs and, in this capacity, interacts with industry representatives and government officials. Shein has recently strengthened its position in the European market by enlisting former European commissioner Günther Oettinger.

As Shein has been preparing for months for a potential stock market entry, likely in London, relationships with officials and industry representatives have clearly become a priority for the group.

Even Donald Tang, Shein’s chief executive, was present in France and Europe in recent weeks to meet with politicians and business leaders. Reportedly, he was there to explain the company’s model, listen, and gather information—and certainly to anticipate legislative changes on the continent while defending the company’s interests.

Investing several million euros to support young designers—who had the opportunity to showcase their collections in Paris and even have their creations sold on a global fashion platform—seems well worth it. They seized the moment and celebrated late into the night during the post-show cocktail, enjoying the Parisian fashion showcase provided by the brand.