Shein to open first brick-and-mortar in France

(NewsNation) — Shein, an online fast-fashion retailer, plans to open its first brick-and-mortar store in France next month, drawing sharp criticism from French retailers and fashion groups.

Under a deal with department store operators Société des Grands Magasins, the company plans to open a store inside Paris’s BHV department store and expand to Galeries Lafayette locations in five other cities. The move marks a major shift for Shein, which has relied on temporary pop-up shops to promote its low-cost clothing.

SGM President Frédéric Merlin said the partnership would help attract younger shoppers, suggesting that customers might buy both a Shein item and a designer handbag in a single visit.

However, Galeries Lafayette, which sold the stores operated by SGM under its name through a franc