Paris authorities on Wednesday deployed riot police for the unveiling of Shein's first bricks and mortar store in the world, as controversy swirled over the Asian e-commerce giant's fast fashion and sale of childlike sex dolls online.

Riot police officers stood guard in the centre of the French capital as Shein prepared to open its first physical store on the sixth floor of the BHV department store, an iconic building that has stood across from Paris City Hall since 1856.

People queued outside the luxury department store ahead of the scheduled controversial opening at 1200 GMT Wednesday, while children's rights activists staged a protest nearby.

"Protect children, not Shein," one of the signs read.

Protesters distributed red flyers, denouncing "suspected forced labour", "pollution" and

See Full Page