Who will be at the historic BHV department store on Wednesday, November 5, to check out the new Shein space that the clothing brand is unveiling? In spite of the Paris public prosecutor’s office opening an investigation on Monday into Shein’s sale of «childlike» sex dolls – since removed – curious onlookers and fans of the Chinese-founded platform will likely turn out in high numbers. It will no doubt be an opportunity to see just how varied Shein’s clientele has become.
The brand was first known for appealing to teenage girls in France. But the phenomenon can no longer be reduced to «the cliché of the teen addicted to social media,» said Gildas Minvielle, head of the economic observatory at the Institut Français de la Mode (IMF), as Shein now «reaches all types of customers.» «Its audience has gotten older,» confirmed Hélène Janicaud, head of fashion studies at Worldpanel; consumers under the age of 25 now account for only 17% of sales by volume, compared to more than a third in 2021. The 35-49 age group now buys the most from Shein (making up 45% of purchases).
By expanding its customer base, Shein has become the fifth-largest clothing retailer by volume in France, according to the IFM. It ranks only 19th in the overall textile market – which includes fashion, home linens, shoes and accessories – according to Worldpanel. But in terms of the number of items sold, Shein has already captured 1.6% of the market. «That’s nearly half of what the 29 Primark stores (3.3%) account for, and a little less than H&M (2.1%),» said Janicaud.
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