Shein seals partnership with Pimkie, sparking controversy in French fashion

Leading global fast fashion retailer Shein has entered into a strategic partnership with French womenswear brand Pimkie. Founded in 1971, the label will be sold internationally through Shein's marketplace. This cooperation also marks the launch of Shein Xcelerator in France. This is a programme designed to support emerging and established brands in their global expansion.

As part of the collaboration, Pimkie will gain access to Shein's logistics services, on-demand production and order fulfilment. However, the French brand will retain control of its brand identity, intellectual property and store network.

French designer launches with Shein Xcelerator

"With the rollout of Shein Xcelerator in France, we are helping to promote French brands by building bridges with the 160 countries where we operate," said Donald Tang, executive chairman of Shein. For his part, Salih Halassi, CEO of Pimkie, believes that "this strategic partnership with Shein will enable Pimkie to accelerate the growth of its online sales while preserving our DNA and strengthening our physical network."

A survival strategy for Pimkie

The agreement underscores Pimkie's efforts to advance its digital transformation. It also highlights its focus on developing new international growth channels. The brand was recently realigned under the leadership of majority shareholder Salih Halassi, to accelerate its digital transformation and diversify its international growth channels. This step is considered a vital survival strategy. Numerous French mid-market brands such as Kaporal, Naf Naf, Camaïeu and Jennyfer have succumbed to competitive pressures in recent years.

For Shein, the partnership strengthens its position in a market that has long been critical of the group. By collaborating with a long-standing brand like Pimkie, Shein aims to present itself not only as a purveyor of affordable fast fashion. It also wants to be seen as an innovation and growth partner for local labels.

Criticism from the industry

The announcement, however, has drawn significant criticism. Yann Rivoallan, president of the Fédération Française du Prêt-à-Porter Féminin, described the cooperation on LinkedIn as a "disgrace". He even went so far as to call it a "criminal association". He accuses Shein of disregarding labour rights, harming the environment and endangering numerous jobs in France. Rivoallan is calling for a European coalition to counter the Chinese group's business model with stronger customs and trade policies.

Mulliez family pursue legal action

Pressure has escalated further as Pimkie’s former owners, the Mulliez family, pursue legal action over the new deal. In a statement sent to AFP, the family said the partnership with Shein contradicted an initial agreement made at the time of the brand’s sale in 2023 that promised to preserve “the business and employment of an autonomous and responsible brand”.

The Mulliez Family Association (AFM) denounced "a use of the funds made available during the sale that was clearly contrary to their intended purpose," namely nearly 140 million euros.

Halassi, however, believes the Mulliez family “has no legal basis allowing it to take action against Pimkie under the transfer contract that we concluded," according to a statement sent to AFP. "This new partnership in no way compromises the brand's job protection. It will even allow for the creation of new jobs," he continued.

A fracture at the heart of French fashion

Above all, this partnership reveals a growing divide within the French fashion ecosystem. On the one hand, some struggling brands see alliances with global platforms as a lever for survival and accelerated growth. On the other, institutions and professional federations fear the legitimization of an ultra-fast fashion model deemed destructive to industry, employment, and the environment.

The gamble is obviously risky for Pimkie. The challenge will be to determine whether this partnership will open new markets or erode its foothold among a French clientele increasingly attentive to ethical and environmental issues. Certainly, Pimkie's core target largely overlaps with Shein's, suggesting commercial potential. But at a time when European markets are preparing to strengthen its regulatory arsenal against ultra-fast fashion, one question seems to be: will the market follow... before the law decides?

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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