A cyclist rides past an advertising picture of president of French real estate group the Societe des Grands Magasins (SGM), and owner of BHV, Frederic Merlin (L), and of Chinese and US businessman and Executive Chairman of Shein Group, Donald Tang, on the facade of the Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris. AFP
Riot police officers were deployed in the centre of the French capital ahead of the opening of Shein's first permanent physical store on the sixth floor of the BHV department store, an iconic building that has stood across from Paris City Hall since 1856.
The first clients entered the store under the watchful eye of riot police at around 1200 GMT, after queuing for hours outside, AFP reporters saw.
In the line outside before the opening, some said they arrived out of curiosity, while others pointed to the brand's affordability.
"Times have changed, generations have changed," Mohamed Joullanar, a 30-year-old who already buys from Shein online, told AFP.
"I'd never thought of going to BHV before," the Moroccan master's student told AFP. "I always heard it was expensive, luxury products. But now, thanks to Shein, I'm here."
'No thanks'
Nearby children's rights activists staged a protest.
"Protect children, not Shein," one of the signs read.
A woman holds a placard which reads as "Protect children. Not Shein" as people protest in front of the BHV department store in Paris on the opening day of Asian e-commerce giant Shein's first physical store at the Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris. AFP
Protesters distributed red flyers, denouncing "suspected forced labour" and "pollution", and urging passersby to sign a petition against Shein's presence inside the Paris store.
Across the street, a poster critical of the brand hung at the top of City Hall, under the window of Green politician and Paris mayoral candidate David Belliard.
"Shein no thanks," it read.
Frederic Merlin, the 34-year-old director of the SGM company that operates BHV, on Tuesday said he was confident about the Shein products that will be sold at his department store, and denounced a "general hypocrisy" surrounding Shein.
“Shein, founded in China in 2012 and now based in Singapore, has 25 million customers in France,” Merlin told BFMTV/RMC on Wednesday.
Merlin hopes that the Asian giant will help increase footfall at his department store.
Shein's meteoric rise has been a bane for traditional retail fashion companies.
Critics fear that Shein will further hurt stores in France, some of which have had to lay off staff or close.
Shein is also scheduled to open five shops in other French cities, including Dijon, Grenoble, and Reims.
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