“Made in France” Fashion Mounts a Counteroffensive Against Shein

By Ghislain Journé

Shein’s Paris Arrival and the French Backlash

In early November 2025, French media described a “wave of resistance” sweeping through the retail world. The trigger: Shein’s decision to open its first-ever physical store — not in Shanghai or Los Angeles, but in Paris, on the sixth floor of the iconic BHV Marais.

The reaction was immediate. Several brands sold at the department store, among which Dior, Guerlain, Sandro, Agnès b. chose to withdraw in protest, and public debate flared across the country.

Only days later, The New York Times reported that a coalition of 12 industry federations and more than 100 French brands had filed a collective lawsuit against the Chinese ultra-fast-fashion giant, accusing it of unfair competition and misleading commercial practices. Damages sought: up to €3 billion.

As Bernard Cherqui, head of the French Trade Federation, noted: “This level of unfair competition poses a systemic threat to our companies.”

France’s Paradoxical Relationship With Globalization

And yet, for all the public outcry, Shein claims 25 million customers in France, making the country its largest European market.

This paradox — cultural resistance paired with enthusiastic consumption — has long defined the French relationship with globalization. As Radio France put it: “Politically anti-globalization, but ultra-liberal as consumers.”

McDonald’s, Action, and now Shein all thrive in a country that simultaneously questions their presence.

A New Industrial Push for “Made in France” Fashion

But there is another, quieter story unfolding: the reinvention of Made in France fashion.

While mid-market fashion chains — Camaïeu, San Marina, Kaporal, Jennyfer — have collapsed under the combined pressures of ultra-fast fashion and the meteoric rise of second-hand platforms, a handful of French brands are choosing the opposite path: reindustrialization.

Le Slip Français, led by its charismatic founder Guillaume Gibault, has launched a fully French-made T-shirt retailing at €7.90 (before tax), produced in a newly opened, partially automated factory in Aubervilliers. The message is deliberately provocative: “High-quality products, made in large quantities, at prices that actually make sense.”

Against the backdrop of an industry that lost nearly 50,000 jobs in twelve years, these moves carry symbolic weight. They signal not nostalgia, but a belief that manufacturing — local, innovative, technologically enhanced — can once again be a strategic asset.

An Alternative to Overconsumption

Meanwhile, several premium French brands are building success precisely by refusing the logic of constant novelty. Sézane, Rouje, Balzac — pioneers of the French DNVB wave — continue to grow by offering perennial staples (“iconics,” “basics,” “éternels”), subtly pushing back against the idea that wardrobes should be replaced every two weeks.

This approach also anticipates a shifting regulatory landscape: environmental scrutiny, traceability demands, and the increasing political pressure on fast fashion.

Shein and Temu’s model thrives in the gray zones of global regulation; French premium brands, by contrast, are betting on durability — both ethically and economically.

The Real Battleground: International Expansion

Yet the most striking shift is happening beyond France’s borders.

French brands — from heritage houses to modern DNVBs — are accelerating their international development, often backed by… foreign investors.

• Sézane has received major investment from General Atlantic.

• Petit Bateau, a symbol of French childhood, has just been acquired by the American investment firm Regent.

• Le Coq Sportif has been revived by a Franco-Swiss entrepreneur supported by a venture capital team.

• Fusalp, once confined to Alpine slopes, now operates stores in New York, Aspen, and Vail, with more planned.

Why American investors see value in French brands

What all these brands share is a form of cultural capital that resonates strongly outside France: craftsmanship, heritage, artistry, a sense of timeless style. Qualities that American consumers — and American investors — find increasingly attractive.

In a twist that says much about the moment, foreign capital often sees long-term value where domestic players hesitate. If the French do not always believe in the potential of their own brands, others certainly do.

A French Resistance That Looks Forward

In this context, the showdown with Shein tells only part of the story.

The real transformation lies in the quiet resurgence of French industry, in the renewed confidence of its premium and heritage labels, and in their growing determination to expand abroad.

This is not a nostalgic return to the past. It is a strategic repositioning, rooted in authenticity but oriented toward global ambition.

Shein may dominate the headlines, but the future of French fashion — resilient, international, and increasingly self-assured — is being rewritten elsewhere.

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