Fast-fashion meets haute couture

Paris Fashion Week sets contrasts in motion

PARIS:

Paris Fashion Week is showcasing fashion's sharpest contrasts this season: on one hand, the global debut of permanent Shein stores in France, and on the other, Jonathan Anderson's celebrated first women's collection for Dior.

Together, the moves underline both the disruptive power of fast fashion and the enduring prestige of haute couture.

Asian fast-fashion giant Shein announced on Wednesday it will open its first permanent shops in France in November, beginning with a flagship at Paris's BHV Marais before expanding to Galeries Lafayette stores in Dijon, Reims, Grenoble, Angers and Limoges.

The partnership with retail property group Societe des Grands Magasins is expected to generate 200 jobs. Shein framed the expansion as a commitment to "revitalising city centres" and honouring France's role as a fashion capital.

Founded in China and now based in Singapore, the company has built its empire on ultra-cheap clothing, a vast product range and aggressive digital marketing. "It is fitting that this journey starts in Paris, at BHV—the birthplace of modern retail," said executive chairman Donald Tang.

But Shein's arrival has not been welcomed by all. Galeries Lafayette, despite no longer owning the stores concerned, expressed "profound disagreement" with hosting Shein outlets, citing the brand's practices as contrary to its own values. Critics across Europe have long attacked Shein's environmental record, labour conditions and alleged exploitation of customs exemptions.

While Shein courts controversy, Dior drew a standing ovation as Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson unveiled his first women's ready-to-wear collection for the storied house in the Tuileries Garden. The 41-year-old, already acclaimed for reviving Loewe, succeeded Maria Grazia Chiuri in June, just weeks after taking over Dior menswear.

Anderson's debut offered bold re-workings of classic Dior overcoats, trouser suits with long capes, and casual denim skirts. Satin matador-style hats added theatrical flair. Vogue hailed the show as "a daring new Dior", while Harrods buyer Simon Longland praised its "modernity, youthful energy and elegant ease".

The star-studded front row included Johnny Depp, Jenna Ortega and "Anora" star Mikey Madison, reflecting Dior's enduring cultural pull. Anderson, the first creative chief since Christian Dior himself to oversee womenswear, menswear and haute couture, said his aim was to "decode and recode Dior" rather than revolutionise it.

As Paris Fashion Week unfolds, Shein's low-cost retail push and Dior's high-glamour reinvention illustrate the widening spectrum of global fashion – from disposable trends to designs meant to define eras.