Shein, Forever 21 Team Up in Hopes of Expanding Reach

FILE - A page from the Shein website is shown in this photo, in New York, Friday, June 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
FILE - A page from the Shein website is shown in this photo, in New York, Friday, June 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Shein, Forever 21 Team Up in Hopes of Expanding Reach

FILE - A page from the Shein website is shown in this photo, in New York, Friday, June 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
FILE - A page from the Shein website is shown in this photo, in New York, Friday, June 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Fast fashion retailers Shein and Forever 21 are going into business together.
Under a partnership agreement announced Thursday, the Chinese-founded Shein will acquire about one-third interest in Sparc Group, Forever 21's operator. Sparc will also become a minority shareholder in Shein.
The deal is expected to expand Forever 21's distribution on Shein's global e-commerce platform, which has attracted 150 million online users. In turn, the partnership “also offers the opportunity to test” Shein product sales and returns in physical Forever 21 stores across the US, the companies said in a joint release.
Forever 21 has more than 540 locations worldwide and online. The announcement did not disclose financial details of the deal.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the deal between Shein and Sparc Thursday.
Sparc is a joint venture that includes brand development company Authentic Brands Group and mall operator Simon Property Group. Beyond the US-based Forever 21 — which was bought out of bankruptcy just three years ago — Sparc also manufactures and distributes apparel for brands like Aéropostale, Eddie Bauer and Reebook.
Shein and Forever 21 have both faced strong criticism around the environmental impact of their fast fashion production and allegations of unethical labor practices. Earlier this year, Shein was notably accused of copyright infringement. There’s also been ongoing concerns among some lawmakers and advocacy groups about its supply chains.
In May, a bipartisan group of two dozen lawmakers asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to put the brakes on an initial public offering by Shein until it verified that it does not use forced labor from the country’s predominantly Muslim Uyghur population. A June Congressional report also unloaded a blistering critique of Shein and another Chinese fashion retailer, Temu.
The report is part of an ongoing Congressional investigation into products offered to American consumers that could be made with forced labor in China. As part of the probe, the committee sent letters in early May to brands Nike and Adidas, as well as Shein and Temu asking for information about their compliance with the anti-forced labor law.
At the time, Shein said that the company’s “policy is to comply with the customs and import laws of the countries in which we operate.” It also said it has “zero tolerance” for forced labor and has implemented a robust system to ensure compliance with US law.



Pharrell Pursues Paris Landmark Takeovers with Louvre Show

Pharrell has been creative director at Louis Vuitton since 2023. Mark Sagliocco / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Pharrell has been creative director at Louis Vuitton since 2023. Mark Sagliocco / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Pharrell Pursues Paris Landmark Takeovers with Louvre Show

Pharrell has been creative director at Louis Vuitton since 2023. Mark Sagliocco / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Pharrell has been creative director at Louis Vuitton since 2023. Mark Sagliocco / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Paris Men's Fashion Week kicks off Tuesday, headlined by Pharrell Williams' highly anticipated new show for Louis Vuitton which is set to take over the Louvre in the evening.
Transforming the French capital's most famous museum continues his tradition of using major landmarks as backdrops for his clothes since he began as creative director in 2023, AFP said.
For his debut show, the LVMH-owned brand used the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the capital, as a giant runway, even painting its paving stones gold.
A historic theme park, the Jardin d'Acclimatation, hosted Pharrell's show last January while in June he sent models down a lawn catwalk built on the rooftop of the modernist headquarters of UN agency UNESCO.
The Louvre's iconic architecture has been used several times in the past by Vuitton's Nicolas Ghesquiere, artistic director of women's collections, most recently in October.
Pharrell's fifth collection for the Autumn-Winter 2025-2026 season is expected to once again draw a star-studded crowd from the worlds of rap, cinema, and sports.
Brand ambassadors include American basketball player LeBron James, French basketball sensation Victor Wembanyama, and Olympic swimming star Leon Marchand.
South Korean star J-Hope of K-pop group BTS, currently in Paris, shared his invitation on social media: a metallic card bearing his name in a leather pouch.
After delivering an ode to multiculturalism during his last show in June, Pharrell Williams might be tempted to send a political message a day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president, some observers believe.
'Workwear'
The opening day of Men's Fashion Week, which runs until Sunday, will also feature an afternoon show by Japanese brand Auralee, making its third Paris appearance.
Founded in 2015 by Ryota Iwai, the label stands out for its simple, functional design.
In terms of looks, experts say the aesthetic dominance of streetwear is fading, with designers increasingly focused on "casual tailoring", emphasizing suits and structured pieces with a relaxed twist.
A major trend from the spring-summer 2025 collections was dubbed "workwear", featuring trench coats, Barbour-style jackets, duffle coats and loafers.
"There’s a classic, slightly dandy but chic, elegant, and casual silhouette emerging," Alice Feillard, men’s buying director at luxury Paris emporium Galeries Lafayette, told AFP.
Brown colors have dominated for two seasons, and insiders expect them to remain a key shade at the end of the year.
A number of top labels are luring new designers or looking for fresh inspiration in the increasingly tough luxury market.
Lanvin is set to return after a two-year hiatus, presenting Peter Copping’s debut collection as the artistic director of France’s oldest couture house.
After completing his first show in September, Valentino’s new artistic director, Alessandro Michele, will return for haute couture week, which follows immediately after the menswear week.
One of the most anticipated shows will be on Sunday by in-vogue French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, whose Jacquemus brand is making its return to the official calendar after a five-year absence.
Notably absences include Givenchy, whose new chief designer Sarah Burton has reserved her first collection for the women’s Fashion Week in March, as well as Loewe, whose artistic director Jonathan Anderson is rumored to be on the way out.
Hedi Slimane left his role as artistic director at Celine in October, John Galliano quit Maison Margiela in December, and Chanel unveiled their new creative director, Matthieu Blazy, only a month ago.