The French state is taking action against Shein and other e-commerce giants – initially primarily on a symbolic and regulatory level. But according to philosopher and marketing professor Benoît Heilbrunn, this strategy needs to be complemented by a “cultural component.” It is directed against platforms that not only sell clothing, but above all “instagrammable emotions”.
“Shein’s great strength is that they have changed the relationship with clothing,” Heilbrunn, a professor at ESCP Business School, told AFP. “They no longer sell (just) clothes, but the opportunity to take an Instagram photo – i.e. Instagrammable emotions.”
Founded in China in 2012 and based in Singapore, the group is growing rapidly worldwide. This is made possible by the combination of affordable, constantly renewed collections and on-demand production by thousands of suppliers in China.
In our 21st century “affluent society,” “we don’t buy things that we need. Utility and use are banned from the purchasing process,” says Heilbrunn. “That’s exactly what fast fashion symbolizes – a deeply cynical approach to consumerism.”
“dictation of the click”
Even more than established brands like Zara or H&M, new players like Shein and Temu are pushing the acceleration process typical of fashion to the extreme – with the help of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence.
Heilbrunn speaks of “anti-democratic brands”: “It is a political totalitarianism that penetrates the platforms through the dictates of the click and the algorithm.”
The Shein app is addictive. It is full of fake promotions uncovered by France’s anti-fraud agency this year, as well as constant prompts and game mechanics. Consumers found themselves in a “bottomless well of stimulation in which they can lose all alertness” – until unnecessary purchases followed one another.
With its low prices, Shein positions itself as a defender of purchasing power and claims to democratize fashion. But according to Heilbrunn, this is “a scam”: “The price seems tempting, but the actual value of the product is zero because the item of clothing is thrown away after being worn two or three times.”
Getting consumers to change their purchasing behavior is not an easy task. “They are tired of being portrayed as villains just because they buy ultra-fast fashion. They are often left with virtually no economic flexibility.”
Heilbrunn is therefore calling for a long-term rethink in education: “There needs to be a cultural strategy that teaches people educationally why it makes sense to buy slightly more expensive products and view them as a long-term investment.” However, such a change will “take at least 15 years,” he warns.
“Five-Headed Monster”
In order to speed up the process, the state must “get its hands dirty” and use “the enemy’s weapons”: advertising and marketing.
The authorities have various measures available to ultra-fast fashion platforms, “from taxation to bans”. However, there is currently no legal reason for a ban, as the Paris court decided in the case of an application for an interim injunction against Shein.
Heilbrunn emphasizes that an effective response must take place “at the European level”. France plans to introduce a tax on small parcels in early 2026, ahead of the EU-wide regulation in July. In addition, a proposed law against fast fashion could come into force in 2026.
Europe continues to look for a suitable regulatory approach for e-commerce platforms, which often take little responsibility for third-party providers. Shein or Temu only follow Amazon, the US giant “that prepared the ground”. Amazon has ‘platformed’ the market by recognizing “that you not only have to accommodate your own products, but also the competition,” said the expert.
Heilbrunn suggests regulating the market through quality controls. This included mandatory information about origin and production in order to inform consumers. France has introduced a textile eco-score for this purpose, which has so far remained voluntary for brands.
Heilbrunn concludes: “We are faced with a five-headed monster and don’t really know how to tame it.”
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