Shein calls on young designers
Criticised for its lack of transparency and its constantly changing fast fashion, Chinese e-tailer Shein is continuing its programme to support young fashion designers. Launched in 2021, the Shein X project is back for another round in 2023. The company is calling on creative talent to receive support from the online retail giant.
Shein offers emerging designers guidance on product development, manufacturing and marketing through mentoring sessions, masterclasses and a dedicated website. The company finances the production of the young designers' clothes, which are then sold on the platform, and then pays them commission on sales. The participants also retain the rights to their designs.
By 2023, the company hopes to attract a thousand new talents. "New designers will be offered unique opportunities to collaborate with world-renowned players, participate in exclusive events, and travel the world for business purposes" promises Shein. This January, the site is teaming up with the Graduate Fashion Foundation to organise a competition. The winner will participate in a fashion show to be organised by Shein in Paris next June.
In a press release, the company claims to have invested 55 million dollars in the Shein X project over the past two years, including 5.37 million dollars in commissions. From seven designers at launch, nearly 3,000 people have been supported worldwide, representing 25,000 products marketed.
Born in 2008, the e-tailer is currently in talks to raise up to three billion dollars, according to the Financial Times, which would value it at 64 billion dollars (a third less than the valuation made in mid-2022). Its sales in 2021 reached about 100 billion yuan ($15.7 billion).
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