Overview
- Shein opened its first permanent physical corner at the BHV in Paris on November 5, drawing long queues and heavy in‑store traffic.
- Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez asked the judiciary to order the blocking of Shein’s platform following a criminal investigation into the sale of sexualized childlike dolls.
- The Galeries Lafayette group terminated its collaboration with SGM, and seven regional Galeries Lafayette stores are set to be rebranded as BHV in the coming weeks.
- SGM executives defend the partnership as a customer‑driven way to revive department stores and say in‑store curation prevents problematic items found online.
- Corporate and institutional blowback is mounting, with brands exiting the BHV, the Banque des territoires declining to buy the store’s walls, and SGM being excluded from the UCV as CEO Frédéric Merlin acknowledges underestimating the political and media exposure.