France's finance minister threatened on Monday, November 3, to ban Shein from the country if the Asian e-commerce giant resumes selling "childlike" sex dolls, just days before it opens its first physical store in Paris. The warning followed France's anti-fraud unit on Saturday reporting that the company was selling dolls of a likely "child pornography nature."
On its website, Le Parisien daily published a photo of one of the dolls sold on the platform, accompanied by an explicitly sexual caption. Shortly after the fraud watchdog's statement, Shein announced that the dolls had been withdrawn from its platform and that it had launched an internal inquiry.
Finance Minister Roland Lescure warned on Monday he would move to ban the company from the French market if the items returned online. "These horrible items are illegal," he told the BFMTV broadcaster, promising a judicial investigation.
Shein is due on Wednesday to open its first physical store in the world inside the prestigious BHV Marais department store in central Paris, a move that has sparked outrage in France. The Singapore-based company, which was originally founded in China, has faced criticism over working conditions at its factories and the environmental impact of its ultra-fast fashion business model. Some brands have pulled their products from BHV Marais since the announcement.
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France has already fined Shein three times in 2025 for a total of โฌ191 million ($220 million). Those sanctions were imposed for failing to comply with online cookie legislation, false advertising, misleading information and not declaring the presence of plastic microfibers in its products. The European Commission is also investigating Shein over risks linked to illegal products, while EU lawmakers have approved legislation aimed at curbing the environmental impact of fast fashion.
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Unfortunately, in the way western society work, I am not going to blame minimal wage worker buying "cool clothe" for their kids on Shein. It's expected that kids wear cool clothes at school, and it's expected that parents don't wear a old sweater in public.
May be, the day scientists with an old sweater become a role model for kids fashion will change, but unfortunately, there is a need to "dress to impress".
To get rid of fast fashion we need a whole societal change, I hope we'll have it one day, but I won't blame the people who suffer from it.
My wife buys clothes from Shien now and again, but the vast majority of our "fashion" is used. We make enough selling used, flea market and FB, to finance buying more used clothes.
I have so many nice shoes, shirts, pants, jackets, etc., I'm begging her to stop bringing home shit even if it's FREE. Fuck me, there's a pile of new scrubbed Vans and Converse in the hallway right now. I spend ZERO on clothes. I have two tuxedos, with accessories, and everything on down.
If you think one has to have the latest sweater to impress, or be cool, you don't know how to dress yourself.
Here I am wearing women's clothes from the thrift. $20 total, watch, shoes, pants and jewelry included.
Looking good, Raist!
You absolutely do not need to "dress to impress" wtf