VillaVogue: Shein Behind the Scenes
By: Ciara Dursee
Fashion lives and breathes through the engagement of worldwide audiences. Brands hope to curate an enticing public image by communicating and connecting with their consumers. Every industry desires attention with a collective goal of increasing its global visibility. In other words, they want to create a buzz in the fashion community where their products lead the conversation. Subsequently, this is where PR, media and advertising come into play in controlling the flow of information to build a company’s reputation.
In marketing, PR or public relations refers to strategic communication that helps build a connection between an organization or a group of people; however, in fashion PR, the goal is more specifically to form and broadcast a positive image to an audience. Curating a public image worth following comes from the media coverage, collaborations and compelling campaigns to draw in consumers and make their brand name prevalent. In the digital age, fashion PR is more important than ever as online shopping habits increase and social media use skyrockets.
The growing speculation: what happens when a brand misuses its advertising platform? While PR campaigns aim to build brand reputation and coverage, the objective can backfire in seconds without proper publicity stunts. Unfortunately, this controversy has been a reoccurring issue in the height of TikTok, Instagram and other social media use in recent years as trend cycles speed up. The constant scrolling and browsing, along with accessibility to new technology in the 21st century, has allowed brands to take on a marketing method referred to as “fast fashion.”
Fast fashion focuses on producing high volumes of clothing at a rapid pace. The production procedures involve using low-quality materials to replicate trending looks, but at an inexpensive price. Producing cheap clothing at high rates has transformed into a popular strategy for promoting an overwhelming degree of consumption. As a result of replicating these desired styles of dress, brands take the opportunity to create new products weekly or even daily, ensuring that customers never grow old of the store's content.
Favored brands such as Zara, Forever 21 and H&M are at fault for this tactic. A prevailing case has been directed towards a well-known fast-fashion brand, Shein, that continues to face allegations of unethical business practices.
Shein is a global online retailer known for its low prices and “trendy” styles in clothing, beauty products, home decor and more. The company was founded in 2008 and is one of the world’s largest retailers, operating in over 150 countries. According to Eco-Stylist, in 2022 Shein generated $22.7 billion, in 2023 estimated 88.8 million active shoppers and projected revenues of $60 billion by 2025. Without a doubt, Shein is the definition of fast fashion.
In account for the betterment of the environment, the fast fashion movement is a rising concern. These unsustainable approaches have resulted in issues regarding greenhouse gas emissions, excessive textile waste, carbon dioxide production and other toxic chemicals. Regardless, at a glance, this marketing technique seems to have great potential in launching items at an efficient pace.
The problem lies in the media shaping brand perceptions in a fallacious light. In June of 2023, Shein launched an influencer trip to one of its factories in China, intended to showcase Shein’s dedication to ethical production. The company invited six influencers to tour one of its “Innovation Centers” to promote and share positive experiences through their viral social media platforms. However, instead of being praised for their transparency, their content received backlash accusing the influencers of trying to hide the brand’s labor abuse and neglect of sustainability. Just days after the event, the influencers spiraled in controversial responses to the criticism they were bombarded with, some defending the brand while others reconsidered their association altogether. Soon after the influencer trip scandal, major publications published articles noting the poor reputations of both the influencers and Shein’s problematic practices. This was only the start of the brand’s exploitation.
In recent events, Shein unfortunately continues down their list of wrongdoings. Several reports, lawsuits and corrupt allegations later, Shein is now being highlighted explicitly for their labor abuse. Shein’s supply factories were exposed years ago due to reports of and still are reported for 75-hour working weeks and child labor suspicions. The bottom line: Shein proactively claims to be against disreputable production methods, yet the uncovering of PR scandals and false media disagrees heavily.
Almost 7 billion "Shein haul" videos come into our TikTok shuffle daily. Our immediate thoughts do not focus on who created the piece of clothing, with what devices or in what frame of time; our eyes fall on what is being advertised. We instantly gravitate towards the inexpensive cost of the product and the item itself.
Let’s face it, in today’s world fast fashion will progress and the cycle of overconsumption will proceed against the will of the environment without proper action. However, to build trust with audiences and stakeholders, taking the initiative to increase authenticity in media coverage is something all brands can control. The unethical behavior Shein maintains is a layered issue that reinforces the company’s negative brand image as the amplified online controversy spirals in a whirlwind of criticism, consumption and clothes.