SHEIN faces design copying accusations

SHEIN, the Chinese online fast fashion retailer, is facing allegations of copying designs from Spanish apparel retailer Zara and independent designers.

The hashtag “Zara vs SHEIN” is trending on TikTok (about 39.3 M views), with consumers showing similar clothes that the Chinese giant has allegedly copied. Sellers also posted similar videos for their audiences to show them how buying from SHEIN is more economic. 

On Instagram, many small business designers accused SHEIN of stealing their designs and rebranding them into their website. “Guys DMed me of SHEIN once again steeling one of my designs, it’s very upsetting to see them continue to do that not just for me but for many designers. They completely knocked off my silk my tie front silk slip dress,” said Tracy Garcia of Transformations by Tracy LLC in a video posted on Instagram on May 24, adding emotionally, “I don’t have the money, I don’t have the resources to pursue like any of this, so if you could try some online to this, you kindly be appreciated.” 

Despite the ongoing allegations, SHEIN kept silent, with just one incident as an exception, when SHEIN apologized to award- winning designer Sara Shakeel in October 2021, even offering her compensation. Shakeel posted on Instagram screen shots of SHEIN using her artworks as prints on October 19. She was in shock, calling on her followers to “make the difference” and mail the company to blame it for the “unethical” act. Days later, Shakeel received an email from SHEIN apologizing and willing to compensate, according to screen shots Shakeel posted on Instagram. Shakeel welcomed the move but informed them she would accept the compensation on one condition: that they do the same with the many other artists from whom the company has copied. The screen shot of the email revealed that SHEIN agreed and told Shakeel that it is urging any artist who feels their work has been used without permission to contact the company directly, as they work individually. 

“In fashion we don’t have protecting copyright rules. If the company who copied a design made a very tiny change, for example changed a place of a button, the design wouldn’t be longer hers/his,” Heba Idrees, a Jordanian fashion designer, told Jusoor Post. She thinks this made it easy for companies and even other designers to steal artworks. “All designers are being robbed, even Elie Saab himself, but it’s more serious when big firms do,” she added.

Despite the accusations of copying, along with other labor law violations, the Chinese retailer continues growing at a very fast scale. It went from a $5 billion valuation in 2019 to $47 billion in 2021, and is expected to be an initial public offering in 2022, according to Business of App.