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If you can't beat them, join them, right? That seems to be the philosophy behind the latest venture for fast fashion brand Forever21. The decades-old business has had a rough decade, declaring bankruptcy in 2019 and seeing steadily declining relevancy among its core customer base. Recent reports say that Shein will acquire about a third of Forever 21's operator, Sparc Group, and Sparc will take a minority stake in Shein.
This could mean Shein will have a mall footprint (the brand has made its name being a majority online store), and Forever21 will potentially have its once-flailing stores packed with Shein evangelists. It's a win-win for the brands, sure, but probably a loss for efforts to curb the expansion and relevance of Shein. Especially considering recent reports highlighting that the American mall is not as dead as we all think. According to CoreInsights, "top-tier malls" have foot traffic significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, and store occupancy rates are 95% or more.
But really, it's a match made in fashion heaven (hell?) because the brands have more in common than just cheap clothing. I see them as markers of a cultural shift in how we view fast fashion generally. Forever21 was started in Los Angeles on the idea that more clothing at faster rates would mean more profit. The founder, Do Wan Chang, actually said that "People who drove the nicest cars were all in the garment business," and that's why he wanted in. It worked because at one point in the early 2000s, the brand was worth billions of dollars.
In 2001, 19 garment workers sued the company, claiming they were working 12-hour days in horrible conditions with no overtime pay. While the counter-suits against advocates and lawyers began to outweigh the initial cause, it did raise national awareness of the labor issues garment workers for the brand were dealing with. (I spoke to one of the advocates who Forever21 sued in my book WORN OUT: How Our Clothes Cover Up Fashion's Sins, which you can find here).
Sound familiar? Shein has had its fair share of attention over reports from overworked garment workers who say some shifts last up to 18 hours with very little pay. While these stories haven't taken away any inertia from Shein's financial growth, they have put a stain on the brand. While people may be shopping from them, the brand is facing scrutiny from lawmakers around the globe who are concerned about the brand's labor and production.
Both mark a moment where consumption and complacency in an unjust system are displayed. The issues are apparent, but the deflection is professional. Empty Sustainability promises and collections are used to distract, while trends are used to entice. Who knows how it will work out, but it's evident that calls to slow down production are not on the to-do list when increased relevance and more money are on the table.
While you’re here, I’m sharing some recent stories I wrote.
Have you ever wondered what it means when people say clothing is bad for the planet? Here I broke down the many, many ways our clothes has an impact on the environment. Read it on Remake.
Last week, I interviewed Brandi Chastain and Michelle Akers for an oral history of the 1999 Women’s World Cup. Did you know that after getting taken off the field for hitting her head, Michelle almost missed the medal ceremony because Bill Clinton’s security there? Read it on InStyle.
As we head into the new school year, and interesting trend has emerged in fashion design. Grad students are taking on internships as their first foray into the business. Is this a good thing? I spoke with some activists to find out. Read it on Fashionista.