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Like&subscribe 👍🙏💖🥳Shein (/ˈʃiːɪn/ SHEE-in; styled as SHEIN; Chinese: 希音; pinyin: Xīyīn) is a Chinese online fast fashion retailer headquartered in Singapore.[2] Founded in Nanjing, China in October 2008 as ZZKKO by entrepreneur Chris Xu, Shein grew to become the world's largest fashion retailer as of 2022. Shein delivers to more than 150 countries and was valued at $100 billion after a funding round in April 2022.[3]

Shein
Shein-logo.png
Founded
October 2008; 14 years ago in Nanjing, China
Founder
Chris Xu
Type
Retailer
Headquarters
112 Robinson Road[1]
Location
Singapore
Key people
Quist Huang
Parent organization
Roadget Business Pte Ltd
Subsidiaries
ROMWE
Employees
10,000+
Website
shein.com Edit this at Wikidata
Known for selling relatively inexpensive apparel, Shein's success has been credited to its popularity among Generation Z consumers.[4] The company was initially compared to that of a drop shipping business, as it was not involved in design and manufacturing, instead sourcing products from the wholesale clothing market in Guangzhou.[5] Beginning in 2012, Shein began to establish its own supply chain system, transforming itself into a fully integrated retailer.[5] The company has established its supply chain in Guangzhou with a network of more than 3,000 suppliers as of 2022.[2]

In 2019, the company moved its headquarters from China to Singapore for international expansion and financial reasons – while keeping its supply chains and warehouses in China. In 2022, Shein generated US$24 billion in revenue, a total almost as large as established retailers Zara and H&M.[2] According to Bloomberg Businessweek and others, Shein's business model has benefitted from the China–United States trade war, particularly in regards to tax advantages.[6] In recent years, Shein has found itself in the middle of several controversies including trademark disputes, tax evasion, human rights violations, and health and safety concerns.

History
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2008–2012: Foundation and early business model
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Shein, originally named ZZKKO, was founded in China in 2008 by entrepreneur and search engine optimization (SEO) marketing specialist Chris Xu (Xu Yangtian).[7][5][8]

Information on Xu's educational and career background remains elusive as of 2022, with sources conflicting on details of his biography. According to The Guardian, some sources have described him as a Chinese-American who graduated from George Washington University (GWU). However, other sources indicate that Xu was born in 1984 in Shandong province, and was educated at Qingdao University of Science and Technology. The Guardian notes that Xu is depicted in Chinese media coverage as an average student of poor origins. Shein has insisted that Xu was born in China.[8]

The website SheInside.com was registered in March 2011, advertising itself as "a worldwide leading wedding dress company", although it sold general womenswear as well.[9][7] The company acquired its items from Guangzhou's wholesale clothing market, which is a central hub to many of the company's garment manufacturers and markets.

At the time, Shein had no involvement in the design or production of the garments; it functioned similarly to a drop shipping firm, which sells items from third-party wholesalers directly to international customers.[5]

2012–2019: Rebranding and integrated retailer status
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Shein made their products available in Spain, France, Russia, Italy, and Germany in the early 2010s; as well as selling cosmetics, shoes, purses, and jewelry, in addition to women's clothing.[5] In 2012, the company established the current website and began using social media marketing by collaborating with fashion bloggers for giveaways and advertising items on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.[5][2]

In 2014, Shein acquired Romwe, a Chinese e-commerce retailer, making it a "fully integrated retailer." By 2016 the company had 100 employees and had already established its headquarters in Guangzhou. The firm's name changed again in 2015 from Sheinside to Shein, claiming that it needed a name that was simpler to remember and easy to find online.[7]

By 2016, Xu gathered a team of 800 designers and prototype makers that manufactured Shein-branded clothing. The company began improving its supply chain, excluding vendors that provided low-quality items or photos.[5]

By 2019, its merchandise was featured on daytime television shows in the United States with other internet businesses such as Fashion Nova and Zaful. Meanwhile, fashion influencers also displayed Shein products in haul videos alongside other well-known retailers. Despite being an online retail store, Shein also opened up pop-up shops for people who do not wish to purchase online.

Registration in Singapore
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In 2019, Singapore-registered Roadget Business Pte listed Chris Xu and