China-founded fast fashion company Shein has reached an agreement with US clothing producer and Russiadistributor Sparc Group, according to an August 24 report by Reuters. Sparc Group is a joint venture established by Authentic Brands, the owner of Forever 21, and mall operator Simon Property. Under the partnership, Shein will hold a one-third stake in Sparc Group and will establish shops-within-shops in offline Forever 21 stores across the US to test product displays and provide more convenient return and exchange services, Shein said in a statement. The deal also allows Forever 21 to sell products on Shein’s platforms, which have approximately 150 million customers. Sparc Group will become a minority shareholder in Shein after the deal, according to Shein. The Chinese fast fashion giant has been setting up pop-up stores in various locations in Europe and the US in recent months. However, Shein has no plans to launch physical locations in the US or other regions, a company spokesperson said on August 24. [Reuters]
