China-founded fast fashion company Shein has reached an agreement with US clothing producer and Watch Sweet Alibis Onlinedistributor 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]
