Michaela, 17, claims that she has placed the largest order on Shein, totaling £150, when she purchased "16 plus items".
She loves the ultra-fast fashion giant like millions of others, mostly because of its affordability.
She likes to "buy more" since the YouTube stars she follows provide Shein discount codes.
Shein has grown from being a little-known brand among elder consumers to become one of the largest fast fashion merchants in the world in the last ten years.
The Chinese-founded company, which also offers a wide variety of beauty and home goods, more than doubled its profits to almost $2 billion (£1.6 billion) in the previous year, surpassing the earnings of the Swedish fashion company H&M as well as the UK's Primark and Next.
It currently ships to clients in 150 different nations.
The company is still mired in controversy over its working conditions and environmental effect, including claims of forced labor in its supply chain, even as it considers listing its shares on the London Stock Exchange.
Michaela is conscious of the criticism and is especially troubled by the quantity of plastic that Shein utilizes in its packaging.
However, she believes that "not everyone can afford high-end clothing" and that criticism of most fashion firms is similar.
"So at the back of my mind I feel quite bad when I purchase things, but at the same time it’s convenient," she stated to the BBC.
Pronounce it "she-in," Shein was founded in 2008 by businessman Xu Yangtian in China, where it began as an online retailer of bridal gowns.
Since then, it has expanded into a massive worldwide company best recognized for selling trendy apparel, primarily to Gen Z consumers.
The price is a major factor in the appeal.
Shein outsells competitors like Zara and Boohoo with its low average price of £7.90 and its 600,000+ goods available for purchase on its website at any given moment.
Additionally, it has acquired rivals such as Missguided, and Xu Yangtian—who doesn't often do interviews—is reportedly among the wealthiest men in China.
According to Louise Déglise-Favre of analysts GlobalData, the actual turning point for the brand occurred during the pandemic, when internet shopping took off and Shein's sales skyrocketed.
The company has also cleverly utilized social media, enlisting college students and well-known influencers to market their apparel on Instagram and TikTok.
According to Ms. Déglise-Favre, "the brand's success coincided with a boom in TikTok usage in Europe and the US." "The Chinese social media platform participated greatly in spreading awareness about the Shein’s ultra-affordable proposition."
Pop artists like Rita Ora and Katy Perry have performed at its virtual concerts, attracting a lot of consumers, but it also draws a lot of naturally occurring user-generated material.
It's likely that you have browsed past so-called "haul" videos on the internet, when young ladies are seen opening their recently delivered shipments and candidly reviewing crop tops, outfits, and beauty blenders. | BGNES