The former minister believes that the company, criticized for its overproduction of clothing and its environmental impact, “democratizes fashion for everyone”.
“We are in the process of creating a VAT on products deemed too popular: there is a moralizing effect in all this which exasperates me.” Former Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner, close to Emmanuel Macron, attacks a proposed law aimed at taxing products from fast fashion to make them less attractive, in an article in La Tribune Sunday this January 12. The text, adopted by the National Assembly in March, must still be examined by the Senate.
If the former minister is stepping up to the plate on the subject, it is because in December he joined the Chinese Shein, a fast fashion giant which is flooding the market with clothes sold at ridiculous prices, produced in large quantities and shipped from China. He sits on one of the regional social and environmental responsibility (CSR) committees created by the company to green its image, for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Criticized for this career choice, the former Macronist who left politics after his defeat in the legislative elections in 2022 defended to the Figaro end of December “true will [de Shein] to adapt to European expectations” and ensures that “to develop a sector, public authorities cannot do everything”.
“Take virtuous initiatives”
“Shein is a young company that has experienced rapid growth” et “reaches a maturity which allows it to adopt a continuous improvement approach in each of its markets”insists Christophe Castaner in La Tribune Sunday. “She understood that it was her responsibility, as an important actor, to take virtuous initiatives.” However, taxing fast fashion products would be a mistake, believes Christophe Castaner, who assures that Shein “democratize fashion for all”.
The former minister, however, denies having been hired to lobby in favor of Shein thanks to his large address book. “People think I’m stupid enough to only have an address book.” The Chinese brand also recruited, within its CSR committee, the former Secretary of State Nicole Guedj but also Bernard Spitz, former president of the French Federation of Insurance Companies.
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At the end of December, upon the announcement of the hiring of Chistrophe Castaner at Shein, the French Women’s Ready-to-Wear Federation said its “deep indignation” and denounced a “clear attempt at greenwashing by this company which is flooding the market with poor quality clothing and lobbying aimed at curbing ongoing legislative efforts”.
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