Shein launches 3 new collabs

Dive Brief:

• Shein is launching three new collaborations, according to separate news releases Monday.
• The company’s new collection with the Betty Boop brand includes dresses and accessories, which Shein hopes will bridge “the gap between vintage allure and contemporary style.” The fast fashion giant also announced a line with digital artist Maalavidaa, which includes shell jackets, leggings and mesh dresses featuring the artist’s designs, according to a press release.
• Beyond apparel collaborations, Shein launched a 127-piece collection of school supplies with reality TV star Jess Vestal, previously on “Love is Blind.”

Dive Insight:

While the Betty Boop collection fits into its history of character collaborations — the company has partnered with “Scooby Doo,” “Tom and Jerry, and more — the capsule with a digital artist and TV personality mark a change in Shein’s approach to collaborations.

Shein X, the fast fashion giant’s program meant to support independent designers, has been the focal point of several recent collaborations, including the one with Maalavidaa.

Shein X partnered with Monse last month, which was one of the company’s first collaborations with a luxury label. Last week, Shein X announced a partnership with contemporary line Alice McCall on a 65-piece collection of dresses and two-piece sets.

Since Shein X’s launch in 2021, more than 4,600 brands, artists and designers used the company’s production capabilities to reach Shein’s audience, according to the Maalavidaa press release. Shein also invested additional funding into the program in the EU.

Collaborations can serve as a creative tool to reach new consumer groups, Nora Kleinewillinghoefer, partner at Kearney, told Fashion Dive earlier this year. In the case of Shein, partnerships with more established brands and figures could help it boost its credibility.

Shein has faced various legal and regulatory challenges in recent years. Its supply chain has come into question from U.S. lawmakers. It’s also been sued for copyright infringement from other brands as well as independent artists and designers.

Last year, it entered into a partnership with Forever 21’s operator in which both companies can distribute each other’s products.