SHEIN has faced it’s fair bit of criticism – from copying independent designers to accusations of using child labour but love it or loathe it, the fast-fashion retailer is here to stay.
Despite the ethical issues raised, the brand, recently valued in excess of £50m, remains a favourite for cash-strapped Brits who even claim to find affordable designer dupes on the site.
And the dupes are so similar some influencers believe high-end shops in fact get their stock from Shein and sell it at a higher price.
Fashion content creator Emily Rodrigue revealed: “This is crazy, Shein are taking over the world.
“They have shops now that are Zara, House of CB and Missguided.” – implying the online retailer stocks the brands at a more affordable price point.
While it has been confirmed that the Chinese brand has bought Missguided for £20 million as well partnering with Forever 21, there’s no evidence about the rest of the brands joining them.
However, our research found that the online shop – where around 2000 new items are added daily – does sell almost identical dupes of top brands like House of CB and yes, they’re a fraction of the price.
But can the same be said for quality?
I bought three items from Shein as well as Odd Muse, House of Cb and Nobody’s child with savings of £143 to find out how they compared.
UK brand, House of Celeb Boutique (CB), has made itself viral with over 96 million videos posted under the hashtag on TikTok.
Rising to popularity thanks to their gorgeous £169 milkmaid dresses that cinch in the waist and give everyone sultry curves, most fashionistas now have one of their dresses in their wardrobe.
However, scrolling through Shein there seemed to be endless dupes of House of CB’s line of frocks – and when the originals cost over £100 it’s clear why people are giving them a go.
The Amaris Ballerina Pink Baby Doll Mini Dress costs £169 and is made from floaty georgette fabric and has added ruffles around the bust to create curves.
The middle panel is silk in the same colour and features tiny shoulder straps. While the fabric felt super nice and floaty, I was concerned by the top half of the dress which was so tiny it made me feel like I was going to slip out of it at any moment.
The Shein lookalike had a very similar style, and the overall fabric felt similar considering it was a fraction of the price at £25.99.
The main difference between the two was that the Shein dupe didn’t have the silk panel and provided more coverage in the bust.
I have to say the skirt did feel like it wasn’t made as well as the length was longer in the back, but overall, I don’t think many people would notice it wasn’t the real deal.
Known for their cheap clothing, Shein sells its own products and acts as a marketplace for third-party sellers.
They do not sell designer brands, and in the past have been plagued by accusations of counterfeits and copyright violations.
Previously brands like Ralph Lauren and Oakley have sued the fashion giant for violating their intellectual property rights.
Another British brand that has gone viral online with over 39 million videos on the app is Odd Muse, which has naturally become a must-have brand to add to your wardrobe.
Created by independent designer Aimee Smale, the designs feature perfectly structured pieces made to last as elevated wardrobe basics.
And when you try a piece on, you can see why they’re so popular.
Sporting The Ultimate Muse Blazer With Additional Belts for £145, you can tell why it’s named ‘ultimate.’
The material of the blazer is super thick, giving an expensive feel with lots of structure.
The two belts added to the waist ensure your waist stays cinched and the pointed sleeves elevate from a normal blazer to high fashion style, and thankfully, it even has pockets.
I felt like a superstar in this, but when I tried on the Shein version I felt like I was playing dress up.
The thin material and flimsy belt did nothing to make me look put together and the pockets weren’t even real.
It might have been much cheaper at just £23.99, but it doesn’t hold up to Odd Muse in the slightest.
Last but not least I tried a dress from high street favourite Nobody’s Child – stocked on their own site as well as via Marks & Spencer.
While it’s classed as high street, the brand is slightly pricier than other shops with the Dark Blue Denim Westbourne Midi Dress I tried costing £85.
You can see the attention to detail which went into making it the perfect shape.
The drop waist style was flattering and the tortoiseshell buttons were the perfect finishing touch – and I was surprised by just how light the fabric was considering the dress cost £28.99.
The Shein version was a lighter shade of denim but the overall shape was very similar.
While there are some amazing dupes on Shein, you really have to check the material and images in the reviews to see what you’re getting.
I was surprised to see that the simpler designs were easy for the fast-fashion retailer to copy, but for more intricate pieces from the likes of Odd Muse – you’re best trying to save the cash and treat yourself to the real deal.
