The three factors driving Shein’s high-low fashion designer drops

Shein appears to be doubling down on its designer program “Shein X” with its latest collaboration with premium Australian designer Alice McCall.

While many speculate about the reasons that established designers are partnering with the ultra-fast fashion company, it is apparent that Shein is using the program to separate itself from accusations that it trades in dupes and copycats.

Since its launch in January 2021, Shein X has grown from selling just seven brands to more than 4600 designers, artists and creatives from all around the world – releasing more than 41,000 designs to its consumers.

Its ongoing partnerships with premium designers hint at a three-pronged strategy; the ultra-fast fashion brand is attempting to elevate its product offering, offering consumers a luxe-for-less wardrobe amidst a cost-of-living crisis and trying to differentiate itself from its rapidly growing rival Temu.

Elevating fast fashion 

Historically, high-low collaborations between fast fashion companies and luxury designer brands have been sell-out successes.

H&M has been warmly embraced by high-fashion consumers and budget shoppers alike for its designer collections with brands like Balmain, Versace, Moschino, Rabanne, Karl Largefeld, The Vampire’s Wife and Mugler.

Now, Shein looks to be making a similar play by trying to replicate H&M’s upmarket success with its own designer incubator, Shein X.

Despite public sentiment that Shein’s average shopper is a teenage girl, UBS Securities research revealed earlier this year that the average Shein shopper is actually a 35-year-old woman.

The ultra-fast fashion brand’s latest slew of “designer drops” including its collection with premium womenswear designer Alice McCall and premium womenswear brand Monse could also be a move towards catering to its more mature demographic.

The cost-of-living crisis 

It’s not surprising that Shein’s rise has coincided with the cost-living crisis that is facing many consumers, particularly in Australia.

A Shein spokesperson stated that the brand is committed to making the business of fashion accessible – something Shein X seems to do for both designers and consumers.

Insights from Roy Morgan revealed that Shein’s shopper base in Australia has grown 34 per cent, leaping from 830,000 monthly shoppers to 2 million people within 12 months.

“It’s been extraordinary to witness the continued rise of these ultra-cheap platforms, especially over the last nine months where they have enjoyed the kind of growth that Australian retailers can only dream of in this climate,” Roy Morgan’s head of retail research and social and consumer trends, Laura Demasi, said in a statement.

According to Roy Morgan’s latest analysis, 2 million Australians are buying from Shein at least once within a 12-month period and 42 per cent of Shein shoppers are buying four or more times over 12 months.

“Few could have predicted this scenario just one year ago. I can’t think of another retailer that has seen a hike of 30 per cent in customers in such a short time, especially now,” said Demasi.

“These numbers confirm that the ‘trading down’ phenomenon is real. Every month more and more Australians – both young and old — are trading down to these platforms to stretch their dollars further, redirecting billions of dollars away from Australian retailers,” she added.

The Shein X designer drops are designed to appeal to its consumer base’s taste and budget during an economic downturn.

Temu’s tough competition 

Shein and Temu are often pinned against each other as rivals but their average shopper profiles couldn’t be more different – Shein has a majority-female customer (78 per cent) and  its largest category is women’s clothing.

Meanwhile, Temu has a greater customer base of male shoppers who browse across varied categories including clothing, accessories, homewares and electrical goods.

Shein’s investment in Shein X could serve to bolster its lead in the women’s clothing category.

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