Fast fashion giant SHEIN under fire for 'sexy' toddler clothes - including crop tops and mini skirts
Figure-hugging sequin dress is available for girls aged six months to three yearsREAD MORE: Viral £14 Uniqlo moon bag is back in new pastel colours for spring -
Fast fashion giant SHEIN is under fire for selling ‘sexy’ clothes and padded bikinis designed for girls as young as six months.
The Chinese retailer has become a top shopping destination for many in recent years, selling items at incredibly cheap prices and shipping to more than 150 countries.
However, parents have taken aim at the producer for its children’s range, which features dresses and swimwear that some consider inappropriate.
A £7.49 teal velvet dress, featuring a sweetheart neckline, bodycon fit and ruched detailing, can be purchased for girls aged eight to 12.
The young model pictured on the website is leaning against a table with her chest pushed out in a suggestive manner.
SHEIN’s Tween Girls’ Velour Dress With Fitted Silhouette for ages eight to 12 costs £7.49
Meanwhile, a £5.49 figure-hugging sequin dress, featuring a one-shoulder detail and hot pink hue, is available for girls aged six months to three years.
And a range of padded bikinis are also being marketed to girls of the same age.
These designs include vibrant colour schemes, playful motifs, ruffles and cut-outs that give the impression they are intended for adults.
Some of the child models have completed their outfits with heart-shaped sunglasses and a coconut in hand.
An astounded US-based shopper, who uses the handle @Cathyrn24 on TikTok, shared screenshots of the SHEIN website, explaining: ‘I was just looking through SHEIN toddler dresses and I can’t believe these are even an option.
‘One review was “sexy and cute” – that’s a literal child.’
The brand is offering countless mini dresses, showcasing décolletage and plenty of leg, to their youngest customers.
Cathyrn continued: ‘Disbelief parents are actually buying this for their kids.’
A young girl models a silver bodysuit and pleated leather mini skirt on the brand’s website
The Kids EVRYDAY Young Girl Ribbed Short Sleeve Slim Fit Tee and Ruched High Waist Bodycon Skirt For Summer set costs £6.49
SHEIN offers a range of swimwear incorporating removable padding to young girls
SHEIN’s One Shoulder Lantern Sleeve Sequin Dress is available for girls aged six months to three years
SHEIN offers an £8.99 feather-laden cami top and skirt set to girls aged four to 12
The selection of form-fitting clothes on view included a Fuzzy Trim Bow Front Halter Dress, costing £5.49, which was reminiscent of the racy Christmas outfits worn during the Jingle Bell Rock scene in 2004 movie Mean Girls.
The Chinese company, valued at around £53billion, has gained worldwide recognition and acquired many of its rivals – including Missguided, last October.
It is currently the UK’s 11th largest apparel retailer and is anticipated to rise to the sixth spot by 2027.
Further items in the childrenswear range include a figure-hugging One Shoulder Ruffle Trim Dress in red, £5.99, Houndstooth Print Puff Sleeve Belted Dress, £9.49, and Barbie-esque One Shoulder Lantern Sleeve Sequin Dress, £5.49 – all available for girls aged six months to three years.
There are also a number of scanty co-ord sets on sale, such as the Cold Shoulder Shirred Ruffle Hem Top & Skirt, £7.99, and Twist Front Tank Top & Button Detail Split Hem Skirt, £6.99, on offer for girls as young as four.
SHEIN is dominating online clothes shopping, having surpassed rivals Zara and H&M to the top spot.
The brand releases more than 6,000 new products on its website every day, typically costing under £10 each.
Using teams of designers and complex algorithms that seek out micro-trends on social media, it can have fresh styles on sale in less than a week.
This shiny red co-ord looks as though it was designed for adults
One shopper, who uses the handle @Cathyrn24 on TikTok, shared her disbelief as she scrolled through the SHEIN website
Girls aged four to seven can opt for this ruched lilac mini dress costing £4.99
The company, founded by Xu Yangtian in 2008, has been affiliated with a number of celebrities, including Katy Perry, Rita Ora, Hailey Bieber and Khloe Kardashian.
However, this isn’t the first time the clothing giant has come under fire.
Last December, the company vowed to invest £12million to improve standards at its supplier factories after admitting that working hours at two sites breached rules.
The group said an independent investigation, launched after allegations over labour abuse made in a Channel 4 documentary, had uncovered that employees at two of its Chinese sites were working hours that were longer than allowed under local regulations.
In January, Uniqlo announced it is suing controversial Chinese fast fashion retailer SHEIN over claims it is selling fake imitations of its shoulder bag.
Since its unveiling in April 2022, Uniqlo’s popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag has been featured in viral social media videos for its surprisingly large capacity.
As such it has been compared to the infinitely large magical carpet bag carried by Mary Poppins in the eponymous 1964 film.
While the Uniqlo bag is sold for £14.90, very similar-looking bags are listed on SHEIN for £5.
Uniqlo’s parent Fast Retail said on Tuesday that a petition had been filed in a Tokyo court against SHEIN Japan and two of its subsidiaries on December 28.
Justifying its complaint, Fast Retailing said the ‘imitation products sold by SHEIN closely resembles that of its own product’.
A spokesperson for SHEIN said the company ‘respects the intellectual property rights of others and takes all claims of infringement seriously. We are currently investigating this matter’.