Tens of Thousands Cue for a Kilometer to Get Into Chinese Fast Fashion Pop-up Store in Brazil

7,000 people lined up on the first of a five-day pop-up store opened by Chinese fast fashion giant Shein in the Brazilian city of São Paulo in November 2023.

Tens of thousands of Brazilians waited in line for hours last week for their chance to get into a pop-up store in São Paulo that was open for just five days by Chinese fast fashion giant Shein. On the last day, the line was more than a kilometer long.

Given that clothing prices in Brazil have surged 19% this year, it’s not surprising so many people were drawn to Shein’s incredibly low prices where everything on sale in the pop-up store was priced between $3 and $30. 

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths
4
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
5
Indonesia Begins $5.9 Billion Chinese EV Battery Project Despite Environment Fears
6 Trump’s Contradictory Iran Strategy Leaves U.S. Weaker After War’s End, Says Chinese Commentator

You Might Like

Chinese Media Claims More Than a Million Passengers Have Used the New Chinese-Built Railway in Laos

According to Chinese state media, the new Chinese-built and funded railway between China and Laos, which was launched two months ago, is a huge success already. Rail authorities in China’s southwestern Yunnan province ...

Brazil’s Central Bank Quadruples Yuan Holdings, Raising Chinese Hopes for Greater RMB Acceptance

Brazil’s Central Bank increased its reserves of Chinese renminbi (RMB) fourfold last year. It is the latest indication that the RMB is set to become much more influential in the global financial landscape. ...

Chinese EV Giant BYD Looks for Lithium in Africa and Expands Dealer Network in Brazil

Two big stories this week about the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD: BATTERIES: Rather than buy lithium, a key ingredient in EV batteries, on the open market and face steadily rising prices, the company ...

Chinese Automakers Look to Developing Countries to Boost Sales and Production

The war in Ukraine opened new production opportunities for Chinese automakers in Central Asia, while growing demand in Latin America and South Asia for SUVs and EVs has sparked a new sales push ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP