Shein is buying Everlane, bringing the ultrafast-fashion retailer into a brand that marketed minimalist basics with an emphasis on “ethical factories” and “radical transparency” around how clothes were made and priced, NPR reported. The report said Everlane’s CEO Alfred Chang characterized the transaction as a new chapter for the company while also telling NPR that Everlane would stay independent.
In the statement shared with NPR, Chang said, “This is the start of a bigger chapter for Everlane and the team behind it,” but he did not disclose the size of the deal. Chang also said Everlane would remain “an independent brand, staying true to our longstanding brand values, sustainability commitments, and exceptional quality,” NPR reported.
The reported purchase also gives Shein a larger foothold in the United States and access to a higher-end online-retail model. Shein was founded in China and has expanded into what NPR described as a global company driven by TikTok micro-trends, including items with prices that can be substantially lower than Everlane’s typical “affordable-luxury” positioning.
NPR reported that Shein had shelved plans to become publicly traded in either the U.S. or Europe amid legal complaints and scrutiny from lawmakers, particularly over labor practices. For Everlane, the deal comes amid financial pressure, with NPR reporting that debt weighed on the brand and that private equity firm L Catterton, the majority owner, decided to sell.
The report said Shein and L Catterton did not respond to NPR’s requests for comment. After Puck earlier reported the deal, it spread through the fashion industry and prompted backlash from some Everlane customers, NPR reported, including online accusations that the brand was selling out.
NPR also pointed to how Everlane became known in the 2010s for a direct-to-consumer approach that drew shoppers with sustainability and transparency messaging. The brand’s most prominent positioning, NPR said, centered on “affordable-luxury” staples and natural fabrics, with examples NPR cited including tailored shorts priced at $120 and linen tops priced at $80.
In reaction to the deal, Katie Thomas, who leads the Kearney Consumer Institute, said the challenge for value-based products is that “the price has to be right for the right consumer.” Thomas told NPR that Everlane “just was exposed to a category that got crowded,” and she pointed to competition as brands such as Aritzia, Reformation and even Gap pitch their own versions of “affordable luxury.”
Thomas also raised a question about whether tying up with a company known for fast fashion will alienate Everlane’s existing clientele or instead attract Shein shoppers interested in “trading up.” She said it remains unclear so far whether a Shein tie-up will benefit from Everlane’s internal processes, or whether Everlane will become a faster-moving trend-chaser, NPR reported.