Mystery as Shein cans Aussie pop up

A controversial fashion brand has made a last-minute decision to cancel a highly anticipated pop-up store just weeks before a tax on fast-fashion retailers is set to begin.

The three-day Shein event was set to take place at Perth’s Lakeside Joondalup Shopping Centre, decked out with a live DJ, beauty bar, photo booth and giveaways from June 21.

The brand created a Facebook event boasting the event, encouraging savvy shoppers to browse the “SHEIN AIR-themed” pop-up shop.

It would have been the first pop up shop the brand has had in Perth.

But the company decided to pull the plug on the three-day event just days before it was to go ahead.

“At Lakeside Joondalup, we work with a diverse range of retailers, partners and brands to provide our customers with engaging centre experiences. This includes short-term pop-up activations with both local businesses and community groups as well as popular brands,” a spokesman from the shopping centre said.

“This activation will no longer be proceeding at Lakeside Joondalup, but we look forward to bringing other new and exciting experiences to our community soon.”

It is not yet known why the event was cancelled, but Shein has said it is determined to ensure the pop-up does take place at a different venue.

“Shein is committed to providing the best pop-up experience for our Perth customers and will provide further updates in due course,” a Shein spokesman said.

The cancellation comes just days after the federal government introduced a four-cent levy that retailers are forced to pay on every fast-fashion clothing item sold from July.

The Perth pop-up was not the first in Australia, with stores previously popping up for limited times in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Despite its fast fashion model being subject to criticism, Shein is growing in popularity, with market research company Roy Morgan finding that the brand had almost 800,000 shoppers each month in Australia only for clothing and accessories.

That puts the ultra cheap Chinese owned online-only brand “on track to reach a billion dollars in annual sales, which is set to grow now that Shein has expanded into categories beyond apparel,” according to Roy Morgan.