At Zalando’s Partners Day in Paris, 280 industry professionals gathered to discuss the shifting dynamics of France’s online fashion market. Representatives from brands like Salomon, Soeur, and Kendo Paris joined to explore how the sector is adapting—from high-end to budget segments.
Zalando’s co-founder David Schneider emphasised the company’s focus on improving customer experience: “A new era is coming for retail fashion. The way people shop will be very different in a few years.”
Growth and Market Transformation
According to Guillaume Coudry of NielsenIQ, online clothing sales in France grew by 6% this year, with sportswear up 10%, beauty 5%, and designer apparel 6%. The average basket size dropped to €48, but customers are buying more often—8.2 times per year.
Marketplaces continue to gain traction, while direct-to-consumer sales decline. Coudry also highlighted the growing impact of TikTok Shop, calling it “a breakthrough where inspiration meets purchase.”
Luxury and the Question of Desirability
Xavier Romatet of the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) identified two challenges for the luxury sector: slowing demand in China and the US, and overreliance on price increases. “The real question is desirability,” he explained. “Why should a customer pay €3,500 for something that once cost €3,000?”
He pointed to creativity and quality as key drivers, alongside environmental responsibility, social ethics, and AI’s growing role in design and production.
Polarisation and Ultra-Fast Fashion
According to Pierre-François Le Louët of NellyRodi, the market is becoming increasingly polarised. Low-cost brands like Shein are pulling prices down while setting new standards in speed, technology, and communication.
“Shein is reshaping how people shop online,” he said. “But this polarisation will also give space to brands investing in identity, creativity, and customer understanding.”
Le Louët also mentioned Shein’s planned retail debut at BHV and growing European initiatives to counter ultra-fast fashion with sustainability-focused policies.
