Shein, the fast-fashion online retailer, launched its Hong Kong IPO on Monday, August 24, 2026, and is set to start trading on September 1. The much-anticipated IPO follows Shein’s decision to abandon plans for listings in New York and London after both attempts failed to secure approval from Chinese authorities. The move to a Hong Kong IPO reflects the long journey Shein has made to embrace its identity as a Chinese company, Reuters reports in a story published August 28, How Shein Had to Make Peace with China to Finally Go Public.

Before deciding to debut in Hong Kong, Shein had spent four years trying to present itself as a global player. "Shein tried to portray itself as cosmopolitan, and it engaged in what is today known as Singapore-washing to try to distance itself from its Chinese roots – but I think that failed because it is so closely linked to its Chinese supply chain," says Curtis Milhaupt, the William F. Baxter-Visa International Professor of Law and APARC faculty affiliate.

"Having failed in the cosmopolitan strategy, I think they saw no choice but to embrace their Chinese roots," Milhaupt tells Reuters.