New survey of U.S. shoppers reveals early shopping trends, a growing appetite for self-gifting and what's driving holiday spending this year
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SHEIN, the global fashion and lifestyle online retailer, is spreading cheer early this year with its Year-End Sale. Shoppers can discover everything from chic holiday party fashion and winter-ready kids' apparel to matching family pajamas, making it easy to shop for everyone on their list and sneak in a little self-gifting along the way.
Alongside its seasonal Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers, SHEIN is also sharing results from its Holiday Shopping Trends Survey of more than 24,000 respondents, which finds SHEIN shoppers starting early, prioritizing apparel and accessories and hunting for inspiration and value all season long.
The findings show that SHEIN shoppers are not waiting for the final weeks of the year to get started, with 22% saying they plan to begin before November. And when asked who they are shopping for this season, the largest share of respondents, 61%, put themselves at the top of the list, underscoring just how central self-gifting has become to the holidays.
Whether they are gifting others or treating themselves, shoppers rank apparel (65%) and accessories like jewelry, scarves and sunglasses (62%) at the top of their lists, with beauty products (53%) and home goods (52%) close behind. More than 70% expect to spend the same or more than they did last holiday season.
"Holiday shopping is no longer limited to a few days after Thanksgiving," said Lisa Zlotnick, U.S. Head of Brand PR for SHEIN. "Our survey shows that holiday shoppers are planning ahead, looking for meaningful gifts and treating themselves. With our largest-ever Black Friday selection, we are making it easier for shoppers to find exceptional value for everyone on their list."
And to keep the cheer going, free shipping is available on qualifying orders. Customers can visit us.shein.com or the SHEIN App to shop all of SHEIN's Year-End Sale deals.
Survey Methodology: Conducted via the SHEIN app from September 6–14, 2026, among 24,863 U.S. customers aged 18+. All responses were self-reported, covering expectations, preferences and opinions around holiday retail, gifting and seasonal behaviors.
About SHEIN
SHEIN is a global online fashion and lifestyle retailer offering SHEIN-branded apparel and products from a global network of vendors, all at affordable prices. Headquartered in Singapore, SHEIN is committed to making the beauty of fashion accessible to all, promoting its industry-leading, on-demand production methodology for a smarter, future-ready industry. To learn more about SHEIN, visit www.sheingroup.com.
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SHEIN Kicks Off Holiday Shopping Season with Its Biggest Black Friday & Cyber Monday Selection Yet
Recent coverage in ELLE Italia and Fashion Law Journal explores the Chinese womenswear brand's approach to clothing, from its signature Asymmetric Pants to the relationship between fabric, body and everyday life.
SHANGHAI, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- INSIS, the Chinese womenswear brand founded in 2015, brings together tactile materials, considered construction and subtle Chinese influences through its approach to Natural Ease. Recent features in ELLE Italia and Fashion Law Journal, alongside ELLE Italia's coverage of the brand's participation in Venice's The Third Shore, introduce international readers to the ideas and product decisions behind this approach.
For INSIS, Natural Ease begins with the experience of wearing a garment: how a fabric feels against the skin, how a cut accommodates movement, and how a piece fits into different parts of the day. These considerations connect the brand's merino wool knitwear, alpaca-blend outerwear and signature Asymmetric Pants, giving its collections a consistent emphasis on comfort, proportion and individual ways of dressing.
Natural Ease, from fabric to fit
With a core team from the textile industry and a product research and development headquarters established in Shanghai in 2019, INSIS treats material selection as an early design decision. The weight, texture and behaviour of a fabric help determine the garment's shape and construction.
Its Autumn/Winter 2026 collection includes 17.5-micron superfine Australian merino wool knitwear, yak-fibre-and-wool knits, and outerwear combining Suri alpaca with wool. Fine merino wool brings softness to pieces worn close to the skin. Yak fibre contributes warmth, while Suri alpaca adds lustre and fluidity to outerwear. The choice of yarn, blend and construction allows these qualities to take different forms.
Natural Ease also depends on the less visible work of pattern-making. Softened shoulder lines, eased armholes and seamless knitwear address how clothing rests against the body and moves with it. Selected reversible and adjustable pieces offer additional ways to wear a garment as routines and preferences change.
In its interview with INSIS, "Why 'Rooting' in Time Is Fashion's Most Radical Choice," Fashion Law Journal examines how the brand translates its ideas into decisions about materials, development, pricing and fit. The conversation gives practical context to Natural Ease, connecting the feel of a finished garment with the work involved in making it.
Asymmetric Pants and a subtle Chinese influence
The INSIS Asymmetric Pants are a signature expression of this approach. Their off-centre fronts and balanced proportions give everyday trousers a distinctive silhouette, with related designs developed in different fabrics and lengths.
Within this design language, the curved detail of the angled fly front draws inspiration from traditional Chinese architecture. That reference becomes a line in the pattern and a change in the proportions of the garment. Its origin can be understood through the construction, while the trousers remain easy to combine with a contemporary wardrobe.
The INSIS Asymmetric Wide-leg Pants feature an asymmetric wrap front, front pleats and curved side seams in brushed twill. The wider range also includes cotton-linen and wool-blend trousers, adapting the brand's interest in asymmetry to different textures and wearing needs.
This is how INSIS approaches subtle Chinese design: architectural references and an attention to material enter the structure of the clothing. A curve, a fold or an altered proportion can carry cultural meaning through a detail that feels familiar in everyday wear.
Time, Nature and Body
ELLE Italia's feature on INSIS explores the brand through Time, Nature and Body, connecting its approach to materials and construction with the everyday experience of wearing clothes. These ideas give context to Natural Ease: the feel of a fabric, the freedom to move, and the place a garment can hold in a wardrobe over time.
INSIS develops selected styles across seasons, revisiting fabrics, construction and fit. This continuity allows familiar pieces to evolve and gives wearers the opportunity to return to shapes that work for them. Natural Ease extends into this longer relationship with clothing: finding pieces that can accompany changing circumstances without demanding a new wardrobe for each one.
The brand's cultural participation brings these interests into a wider conversation. In September 2026, INSIS took part as a co-creator of The Third Shore's founding event in Venice, where cinema, science, art and craftsmanship came together. ELLE Italia's report on The Third Shore provides the context for that gathering and its exchanges across disciplines.
For INSIS, questions about materials, making and cultural knowledge have a direct connection to clothing. They inform both its product development and its expression, "Clothing, for being, for becoming"—an invitation for wearers to find their own relationship with what they wear.
About INSIS
Founded in China in 2015, INSIS is a womenswear brand with a background in textiles and a product research and development headquarters established in Shanghai in 2019. Its collections bring together Natural Ease, an emphasis on materials and subtle Chinese influences across trousers, knitwear, outerwear and everyday wardrobe pieces.
Explore INSIS clothing and its collections at insis.shop.
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INSIS Brings Natural Ease into Focus Through Materials and Subtle Chinese Design
