People stunned after realising what Shein actually means after finding out original name

It's fair to say that fast-fashion retailer Shein is no stranger to hitting the headlines.

For those unfamiliar with the online clothing supermarket - famed for its controversial antics - the Gen-Z favoured business is one of the quickest-growing apparel brands on the planet, and is known for being involved in various trademark disputes and class action lawsuits.

The online retailer is known for its controversial antics. (Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Earlier this week, for example, the fashion site found itself in hot water again after an alleged customer - known by her TikTok handle @emperkyxxxx - announced an apparent issue with her latest purchase.

In the video, the woman showed the outside of a faux leather purse before opening it up, discovering that its cardboard lining.

She allegedly discovered that the lining of her crocodile print wallet had been made out of a bright orange COVID-19 testing kit.

And just weeks earlier, the accessory giant revealed it had launched an investigation after a woman found a ‘vial of blood’ in her order.

23-year-old Anna Elliot from Tennessee was ‘left in tears’ over the discovery due to having a ‘life-long major phobia’ of blood.

"At first I was trying not to panic because I thought maybe it was a joke or maybe they had fake blood vials for Halloween and somehow it ended up in my bag," she said in a TikTok video.

A woman has revealed her purse was made of a 'surprise' item. (TikTok/@emperkyxxxx)

"But then I realised it was from an actual lab and it was real and I really panicked."

Today, however, Shein has hit the headlines for a different reason entirely, after a hoard of shoppers were mind-blown to discover what the firm is actually named after.

According to tech site Not Boring, when Chinese CEO Chris Xu first founded the firm, it was actually called Sheinside, with the website sheinside.com first being registered in March 2011, advertising itself as a 'wedding dress company' which also sold various other pieces of women's clothing.

And by the sounds of things, the news has come as a shock for various online shoppers.

"More people need to know Shein stands for SheInside, as in, She Inside The Clothes," one penned on social media this week.

Shoppers can't believe what Shein used to be called. (Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Another went on: "Sorry but when people pronounce SHEIN as Sheen I’m like ?????? Before it was SHEIN it was called SheInside so I assumed it’d be pronounced She-In"

A third also tweeted: "Finding out that SHEIN was originally called “SheInside” is hilarious because i really don’t know where y’all got sheen from."

"just found out shein comes from sheinside. hell yeah she is," another continued.