Over the past few decades, our shopping habits have transformed, and our wardrobes have expanded. Previously, we only shopped when there were ongoing seasonal discounts (Ryan, 2017). But presently, discounts and bargains are all year-round. Yet while our bursting wardrobes may make us feel ‘complete’ for a while, the environment continues to bear the cost. It is time we all got informed. 

So, what is fast fashion? Fast fashion is the rapid production of apparel that emulates fashion trends. It is usually made at low cost and sold in bulk online across the world (The Good Trade,2018). This is the general description given by a simple google search, however, there are even more political implications entailing this phenomenon and we will explore it later! 

 

Fast Fashion – Social consumerism 

The influx of social media has rendered a substantial influence on youth dressing and styles. Driven by the desire to have the latest fashion at the lowest possible price, youths continuously purchase these clothes churned out by fast-fashion companies 

To further promote their branding, companies such as H&M, Zara and Shein often scout influencers to unbox hauls of sponsored clothes on their Instagram stories. According to research conducted by Ferlie & Chan on adolescents, it is found that materialistic consumption of youths is usually influenced by media celebrities, to imitate their dressings. 

Social media instils the mentality that it is a ‘sin’ to re-wear an outfit once shown to the public. Thus, individuals opt for low-cost yet trendy clothing which increases the consumption of fast-fashion garments (Morgan & Birtwistle,2009). 

Fast-fashion clothing often falls apart after a couple of washes or wears due to low-quality standards. It also tends to go out of style quickly because it’s made to meet society’s hunger for passing trends, not to stand the test of time. 

Now we have figured out what fast fashion is, we shall explore in-depth on the implications of fast fashion in the next blog post! 

 

References 

Ferle, C. L., & Chan, K. (2008). Determinants for materialism among adolescents in Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/17473610810901633/full/html 

Morgan, L. R., & Birtwistle, G. (2009). An investigation of young fashion consumers’ disposal habits. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2009.00756.x 

Ryan, T. (2017). Are fashion trends moving too fast for retail? Retrieved from https://www.retailwire.com/discussion/are-fashion-trends-moving-too-fast-for-retail/ 

The Good Trade (2018). What does fast fashion mean. Retrieved from https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-fast-fashion