The story behind that 99pence top.

We now live in a world of fast fashion, where what you wear this week may be different from the next. This would not be possible without the aid and developments of new technologies and communication. This essay will investigate the power and responsibility of fast fashion. Is fast fashion throwaway fashion? I will also be looking into the consequences of the fast throw away fashion, consumer and the eco fashion brands and campaigns opposing what seems to be dominating the fashion industry in recent years.

This essay will explore the consumer’s responsibility within the industry in the choices they make and how they affect the rest of the world both ethically and environmentally. To do this I will gather a range of opinions related to this topic as well as contacting clothing designers/ brands to find out if they feel any responsibility for the damaging effects they may be creating within their business.

I set out to make people aware of what is going on behind the scenes of our ‘glamorous fashion industry’ focusing on budget retailers, as well as exploring them for myself, the reasons behind throw away fashion and what we as consumers can do to help what is going on behind closed doors with just our spending power. I do this in hope that others can be aware of these issues and may think more carefully about that 99 pence top that lasted until the first time it was washed.

Until the early 1960’s the world fashion scene was dominated by a long list of French designers such as Dior, Givenchy, Balmain and Bealenciaga. Affordable only to high-class society. Mass production of these garments was not an option not only because demand for the garments was not at the level we see today where mass production is needed, but the technology was not there to be put into action at the time. Finely honed crafts people specialising in pattern making, sewing and cutting in the production of garments were used in the manufacture of these garments.

In Europe and the USA from the 1960’s and especially in the last twenty years there have been dramatic changes in the structure of the fashion industry, this is due to the quick response fashion requires. This ranges from high fashion exclusives to the great number of named designers and brands on the international fashion scene. This provides the average consumer with a very wide choice of fresh and original designs, due to the huge amount of fashion designers and brands it is now even more important to make sure your label is creating the latest on trend designs and that they are sent out for manufacturing as soon as possible. To secure success the use of up-to-date technology is vital to get the designs out to the customer as soon as possible. Without the use of these technologies your designs would be dated by the time they reach the shop floor.

‘ Fast Fashion is like fast food its cheap, addictive and unsustainable’ – Ethical Fashion Form 2006

Improvements need to be made now.