The last 15 years we have been bombarded with fast fashion. Thanks to H&M, Zara and Primark we have sold our souls to sandpaper fabric fashion. Clothes that don’t last a season, but look so appealing. Who better to lead this way than ZARA, who steal from the runway and thanks to them in a few weeks you can purchase the imitation. Fast fashion has dug a hole and personally, I think it is irreversible to try and retract from buying fast fashion. People don’t care about the quality they care about the trends and the feel-good factor of shopping.
Poor quality fabrics are the very reason, I have not shopped at any of the above brands for years.
Thanks to ZARA, the battle of sustainable fashion message of buying less is a hard sell. It can’t come down to us as buyers. It has to come from the top. This Printed Dress is one of the reasons why I crumble under buying pressure.
Fast Fashion Fabric Quality
People really don’t care or maybe the younger generation does not understand quality fabrics. Which is why the current high street brands take advantage to hike up the prices and sell utter crap.
This year the quality of fast fashion clothing is horrible. It has got so bad I am committed to proving my point. I went into a Levi shop today and the 501’s when I felt them were thin and horrible. I own Levis from years ago and the fabric is not what it use to be. This reflects on other brands like G-Star Raw, Karen Millen, Whistle, Hobbs and LK Bennet, to name a few.
I am kicking myself giving away all my wardrobe I bought before 2005. Most I lost in a house fire.
I have been in high-end labels and I am shocked to feel they too have compromised their quality.
Wool Versus Fast Fashion
I am a lover of wool.
In the last two weeks, I have been in Massimo Dutti and Uterque which I deem fast fashion. I am shocked to see prices have gone up to 800 euro per item. I can assure you the quality is not better than 10 years ago and in most cases, it has got worse.
It is mainly their Limited Edition selling at high prices but still, this is way off regarding the quality versus price. And I can buy the same style and colour jacket in ZARA for much less.
I love my style and trend in my own style. So when I do see trends it has to be special.
Primark
I will never forget when Primark hit the scene way back in 2005. Everyone was talking about how cheap it was. I went into the Brighton store and nearly fell over the Mannequin. How I shop is whatever catches my eye and I then look and feel the fabrics. This was cheap nasty crap and the fabrics were like sandpaper on my skin and very thin materials.
I grew up in an era of fine quality clothing all about atelier, bespoke fabrics. This is in my DNA. I rarely wear crap fabrics and when I do I give my clothes away within a month.
That is not good for my budget nor the sustainable fashion message.
Regarding the shopping experience when sales on clothing happened 20 years ago on average twice a year, it was so much fun and choices had to be made apposed to quantity. Those days are long gone.
Zara Versace Printed Dress
I first spotted ZARA in 1997 and have over the years watch it grow to the biggest street fast fashion brand in the world. I regret giving my ZARA clothes away during those first few years. Its quality was so much better. This is very common amongst fashion brands when they first come out.
I have not shopped at ZARA for almost 3 years and I live in a city where ZARA is the cheapest in the world. But I do go in there to have a peak and am impressed with the design and price of the clothing on sale. I know which luxury brands they have copied too. One-touch and look at the fabric and it is a clear reminder of why I don’t buy a thing. How many people have this will power?
The quality in 2019, is at its worse for me. I know the clothes won’t last after a few washes.
Last week I was strolling in Barcelona the home to some of the best and massive ZARA stores in the world. ZARA Barcelona Spain sells items that no other part of the world will get access too. The shopping experience is lovely, and the stores are located in stunning historical buildings. ZARA owns or rents the best boutiques generally around the globe in any city. To date I rarely see an empty ZARA store, it is always booming.
ZARA Printed Dress Limited Edition
In the window, I spotted unbeknown to me a Limited Edition Printed Dress. I have never been tempted to buy anything in ZARA in three years. I was hooked, that sustainable fashion message went out the window. I didn’t care I was going in and buying that dress, I had lost all control. This long dress featuring a high neck with tied detail, long sleeves, in-seam side pockets was a damn bag on-trend and practical. In-seam side pockets are so edgy and are rarely found on other dresses.
The belt at the waist in the same fabric was perfect for covering my bulging belly. The flared hem and invisible back zip fastening were wonderful it looked clean and slick, it was a genius design. This everything Versace inspired dress was gorgeous and I was going to have it.
I started to have a melt down as I knew why when dresses like this come out, the battle of sustainable fashion message of buying less will never succeed. Who could resist this dress at 80 euro why would I? It can be worn all day and all night long. I had lost the eco-friendly plot this dress was mine.
Why Didn’t I Buy It?
As I tried it on my sustainable fashion head started to kick in. It is made of viscose which is a cheaper fabric and it felt horrible. I knew that after a few washes this dress would look horrible. I am a person that wears clothes over and over and at this price, I don’t want to have fear of not being able to wear it due to it looking horrible.
I also asked the question do I need it? Will I wear it after a season? Is it a dress that would stay in my wardrobe for years? I am penchant for rewearing.
Does it make me feel good?
The answer is no. However, I know this dress like others will fly off the shelves as it is a bargain for what it is. I know this dress is why that sustainable fashion message at this stage amongst many is falling on deaf ears. It is going to take serious regulations from the top to get the job done properly.
Another brand that copies fast fashion which is owned by Zara is called Uterque.
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