By Ayotomi Akinlosotu- Williams
It’s safe to say fast fashion has literally taken over the world. Companies like Fashion Nova
continue to stay relevant through celebrity endorsement deals and clever sales pitches (If you haven’t had
a Fashion Nova text cuss you out yet, I think you should subscribe for a good laugh.) Shein and its sister
companies Romwe and Zaful repeatedly push out new styles on a daily rotation, maintaining a clearance
section with ridiculously low prices. And I’m sure we have all copped a cute top or jacket from Boohoo.
It seems never-ending. But how long is it going to last?
When it comes to the rising of these companies, it’s hard to pinpoint the specific moment that
they landed as full trends. Fast fashion itself has been around since the 90s. Oxford Dictionary defines it
to be “inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends.”
While brands like Shein and Asos started to become mainstream around 2017 thanks to their use of
advertising, the real wave of online shopping rose up with the pandemic because consumers weren’t able
to shop in stores.
A lot of the styles are derived from international wholesale fashions like AliExpress and Alibaba,
which shows in the lack of originality (Ever been browsing online and thought to yourself, “I SWEAR
I’ve seen this before”?). With that being said, this is the million-dollar question: What is keeping these
companies thriving when everything seems the same?
Social media plays a huge role. As mentioned before, celebrities constantly advertise the clothes
produced by Fashion Nova, using their influencer role to bring in more consumer interest. You can
purchase items found in a post with the click of a button, thanks to platforms such as Instagram and
Facebook. According to Shopify, these social commerce sales are expected to triple by 2025.
The social media aspect affects smaller brands as well, casting them into the shadows once a
larger company remakes and sells it. Many smaller designers have had their unique designs turned into
dupes by brands such as AliExpress, Shein, and more.
Mary Imaj is an up and coming fashion designer who has witnessed her own creation, the Ebony
bag, being duped. Her brand, MaryImaj, is inspired by her late mother. Stemming from their shared love
of bags, it began as a passion project for her that turned into something even bigger.
“When I posted it, it blew up,” said Mary. “And then here comes Amazon, here comes all these
other brands doing the same exact thing after literally retweeting me, or they may even follow me and still
do that.”
When it comes to maintaining a unique brand among all the fast fashion out there, Mary credits
all of her designs to how she felt at the time. For example, her Chloe slides were created when she was in
a comfy mood. “No matter what I put out or what I create, it’s for me first,” she shared. “There’s only one
you, and whatever your power is, you have to use that power to your advantage.”
Mary predicted that people will continue to buy fast fashion despite the quality, because it’s
cheaper. Even though they may never stop duping, she says the best way for smaller brands to push
through is for everyone to keep supporting each other.
“If we support each other there’s no way we can lose.”
– Mary Imaj, 2023
Wisdom, another small brand owner, agrees that these fast fashion brands will be slow to die out
due to social trends and the easy access online shopping allows. Her brand, DaringByDavina. was
originally a thrift reconstruction brand and is now dedicated to helping individuals find their personal
style, as a well as styling editorial shoots and hosting fashion seminars.
When it comes to the constant similarities and repeated styles among so many fast fashion
companies, Wisdom described the phenomenon as exhausting. (I agree!) “Constantly seeing the same
design through high- and low-end brands can become overwhelming, especially when you’re searching for
a statement piece,” she said.
“I also know that without these fast fashion brands, a lot of pieces would be unavailable to the
– Wisdom Davina, 2023
typical consumer, especially in today’s economy,” Wisdom added. She acknowledges that fast fashion is
the easier option for a lot of consumers.
With that being said, I think it’s safe to say that fast fashion won’t be going anywhere for a long
time. There are pros and cons to this – While it provides easy access and low prices to those who want to
be able to express themselves through trendy styles, it also poses a threat to the lesser-known creatives
and talented designers looking to build a name for themselves. We can start combating this massive form
of capitalism by purchasing products from the true source, and if not, at least thrift shop more to help
improve sustainability and fund these companies a bit less. It’s important to support the smaller brands
being built from the ground up, and make sure designers get the recognition they deserve!