ZARA : Fast Fashion How-To

More. Faster. Better ? Zara !

The Retail Phenomenon that is Zara makes things fast, cheap, and only produces limited quantity items in order to beat their retail competitors, but at what price to the environment, the fashion industry at large, and our personal sense of satisfaction and fulfillment? Zara is the leader of the the fast fashion movement, and as a company it continues to grow at an astounding pace.

To what extent do designer and luxury brands suffer from the ability of Zara to receive two day per week shipment deliveries, offer dirt cheap prices, and blatantly copy works of some of the most highly trained and talented designers working today?

With the modern day bombardment of more and more information and sensory input are we heading in the direction of “wear once and toss” clothing? With the trend that splashed the headlines yesterday becoming available within hours, are we losing the natural luxury of desiring something in waiting, and then, basking in the culmination of attainment?

As a culture are we losing our ability to make informed and deliberate consumer choices based upon the concept of “curation?” Or, instead, do we now simply accumulate items only to quickly lose interest and move on to the next. Zara sure hopes this to be the case, and based upon their near global domination at the high street level, I would say we are there.

What percentage of the items in your wardrobe are truly cherished items that fit your body perfectly, can endure extended wear, and are timeless? Shouldn’t that number be higher?

There is of course a movement away from this abyss of excess in the ethical and sustainable fashion community, albeit a less glamorous one.

What do you think?  What is it going to take to convince the consumer that lasting long term durability, exceptional fit, and designer quality outshines fast and fleeting, even if it means less clothes hanging in one’s closet?

Check out the following sites for more info on how we can change the industry!

http://www.ecofashionworld.com/

http://www.ethicalfashionforum.com/

http://www.fashioninganethicalindustry.org/teachingmaterials/