Fast-Fashion Has No Place This Hot Girl Summer
Photo via Stella McCartney (Winter 2017 Collection)
From the “indie girl” to the “art hoe,” teens in today’s society have become increasingly concerned with establishing their aesthetic. And with social media being an important facet in these teenagers’ lives, the idea of being “trendy” has become increasingly more important. However, the very idea of “trendy” is ever-changing, and does not mean the same thing today as it did even five years ago.
The fast-paced trend cycles of the past few years have taken the fashion world by storm, driving massive overconsumption in consumers, and a decline in ethicality and environmental consciousness in fashion companies. (To read more about the specific ethical and environmental impact of fast-fashion, visit “The Detrimental Effects of Fast Fashion” by Gabrielle Goodman).
There are three types of trends, those being fads, microtrends, and macrotrends. Fads can last anywhere from a season to a month, while microtrends can last 1-5 years. Macrotrends don’t apply as much to specific styles as they do to brands or production itself, such as the macrotrend concerning sustainability and ethicality when it comes to clothing production.
While there has been more conversations about rapid trend cycles on social media, particularly on TikTok, they commonly refer to the fast-paced, single-piece fashion trends as microtrends. Most of the trends they’re referring to, such as the famous ‘Strawberry Dress,’ lasted less than a year, making them fall more into the “fad” category.
While some social media fads, such as the aforementioned Strawberry Dress, can go hand-in-hand with ethicality and sustainability, it doesn’t take much for these fads to spiral out of control and encourage more production and consumption of cheap and unethically created pieces.
Continuing with the example of Strawberry Dress, it gained traction and popularity in the Spring and Summer of 2020. Created by Lirika Matoshi, the New York City-based design brand prides itself on paying its 40-person, all-female staff a living wage, and ethically sourcing their fabrics. Not long after the Strawberry Dress’ popularization, people complained about the $500 price point, recommending cheaper dupes they found off of Wish and Shein. The Strawberry Dress, among many other sustainably and ethically-made products, was essentially displaced by fast-fashion dupes.
The fad-based popularization of specific pieces like the Strawberry Dress is what keeps fast-fashion businesses thriving. As fashion trend cycles shift away from the general styles or color schemes of the past, it begins to embrace specific pieces that are created to fit equally specific aesthetics.
Summer is a particularly rampant time for aesthetic-based consumption to go out of control. Looking at the 2020 Google Search Trends, searches for Shein were at their highest in June and July.
At this point, most people have heard the talking point that fast-fashion is plain horrible. It’s unethical, it’s environmentally damaging, and companies often profit off of stolen art. It feels like an argument that, at times, can go around in circles. And frankly, it will continue to go around in circles if consumers continue to buy into hyper-specific trends for the sake of the aesthetic.
People tend to criticize the mere existence of fast fashion companies, without questioning the reason they exist and continue to thrive. If society continues to prioritize theme-based aesthetics over its impact as consumers, fast-fashion will continue to thrive.
Not everyone can afford to shop all-sustainable, but what everyone can do is take the time to evaluate the value of new pieces they’re considering adding to their wardrobe. So this summer, when every TikTok influencer is sporting the same floral sundress, think before you buy.
Sources:
https://www.nssmag.com/en/fashion/24740/macro-trend-luxury-2021
https://medium.com/@sahitya.atluri/lets-talk-about-the-strawberry-dress-65d7f6622e9f