Fast fashion: Is the party over?

Fast fashion: Is the party over?

For low end retailers, sales are down and returns are up, while the mid market and eco brands continue to grow.

BY Belinda White | 08 April 2011

The scene in fashion retailer Primark Photo: SARAH BROOK

The flood of fast, throwaway fashion on the high street in recent years has inevitably led to questions about where the clothes are being made, who's making them and in what conditions, not to mention the environmental effects of mass production, and shocking waste.

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Countless campaigns and documentaries urging consumers to shop smart - i.e. buy less and better quality - seemed to wash over the women clogging up London's shopping Mecca, Oxford Street, struggling under the weight of bulging Primark bags.
But it seems the tide may finally be turning. Following on from H&M's shock results in the final quarter of 2010 which saw profits fall 11 per cent, fashion comparison website Stylecompare.co.uk has today reported that year-on-year sales of 'low end' retailers fell by 21 per cent, as consumers flock to 'mid range' and eco brands for their fashion fixes.
And it's not just bad news for sales. The number of people returning 'low end' items has also risen by almost 30 per cent, suggesting that consumers expect more for their money.
However, it's not all doom and gloom on the high street. While 'low end' retailers are struggling, there has been a significant uplift in sales of 'mid range' fashion brands such as Urban Outfitters and My-Wardrobe.com , where the average consumer spend has risen by 8.03 per cent year-on-year on pricier items.
StyleCompare.co.uk, which allows customers to compare items by retailer and price, has also noted that sales of durable eco brands, including Melissa and Fashion Conscience have boomed by as much as 68 per cent.
Julia Rebaudo from StyleCompare.co.uk comments: "Our research has shown that the UK's shopping climate is set to change drastically. The problems that lower end brands like H&M have recently experienced have been unexpected, to say the least; however the notion of buying a dress just for the purposes of a Saturday night on the town seems fairly outdated. Quite simply, consumers are becoming more aware of the value of 'investment pieces', particularly at a time when being conscientious with your spending is a must.
'Eco brands are also set to make a big comeback, as the evidence is mounting that consumers associate eco with quality, and care more about where and when their clothes are manufactured."