fast fashion

noun

: an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers

For many shoppers, Primark has an irresistible offer: trendy clothes at astonishingly low prices. The result is a new and even faster kind of fast fashion, which encourages consumers to buy heaps of items, discard them after a few wears and then come back for another batch of new outfits.

—The Economist

Competition is fierce at every end of the fashion spectrum from luxury to fast fashion.

—Nedra Rhone

In 1985, we bought roughly 31 clothing items per year; now [in 2012] we snap up twice that many thanks to "fast fashion."

—Azeen Ghorayshi

—usually hyphenated when used before another noun

fast-fashion chains/retailers

Examples of fast fashion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Consumers have become more aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion, and the US has experienced high inflation since the COVID-19 pandemic that has made everyone want to tighten their budgets. —Allison McClain Merrill, Glamour, 2 Jan. 2025

Education is key—raising awareness about fast fashion's true cost can shift cultural attitudes and inspire more responsible choices by consumers. —Dianne Plummer, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024

What brands are considered fast fashion? Brands like H&M, Shein, Forever 21, Zara, Revolve, Fashion Nova, ASOS, Cider and more are all considered fast fashion. —Presley Bo Tyler, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024

The Global Fashion Summit-Shanghai Gala attracted a variety of brands ranging from fast fashion to entry-level and high-end luxury, as well as decision-makers from marketing, retail, and the supply chain. —Li Jun, WWD, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above