THE RISE OF FAST FASHION
Retailers H&M, Zara, and Forever 21 rose as the new main shopping places of the millennium, replacing department stores like Macy’s, JCPenney, and Kohl’s. Target also found success in collaborating with various designers for featured lines at the retail stores at affordable prices. Fast fashion in this aspect allowed more people to shop designer items for decent prices which also opened the door for copycat styles. More American centered brands appeared in the mid 2000s such as Wet Seal, American Apparel, Hollister, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
The increase of fast fashion introduced many concerns for the ethics behind the production process. The working conditions, security, and non-livable wages for clothing workers were the main issues. Alongside it, was the issue of excess waste. The appeal of fast fashion highlighted the opportunity of having items that copy the higher end brands but at a more affordable price. But as the trends were constantly switching, the materials were often left behind to be thrown out to make space for whichever new trends were taking over instead. The main retailers of the era came across the backlash of waste plus the involvement of cheap labor.
2000S TRENDS MAKING A COMEBACK
Most of these throwback trends, fads, and styles are revisiting our fashion influences today. Although some looks were thought to be lacking fashion potential, others had just enough to be revived for the late 2010s and into the 2020s. The 2020s have taken the styles of the past and upgraded them with a more modern and cleaner aesthetic, but the foundation remains the same. Items that were once in our closets, worn out from constant use, and later thrown away as a passing fad have been welcomed into our wardrobe again – and aged better this time.
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