Fast Fashion

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Business

H&M CEO Talks Bangladesh Safety Reform, Using 'Too Skinny' Models

In the past year--and, especially these last few months in the wake of the recent Bangladesh factory tragedies--fast fashion retailers have been facing immense pressure from consumer and labor groups to become more socially and environmentally responsible. So Metro caught up with H&M CEO Karl Johan Persson to ask him all the hard questions about the brand's business practices--and whether it was about factories in Bangladesh or overly-skinny models, Persson didn't shy away from giving the honest answers.

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Business

What Brands, Workers, Governments and We Must Do in the Wake of the Tragedies in Bangladesh

I woke up this morning to news that there had been yet another garment factory fire in Bangladesh, which killed 8 night shift workers. A collective shaking our heads is in order, before we get into the very necessary next steps that fashion brands, the Bangladeshi government, garment labor groups, and we, the “fashionistas,” must take. With 900 garment workers dead and counting, the Rana Plaza factory collapse on April 24 is the worst disaster in the garment industry’s history. Sadly, there are no guarantees it is the last. Just after the collapse, I’d called for brands to start holding their factories accountable, and for us to resist buying fast fashion. The glaring truth: boycotting brands does further damage to this delicate situation.

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Business

A Call to Action Following the Garment Factory Collapse in Bangladesh

The garment industry of my motherland, Bangladesh, is burning, collapsing and struggling to stay afloat in the world economy. The worst part? All goods belong to the lowest bidder. No safety regulations, no living wage and no respect for the health, bodies and wellbeing of workers. As the Bangladeshi government scrambles in the face of another “accident,” thousands are protesting against abhorrent conditions in Bangladesh’s Savar Industrial Zone. The names of the retailers’ tags discovered in the rubble: Mango, Joe Fresh and United Colors of Benetton. I can’t help but lament the irony of these names—evocative of the tropical, the colorful and alive, much like the verdant landscape of Bangladesh. The same sickening feeling I had on November 24, 2012, when a factory fire killed 112 Bangladeshi workers. Post-Thanksgiving meal, I jumped to sweep up Black Friday deals. More ironic names: Faded Glory. Gap. Buried among these lost garments are the bodies of folks, mostly women, who knew that something was terribly wrong with the building when they clocked into work. Now, where do we fit it in?

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Shopping

Is Zara Responsible for the Increasingly Jam-Packed Fashion Calendar?

We may have Zara to thank for the non-stop fashion cycle. Only a decade ago, high fashion designers were responsible for creating two collections per year: Fall and Spring. But in recent years that number has doubled, if not tripled: Most labels now churn out a Resort and Pre-fall collection, as well as in some cases, capsule collections, special collaborations and couture. And, according to the New York Times, it's all because of Zara.

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Style

Fashionista Week In Review: The September Glossy Cover Stars Revealed, Debating Kate Upton's Size, and Target's Most Amazing Collaboration Yet

Avoid Falling Into The Fast Fashion Fray: The author of Overdressed schooled us in smart shopping, offering advice on how to steer clear of fast fashion and preaching the value of quality goods. The September Issues: It may only be July, but that hasn't stopped big-name glossies from releasing info on their September cover stars. Check out some of the surprising choices. Critics Weigh In On Kate Upton: Since appearing on the cover of GQ, Kate Upton has created quite a stir among those in the fashion world. She's not rail thin like most models, which has led some to call her fat. Go weigh in on the debate.

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Style

Fashionista Week In Review: Kate Upton's Wardrobe Malfunction Caught on Tape, Street Style Psychology and PETA's Anti-Olsen Twins Crusade

Kate Upton's Behind The Scenes Video: Banned from YouTube and Vimeo before finally calling GQ's website home, a behind the scenes video from Kate Upton's GQ feature by Terry Richardson made waves when it hit the web. Not surprisingly, her boobs are the star of the show. Fashion Memes Promote Stylish Procrastination: We rounded up our ten favorite fashion-related memes for a good Friday LOL, and now we're asking you to revisit them because, let's face it, they're still hilarious. Menswear Trends For The Gals: A good suit or blazer is just as much a necessity for men as it is for women, but that's not where the gender bending ends. We took a look at some of the top street style trends at menswear fashion week and made them work for the girls. We wouldn't recommend that Nazi-inspired look that's been trending, though...

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Style

Overdressed Author Elizabeth Cline Tells Us Why Michelle Obama (and Everyone Else) Should Stop Shopping at Target and H&M

No one loves a good fashion deal more than us. I mean who can resist the siren call of a $20 H&M dress? Or the summer sale at Zara, for that matter? But while fast fashion seems awesome (trends right off the runway for all for the price of dinner), it could be coming at a serious cost to our planet, our culture, and ultimately, ourselves, as Elizabeth L. Cline warns in her new book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion (Portfolio/Penguin, $25.95). The book has been likened to Fast Food Nation, but for cheap rompers and jeggings. At the risk of turning us off of our favorite in-a-bind fast fashion chains for good (sometimes you just have to see how the sausage gets made), we spoke with Cline about why fast fashion is so toxic, what will need to change in the fashion industry, and how you can help.