How Fast Fashion Works: Can It Work for You, Too?

When people hear "fast fashion," the retail giants Zara or H&M usually spring to mind. However, few really know what fast fashion is, operationally speaking, and how it takes advantage of Quick Response (QR) production and dynamic assortment planning to reduce traditional design, production/purchasing and distribution processes from years and months to just a few short weeks. This article walks readers through a more precise, illuminating definition of fast fashion as a business model. No discussion of how this model is able to create value would be complete without also mentioning the ethical and environmental concerns associated with it. The authors also suggest possible applications of the fast-fashion model to other industries -- from food to phones to entertainment and more.