Words by Amy Foster
This London Fashion week was kicked off with a runway show from fast fashion giant H&M. Although the Swedish based brand has been present in fashion week for over a decade, it is outside of the usual high end fashion suspects that most would expect to see,and is met with criticism every time. Perhaps this is down to straightforward snobbery, but on the other hand many of the negative points raised against H&M’s involvement are in reference to their sustainability as a fast fashion brand. On the other end of the fashion spectrum, Ebay, who were also present at London fashion week, presented a collection of pre-loved designer items for viewers to buy as they watched. Although both brands are considered outsiders from the high end fashion sphere and attempting to make their mark in uncharted territory, the approaches are vastly different, as is the reception.
In 2013, H&M made their runway debut at Paris fashion week, a self-proclaimed effort of “entering the high fashion arena”. The reviews for the show, at the time, were seemingly positive, although Glamour still referred to H&M as “your favourite fast fashion brand”.In the very same year the infamous Rana Plaza disaster occurred, killing thousands of workers who were producing garments for fast fashion brands, including H&M.The significance of the Rana Plaza disaster forced consumers to think about the true cost of their clothing and thus kickstarted the movement against fast fashion. Following the disaster, promises and targets were made regarding wages, working conditions and sustainability, many of which it was later discovered H&M had failed to meet, as reported by sustainability report website Good on You. Regardless of how many emissions H&M claims to reduce or packaging they aim to make recyclable, the fast fashion model will continue to create tons of clothing waste and many consumers are no longer willing to turn blind eye. For their 2026 London fashion week appearance, H&M delivered an event that was as star studded as ever and whilst the press coverage of the event did not appear to be especially negative, a quick scroll through social media will paint a picture of cynicism amongst viewers that is hard to ignore, a sign that the tide of public opinion has well and truly turned against the fast fashion model.
No stranger to rebranding themselves, Ebay have also recently been taking steps to integrate themselves to the high end fashion market. In 2022 Ebay took over Love Island advertising duties from a previous run of fast fashion giants including Boohoo, Nasty Gal and Pretty Little Thing. Not only did Ebay gain a primetime advertising slot on one of the nations favourite TV shows but they also provided clothing to the Villa, dressing the islanders in pre-loved fashion whilst simultaneously placing themselves as an antidote to fast fashion. In 2024, Ebay launched their very own fashion show ‘Endless Runway’ at London Fashion week. As the name suggests, the show highlights the cyclical nature of clothing, showcasing pre-loved items and providing them a new lease of life. This year’s iteration of the show saw Amelia Dimoldenberg host second-hand items, including donations from Daisy Edgar Jones and Harry Lambert, were sent down the runway. The ability to attract such high profile and culturally relevant celebrities speaks to Ebay’s success in marketing themselves as the place to shop for vintage clothing. The drawback to Ebay’s models however is that there are no new designs heading down the runway. With that being said, the public reaction to the concept has remained positive, unsurprising considering that pre-loved and vintage shopping is increasingly popular and even considered an aspirational way to shop amongst younger consumers who previously would have associated the brand with selling Grandma’s old furniture.
The inclusion of both H&M and Ebay on London fashion week has highlighted the vast differences that still exist in the clothing industry today. It is evident that fast fashion brands are quickly becoming victims of a sustainability-conscious generation, whilst second hand clothing sellers are benefiting from the very same phenomenon. For the sake of the planet we can only hope that this trajectory continues into the future and that pre-loved shopping is not simply a trend, but is here to stay.
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