Cheap fashion - bargain or kiss of death?

Now don’t get us wrong. The girls at Mee love nothing more than a bargain, especially when it comes to fashion. TopShop, H&M, Zara, we love them all. However, while a bargain is all well and good, where it does leave designers and independent boutiques, especially when the top magazines seem to be constantly endorsing the high street, and telling us to shop at Primark?

Designers work hard to maintain the prestige of their brands. The quality of the fabrics, the workmanship, and the exclusivity justify the higher price tag. When the high street directly copy these designs, and then promotes them in the top magazines, how can up-and-coming designers possibly stay in business? Since when did Warehouse, Topshop and Mango start advertising in Vogue? Surely they should be supporting British fashion at its true core, not giving in because of lucrative sponsorship deals.

The fashion and retail industry is competitive enough, and increasingly difficult, especially when these magazines are telling our customers to shop on the high street. What happened to promoting designer fashion AND the high street, something British fashion has been famous for? Instead, it’s now about where to buy a whole outfit for under £50.

Where will it all end? Every town will look the same, there will be no independent boutiques or small businesses, and we will end up a nation of clones, all wearing the same £10 dress from Primark and £5 shoes from New Look.