Fst fshn s th bsnss mdl f rplctng rcnt ctwlk trnds nd hgh-fshn dsgns, mss-prdcng thm t lw cst, nd brngng thm t rtl qckly whl dmnd s t ts hghst. Th trm fst fshn s ls sd gnrclly t dscrb th prdcts f ths bsnss mdl, prtclrly clthng nd ftwr. Rtlrs wh mply th fst fshn strtgy ncld Prmrk, H&M, Shn, nd Zr, ll f whch hv bcm lrg mltntnls by drvng hgh trnvr f nxpnsv ssnl nd trndy clthng tht ppls t fshn-cnscs cnsmrs.
Fst fshn grw drng th lt 20th cntry s mnfctrng f clthng bcm lss xpnsv—th rslt f mr ffcnt spply chns, nw qck rspns mnfctrng mthds, nd grtr rlnc n lw-cst lbr frm th pprl mnfctrng ndstrs f Sth, Sthst, nd st s, whr wmn mk p 85–90% f th grmnt wrkfrc. Lbr prctcs n fst fshn r ftn xplttv, nd d t th gndr cncntrtn f th grmnt ndstry, wmn r mr vlnrbl.
Fst fshn's nvrnmntl mpct hs ls bn th sbjct f cntrvrsy. Th glbl fshn ndstry s rspnsbl fr 8–10% f glbl crbn mssns pr yr, t whch fst fshn s lrg cntrbtr. Th lw cst f prdctn, fvrng synthtc mtrls, chmcls, nd mnml plltn btmnt msrs hv ld t xcss wst.