Fast fashion has taken over – it’s trendy, inexpensive and ready to ship worldwide. The term ‘fast‘ not only describes the rate of production but the large quantity in which clothes are produced. With the growing obsession with celebrity culture on social media, the younger generations are ready to invest in these brands without a second thought. Some major fashion corporations like Forever 21, Zara, Victoria’s Secret, FashioNova and H&M have been accused of setting up sweatshops and employing minors globally. Despite being called out for their degradative practices, these companies have done little to retract their contribution to the climate and humanitarian crises.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee, the founder of his eponymous designer label, has previously spoken about sustainability – both ethical and climate. However, he seems to have faltered from his words by partnering with H&M, a Swedish clothing brand infamous for its lack of sustainable practices. Netizens were so excited about this collaboration that the entire stock sold out within minutes. The internet collectively expressed their disappointment about being unable to purchase anything.
Addressing the frustration regarding the lack of merchandise, Sabyasachi apologised for not having anticipated demand of that magnitude.
In an Instagram post, he explained how the motive behind the collaboration was ‘wish fulfillment’; he wanted India to break stereotypes of being a manufacturing country and venture into the world of design.
However, others were quick to point out how the exorbitantly priced products – a homely saree for Rs. 9,990 was the butt of the joke. They called out on the irony of H&M usually being affordable and how this collab defied their USP. This decision also might have been an insensitive move because of how the pandemic left India in financial despair. However, much of the internet is still hoping for Sabyasachi X H&M to restock their collection.
