As the quiet-luxury aesthetics of luxury brands like The Row infiltrate fashion, a familiar fast-fashion brand strategy is reemerging: Reframe and rebrand, but don’t rebuild. In the last month alone, Asos launched a premium in-house brand, Debenhams pivoted to a curated marketplace, and PrettyLittleThing made its Paris Fashion Week debut — all centered on visual language plucked from the high-fashion playbook. These include color palettes and shoot styles similar to Ralph Lauren. The general trend toward fast-fashion elevation includes moves by Zara, going as far back as 2021 — in keeping with the strategy, the Spanish brand debuted a new aesthetic and higher price point last year.
The fast-fashion sector is attempting to evolve by way of aesthetics rather than operational overhaul. Campaign styling is moodier, silhouettes are more tailored, and marketing messaging leans heavily on craft and permanence. But the business models behind the clothes — speed, volume, low cost — remain intact.
Asos’s Arrange, which launched on March 3, is the clearest example. Billed as a “timeless brand” with a focus on craftsmanship and inclusivity, the label includes pieces priced between $34.99-$399 and sizes ranging from 0-26. The design team comprises embellishment and print specialists, and the brand is being positioned as part of Asos’s larger play in the premium space.
“We aimed to create a timeless brand that our customers can invest in, celebrating craftsmanship, inclusivity and high quality,” said Vanessa Spence, evp of brand and creative at Asos. “She’s looking for fashion that’s both feminine and effortless, timeless yet directional.”
Arrange is exclusive to Asos, a choice Spence says allows for full control of brand storytelling. The line launched with a minimal, softly lit campaign reminiscent of Toteme or The Row. But critics suggest it’s a change in mood, not mechanics.
“It is literally a surface-level rebrand,” said Brett Staniland, a model and fashion environmentalist. “The fabrications aren’t of better quality, and there aren’t new ethics or morals in the supply chain. The product is still ‘bad’ — it just looks completely different.” The collection of over 240 pieces is mainly made of polyester and viscose, with some denim pieces and T-shirts made of cotton.
Asos is focused on transitioning its most-used materials to more sustainable alternatives, as of last year, as part of sustainability targets. An Asos spokesperson declined to comment on its sustainability efforts, but stressed that Arrange offers fewer, higher-quality styles than other Asos labels.
A similar strategy is playing out at U.K. fast-fashion brand PrettyLittleThing. At Paris Fashion Week in late February, PLT hosted an off-schedule event to celebrate its rebrand. Celebrity attendees including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kelly Rutherford, Burberry designer Daniel Lee and Naomi Campbell. In the weeks since then, the PLT homepage has mirrored the visual codes of European luxury, with stripped-back styling, tonal palettes and high-end editorial references. Still, the price points remain largely unchanged. PLT’s link to information on its sustainability standards currently links to a page reading “page not found.”
Contestant Brett Staniland’s stand against PLT — refusing to wear the sponsor-provided outfits while filming the reality TV show “Love Island” — let to the the show to instead partner with eBay and champion pre-loved fashion over disposable trends. Staniland has worked with ethical brands Nanuschka and Lemaire and rental platform By Rotation.
This aesthetic pivot comes at a time of industry-wide recalibration. Fast fashion’s race to the bottom, driven by Shein’s scale and pricing, has shown diminishing returns. For instance, on March 17, Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy for the second time since 2019 and is expected to close all of its stores on May 1.
Shein itself is also under pressure. In February, the Financial Times reported that the company’s 2024 net profit dropped nearly 40% to $1 billion, well below projections of $4.8 billion, despite a 19% year-over-year rise in sales to $38 billion. Shein, which is preparing for a London IPO, is reportedly being pushed to cut its valuation to as low as $30 billion, down from earlier targets of $64 billion. Shein’s sales growth is slowing, from 23% in 2023=. That can be owed to market saturation, intensifying competition, and growing consumer backlash against overconsumption and its production practices.
At the same time, legacy names like Debenhams are being retooled for digital relevance. Acquired by Boohoo Group in 2021, Debenhams was originally founded as a Draper’s store in the 1800s and has a long history as a fashion store in the British market. On March 11, the Boohoo Group relaunched under its new name, the Debenhams Group, with Debenhams itself relaunching as a curated marketplace with a focus on convenience and product discovery. This is part of fast fashion group Boohoo’s attempt to “elevate” the company by taking the name of a well-known British store.
According to Maryam Ghahremani, CEO of video commerce platform Bambuser, heritage alone won’t capture a new generation.
“Debenhams is an institution, which naturally generates curiosity from both brands and consumers,” said Ghahreman. “However, the success of its transition to a marketplace model will depend on its ability to establish itself as a trusted destination for essential shopping across diverse product categories.”
Engaging young consumers will be key as they are typically the biggest cohort buying products from Boohoo, she said. But that will likely require “a creative approach in leveraging emerging technologies that encourage discovery and drive loyalty,” she said. That could include live shopping, AI-powered personalization or editorial-style commerce akin to Net-a-Porter, she said.
In March BoohooMan, a menswear brand under the Boohoo umbrella, launched a campaign titled “Old Money,” featuring visuals inspired by Ralph Lauren’s classic Americana. Models dressed in polo shirts and slacks posed in front of British stately homes. But the brand’s signature low pricing remained unchanged. “The only thing that’s new is the aesthetic,” said Staniland. “It’s just dressed up to look like luxury.” The company did not respond to a request for comment.
For its part, H&M is working to redefine its brand by intertwining fashion with music, hosting global events, and collaborating with artists like Charli XCX. Engaging younger, trend-driven consumers, promoting self-expression, and driving sales by enhancing cultural relevance and emotional connection are among goals. Additionally, through H&M Studio’s multifaceted Paris Fashion Week strategy, the brand aimed to elevate its image by hosting public pop-ups and exclusive events, showcasing its latest collections, and fostering direct engagement with consumers and influencers.
H&M’s results this quarter point to the limitations of elevated campaigns. Despite investing heavily in product updates and campaigns, according to Glossy reporting, the company’s first-quarter results, released March 27, showed just 2% growth in local currencies, missing analyst expectations. CEO Daniel Erver acknowledged in the earnings call that “sales and earnings in the quarter were somewhat weaker than planned,” citing increased discounting and rising logistics costs.
Underpinning all the movement in and stress on the market is regulatory pressure. The E.U.’s upcoming Green Claims Directive and Omnibus Directive are poised to crack down on unverified sustainability claims, a risk for companies relying on language like “responsible,” “conscious” or “crafted,” without supply chain accountability. The Omnibus directive is already in place, and the Green Claims Directive will apply to brands starting in 2026 — brands are preparing to make necessary changes now. Even Copenhagen Fashion Week, which has been praised for its sustainability requirements, has faced scrutiny after a March legal complaint accused it and seven of its partner brands of making unsupported green claims.
The message from regulators, investors and increasingly skeptical consumers is the same: Branding isn’t enough. “People assume that elevated aesthetics mean elevated practices,” said Staniland. “That assumption is what these brands are counting on.”
