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Artwork for Elfonomics - with Elf Lyons and Dr Gerard Lyons
Elfonomics - with Elf Lyons and Dr Gerard Lyons · Jul 18, 2025 · 27 min

Fast Fashion: Cheap Thrills or Economic Illusion?

Why is your £5 crop top such a big deal? In this episode of Elfonomics, Elf Lyons and economist Dr Gerard Lyons unravel the tangled threads of fast fashion, from Zara’s tight turnarounds to Shein’s thousands of new designs in a week. How did fast fashion became a global juggernaut? What's its appeal to consumers? And what does it cost the planet (and the people who make our clothes)?

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Why is your £5 crop top such a big deal?

In this episode of Elfonomics, Elf Lyons and economist Dr Gerard Lyons unravel the tangled threads of fast fashion, from Zara’s tight turnarounds to Shein’s thousands of new designs in a week. How did fast fashion became a global juggernaut? What's its appeal to consumers? And what does it cost the planet (and the people who make our clothes)?

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