Study: Luxury Fashion Is No More Durable Than Fast Fashion

Fast fashion has been identified as a significant contributor to the environmental impact of the fashion industry, a sentiment echoed by luxury fashion brands. One such example is Antoine, the son of billionaire LVMH owner Bernard Arnault, who stated at the Sustainability Summit that luxury items are "naturally sustainable." 

However, LVMH's emissions tell a different story. According to Forbes on Sunday (May 25, 2025), research conducted by Environmental Charity Hubbub, in partnership with the University of Leeds, debunks the myth that fast fashion items are more "disposable" than luxury fashion. The high price does not guarantee the quality or durability of these products. 

In 2022, Hubbub and the School of Design at the University of Leeds designed a study funded by Primark to explore the relationship between clothing durability and price. Founded 50 years ago by Associated British Foods, the Primark fashion brand aims to provide affordable clothing options for everyone. 

With 70,000 employees and 450 stores across 17 countries, this affordable fashion brand earned the nickname "Primarni" in the 2000s—an era when it appeared alongside high-end fashion brands in British Vogue, Grazia, and other fashion publications.  

Does Price Determine Product Durability? 

Currently, luxury magazines are distancing themselves from Primark. Since then, they and other "price-oriented" brands have faced the repercussions of social and environmental criticism due to climate change, as well as supply chain tragedies that have brought them into the spotlight. 

This 2022 study was based on the durability guidelines outlined in The Clothing Longevity Protocol by the UK-based Waste and Resources Action Programme and the Circular Business Models initiative by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The study titled "Worn Out: Is Price an Accurate Indicator for Clothing Durability" includes performance testing. 

Tag: Bernard Arnault Fast Fashion Luxury Fashion