Zara

Cotton linked to environmental and human rights abuses in Brazil is leaking into the supply chains of major fashion brands, a new investigation has found, prompting Zara-owner Inditex to send a scathing rebuke to the industry’s biggest sustainable cotton certifier.

With consumers tightening their belts in China, the battle between global fast fashion brands and local high street giants has intensified.

By investing in an elevated product and shopping experience, Spanish retailers Inditex and Mango are seeing tremendous growth despite fierce competition from the likes of Temu and a cash-strapped consumer.

The rapid growth of Shein, with its budget prices, has put significant pressure on the Zara owner and rival fast fashion group H&M.

Retailers like Zara and H&M are upping their beauty efforts with celebrity-fronted lines and new categories. But building a buzzy beauty line presents a different challenge than making and selling trendy clothes.