A Reddit user took to r/KUWTKsnark, a subreddit that critiques Kardashian pop culture, to issue criticism over Kylie Jenner's recently advertised clothing line Khy. Most of the products shared by the OP retailed for more than $100, and other Redditors didn't hesitate to call out the exorbitant pricing for what appeared to be low-quality items.
"It's fast fashion for an inflated price," commented one user in the group.
"It looks like anything you can buy in Forever21, Shein, all the fast fashion brands," wrote another user.
Fashion experts seem to agree. In an article for Harper's Bazaar, Ella Sangster and Sharyn Budiarto wrote: "Despite technically being a fast-fashion brand, don't expect Khy to come cheap."
However, if Jenner was hoping to hide the fast-fashion origins with the pricing, savvy shoppers won't be fooled as they look to safeguard their budgets and the future of the planet.
Fast-fashion companies are known for mass-producing low-quality yet trendy clothes and usually selling items at the lowest possible price. The industry generally uses cheap synthetic textiles that need millions of barrels of oil to manufacture and can pollute waterways as they shed microplastics.
Moreover, as Florida State University notes, producing just one T-shirt and pair of pants typically requires 20,000 liters of water, a precious resource with droughts becoming more intense and frequent because of warming global temperatures. This comes as 2.7 billion people are experiencing water scarcity.
A glance at multiple products from Jenner's brand reveals her line also uses environmentally harmful synthetics, and some commenters voiced their disappointment.
"That much for polyester?" one said.
🗣️ What should the government do about the fast fashion industry?
🔘 Set strict regulations 🚫
🔘 Incentivize sustainable options 💰
🔘 Use both regulations and incentives 🏛️
🔘 Nothing 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
To keep their budgets balanced and avoid disappointment when low-quality fast-fashion items quickly fall apart, many individuals have been turning to online or in-person thrifting, finding high-quality products at the same low price point as a lot of fast fashion. Thrifting has also grown in popularity as shoppers share their stories of finding rare products at incredible discounts.
"I can't believe Vogue advertised this. Miranda Priestly would be so furious," another Redditor wrote of Jenner's line, referencing Meryl Streep's character in the 2006 film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada.
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