As someone who breathlessly followed Prince William and Kate Middleton’s courtship in the aughts, I first learned the term “high street fashion” through the magazines that chronicled the princess-to-be’s signature high-low style. Kate’s knack for pairing luxury items, like the newest Chanel bag, with affordable finds from high street retailers like Zara helped rebrand the royal family as youthful and relatable. Her sartorial mix also signaled a larger shift in fashion itself, as the rise of the internet and fast fashion made style more democratic and accessible than ever.
Coined from the British term for a town’s main commercial thoroughfare, “high street fashion” refers to affordable, trendy, off-the-rack clothing. The movement arose in postwar London, as chains like Primark and Marks & Spencer opened on high streets across the UK, selling miniskirts, bikinis, and other on-trend items to young people with newfound buying power.
The globalization of the 1990s brought Britain’s high street stores—and their European counterparts—to America. When Spanish darling Zara opened its first US store in 1989, The New York Times coined the term “fast fashion,” citing Zara’s ability to take a new design from concept to store in just 15 days. Swedish giant H&M soon followed suit, opening its first NYC flagship in 2000.
Though these retailers were an instant hit, they didn’t carry much caché with fashion’s elite. Fast fashion was seen as a cheap imitation, a trickle-down of runway trends.
This all changed with Karl Lagerfeld’s 2004 collaboration with H&M. While not the first fashion crossover, it was perhaps the most groundbreaking. Women's Wear Daily wrote that the collaboration "had a seismic effect on the entire fashion system: breaking down barriers between luxury and mass; democratizing design in a new way, and foreshadowing an era of rampant collaborations, drops and pop-up concepts."
Lagerfeld’s capsule collection sold out in one day; everyone was clamoring to score designer fashion at an affordable price. H&M followed up with annual designer collections, including Roberto Cavalli (2007), Jimmy Choo (2009), and Versace (2011). The partnerships raised H&M’s profile and made these previously exclusive designers household names.
With social media, the lines between luxury fashion and the high street continue to blur. Fashion editors can no longer gatekeep trends and designers. Today, content creators bypass traditional publications entirely, sharing runway looks in real time and influencing buyers directly. Fashion houses have responded in kind, live streaming their runway shows and adding a “See Now, Buy Now” feature to compete with the quick cycle of today’s market.
With designer Zac Posen named the new Creative Director of Gap, and Zara launching a 50th anniversary campaign featuring 50 supermodels, the symbiotic relationship between the fashion world and the high street shows no sign of slowing down. In a world where luxury can feel out of reach, style is refreshingly within grasp.
What’s Hot on the High Street
H&M’s minimalist little sister, COS is favored by fashion editors for timeless, affordable wardrobe staples.
& Other Stories burst onto the high street fashion scene in 2013 with globally-inspired finds that give modern, main character energy.
French fashion brand Sézane makes feminine, Parisian luxury accessible.
Spanish retailer, Mango, is known for affordable, sophisticated fashion with a Mediterranean flair.
Fall Style Forecast
A number of new Animal Prints are poised to join the menagerie this fall, including refined dalmatian spots and new takes on zebra.
Last year’s “Quiet Luxury” is unraveling into a more Unkempt Elegance that recalls 2000s party culture. Think delicate dresses paired with chunky knits and chic, disheveled hair.
Browns and Greens are in, seen in rich velvets, slouchy leathers, and sumptuous suedes.
Expect luxe Faux Fur accents to pop up everywhere this season, from jewelry to dresses to coats.