“It’s almost always a case of trying to do ’too much’ and executing it poorly,” says fashion designer Lucinda Sinclair from Church of Sanctus, explaining why professionals make mistakes that are sometimes blatantly obvious to others.

“I think designers are operating in an oversaturated market where trends have such a short life span, so the temptation to release something that could be considered viral or a publicity stunt is a way for a designer's work to be noticed.”

Meanwhile, fashion stylist and writer at Elemental Spot, Luis Huber, believes that it can be the fault of tunnel vision. “Professionals can sometimes get so immersed in their creative process that they lose perspective on practicality or audience appeal.”

Some of the most ungodly fashion crimes that Sinclair witnessed were anything inflatable or having holes that allow certain body parts to flop out. “Look, I think anything designed to somewhat embarrass the wearer is abhorrent! They're obviously designed to humiliate the model having to wear that down the runway.”

For Huber, one of the biggest mistakes a designer can make is to overlook the basics like comfort or wearability while trying to think outside the box. “It's a balance that can be hard to strike.”

In order to avoid such fashion mishaps, Sinclair recommends beginner designers create fewer pieces that are beautifully made and can outlive the momentary trends. “Make your customer feel like an elevated version of themselves and they’ll keep coming back for more!”

Huber advises prioritizing function and comfort. “To beginners, I'd say always step back and ask yourself if the piece will work in real life, not just on the runway. Comfort and functionality should always be a priority.”

Unfortunately, the main culprit of so many clothing design misunderstandings on this list is fast fashion. The keyword here is ‘fast’ with manufacturers being able to offer low-priced yet relatively stylish clothes to customers at speeds never seen before. 

Producing garments in the blink of an eye inevitably results in a lack of quality, accountability, and sustainability. The clothes that are not made to last and, in some cases, are practically unwearable end up in landfills as swiftly as they were made. In China alone, 26 tonnes of clothing are thrown away each year, polluting the environment. 

Besides being fashion crimes, having short lifespans, and harming the planet, such clothing is also made from toxic materials. During the production process, fast fashion manufacturers use harmful chemicals and dyes that often contain heavy metals and other substances like formaldehyde.

It doesn’t matter how many times the garments are washed—the chemicals still remain and leach out of them, which can be absorbed by our skin and potentially cause health problems. When clothes end up in landfills and start breaking down, synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon start exuding microplastics, contaminating our air and water. 

Fast fashion already has done so much damage to our planet and now when we need it to slow down, it’s only getting faster. Called ultra-fast fashion, it’s turning the previous fast fashion’s weeks into days and dozens of styles into hundreds and thousands. 

What we also don’t see behind the scenes is the new low that worker treatment is reaching. It’s estimated that there are 75 million employees worldwide who work in fast fashion factories. And less than 2% of them make a living wage, working 16-hour days, 7 days a week. The European Parliament has described their conditions as “slave labor.” 

Many fashion companies take their subdivisions to Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh, where they have minimal control over production and can turn a blind eye to the dreadful working conditions. Employees usually work without ventilation, inhaling various toxic substances, including fiber dust and blasted sand. Accidents are very frequent too, with fires, injuries, and diseases being a regular sight. As a cherry on top, workers face verbal and physical abuse, and if they aren’t able to reach the unreachable goals, they are denied breaks or water. 

So behind a few hideous garments, misprinted clothes, or known brand knock-offs that might, at first glance, look absurd or funny, hides an industry that distorts fashion, pollutes the environment, and exploits people. But while it might seem that the fast fashion giants worth $106 billion are bigger than we could ever be, our collective choices can wield powerful change.

What can we do? The first step is taking responsibility for the clothes we already have. Don’t just dispose of them. If an urge to change up your closet arises, try hosting a clothing swap with your friends, selling them on platforms like Vinted, Depop, or Poshmark, or refreshing them by adding all sorts of fun new details (thrift flip!). When you really need to buy an item, first look for it at secondhand stores. Sometimes it can be hard to find basics at thrift stores, so when purchasing new items, invest in quality ones that would last a long time. Ideally more than 30 washes!

Finally, stay updated on what’s happening in the fast fashion world and our environment. And avoid brands that like to dabble in greenwashing. Our purchasing power can change the landscape of fashion and supporting smaller, slower-paced businesses can help sustainable fashion outpace the ultra-fast one.