Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 4 Writing Task 2: Sample Answer

Walk through almost any city today and people are wearing similar jeans, trainers and branded jackets. This uniformity is largely the result of global fashion trends, which I regard as more harmful than beneficial on balance.

Several factors explain this influence. Social media allows styles worn by celebrities and influencers in Seoul or Los Angeles to reach millions of young people within hours. At the same time, international chains such as Zara and H&M use efficient supply networks to copy catwalk designs and sell them cheaply in dozens of countries. Advertising and cinema reinforce the message that following current trends is a sign of success and belonging.

There are some benefits. Global fashion offers an affordable and wide choice, and it exposes people to ideas from other cultures, so that traditional patterns or fabrics may be adopted worldwide. It also provides employment in the textile industries of developing countries.

However, I believe the drawbacks are more serious. Local dress traditions, such as handwoven garments, risk being displaced by mass-produced clothing, and with them go craft skills and cultural identity. The pressure to keep up can lead young people to spend beyond their means or to feel inadequate if they cannot afford the latest items. Fast fashion is also environmentally destructive, since clothes are discarded after a few wears while the industry consumes vast amounts of water and creates mountains of waste that often end up in landfill.

In conclusion, social media and low-cost retailers have made global fashion a dominant force, and although it widens choice, it threatens cultural diversity, personal finances and the planet, so I consider it a mainly negative development.