Fast fashion offers 'affordable luxury'

New generation of consumers looks for an individual style at a reasonable price

On a Friday night this spring, 26-year-old Miranda Lin in Beijing set off for a date, wearing a gray turtleneck top and pink pleated skirt from fast fashion brand Zara Espana SA, a division of Spain-based Industria de Diseno Textil SA, known as Inditex.

A regular visitor to stores featuring the fast fashion brands from Zara, H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB and Uniqlo Co Ltd, Lin said fast fashion garments are the closest she can get to the latest styles.