The World Is On Fire But We’re Still Buying Shoes, published in 2021 by Alec Leach, takes a deep dive into the contradictions of modern consumerism and fashion. He explores current fashion brands and trends through a lens of deep understanding and analysis.

He explains how consumers continue to shop despite knowing the environmental and ethical consequences, and how marketing, trend cycles, and personal identity fuel our addiction to new clothes.

The book is an easy read, with only 144 pages, but its philosophical and objective approach forces us to confront the harsh realities of the fashion industry’s impact. It offers a deep dive into the dark consequences of fast fashion, while also providing valuable insights into consumer psychology and the trends that drive us to purchase items we often don’t need.

Who is Alec Leach?

Alec Leach is a writer, journalist, and sustainability advocate best known for his work addressing the environmental impact of the fashion industry. He is the author of "The World Is On Fire But We’re Still Buying Shoes", a book that explores the contradictions and ethical dilemmas surrounding fashion consumption.

What key lessons can we take from this book and its message?

The Fashion Mirror

The fashion industry and its trends reflect not just who we are, but who we aspire to be. Clothing plays a key role in shaping our identity and influencing how we present ourselves to the world. At the same time, fashion can offer a form of escapism, allowing us to experiment with different styles and subcultures—even those we may not fully connect with. By buying into trends, we sometimes seek to redefine ourselves or fit into a particular image, whether or not it truly aligns with who we are.

Artificial Scarcity

Fashion brands often create a sense of artificial scarcity and instill fear in consumers that the latest trend will sell out, leaving them behind. This strategy encourages brands to constantly release new, fast-changing trends, sometimes weekly. At the same time, consumers feel pressured to keep up, leading to an ongoing cycle of purchasing. This rapid turnover of “in” and “out” styles fosters a sense of urgency, making shoppers feel compelled to buy into short-lived trends rather than investing in long-term, thoughtful fashion choices.

We are confronted by confusion and contradiction when it comes to fashion and sustainability, we are subscribed to the trends but we are also worried about the impact that it's having on the planet, regardless of this, we still overconsume.

Leach highlights there is nothing wrong with brand collaborations and drops, the issue lies in the scale and intensity of the rise in demand and low supply that drives hype culture victims into an obsessive, short-lived trend.

Sustainability in Fashion

Due to the rise of climate activists like Greta Thumberg and organizations working towards increasing awareness of the scale of pollution and damage that diverse industries have had on our planet, we are becoming increasingly more aware of our consumption habits.

Fashion brands are trying to satisfy customers who are concerned about the climate crisis with products that are advertised with organic cotton and recycled material claims that often have little to no evidence to support these claims.

The large scale of manufacturing of products is concerning; it is estimated that between 80 and 150 billion garments are produced every year, this is an incredibly outrageous sum of products, considering there are only 7.9 billion people on our planet.

Big Fashion Pays for Sustainability

The complex and lengthy supply chains of the fashion industry make it difficult to ensure sustainability at every stage of production. As Alec Leach points out, “Big Fashion says it wants to be more sustainable, but it doesn’t seem like it wants it enough to actually pay for it.”

With the growing urgency of the climate crisis, the European Union has introduced new frameworks like the Extended Producer Responsibility program .(Read more on reflawn news page) Legal frameworks are requiring fashion companies to take responsibility for their products even after their lifecycle ends. Initiatives like these offer a promising step toward holding brands accountable for the long-term environmental impact of the garments they produce.

Our Personal Relationship to Fashion

To change our damaging shopping habits, we must first rethink the relationship that we have with the items we purchase. In our modern day, it could be certain that we all have items in our homes that we do not like or no longer have a use for, this can clutter our spaces and in turn, be thrown out into a landfill.

We should be intentional about the items we purchase, ensuring they truly add value to our lives. By slowing down consumption and rethinking our relationship with clothing, we can foster a more meaningful and lasting connection with what we own. When we choose pieces that are personal and bring us joy we are more likely to wear and appreciate them—unlike impulse buys, which often end up forgotten in the back of our closets.

As long as what is trending and cool is chosen for us, we will continue to buy into these ideas and consequently buy way more items than we actually need.

Overall, Alex Leach shows us that fashion can be fun and bring us joy if we think about our relationship with new garments. Leach acknowledges that there is value in numbers, "We don't need a few people to be perfect, we need millions of people to be better” for a greater change.