Zara and John Galliano’s high fashion/fast fashion link-up debuted at Paris Fashion Week and synthetic materials abound. None of this is a shock, given how much fast fashion—like all of fashion—loves these deeply problematic plastic materials. Read on to learn more about this specific collection and how it fits into fashion’s wider values problems.

John Galliano’s Zara collection makes the industry’s priorities clear

The first of John Galliano’s buzzy collaborations with Zara has landed, and it comes amidst a challenging landscape, not just for Galliano but for the fashion industry’s values as a whole.

The designer’s Met Museum retrospective was cancelled in August following criticism over his prior conviction for making antisemitic remarks, with debate over whether Galliano should be celebrated, and what the Met’s decision to host such an exhibition says about the fashion industry’s so-called amnesia for those who’ve previously caused harm to others.

And earlier in 2026, when the Zara collaboration was announced, many in the industry questioned the value of a designer previously known for the highest level of luxury and design choosing to move into fast fashion. “Depending on which corner of the internet you inhabit, this is either the ultimate coup for Zara or the moment a couture god hit rock bottom,” Cathaleen Chen wrote in Business of Fashion at the time.

This first volume, dubbed the Re{form} collection, features Galliano “in conversation” with Zara’s “archive” of clothing. The collection launched during Paris Fashion Week and is available to shop now, featuring 157 items with prices ranging from $29.99 to $999.99.

Many of the garments are made from synthetics including polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, and acrylic.

Once the collection dropped online, many of the garments were revealed to be made from synthetics including polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, and acrylic. While wool, silk, viscose, sheep leather, cotton, and other fabrics appear in the collection too, the dominance of synthetics emphasises the ongoing critique of fast fashion brands: much of their clothes are plastic.

Reliance on polyester is a larger fashion problem

Good On You has observed fashion’s reliance on synthetics for years. Two key facts capture this issue: synthetics accounted for 69% of all fibres produced in 2025, according to Textile Exchange, with polyester alone making up 59%. This is due to demand for performance characteristics and low-cost materials that can scale. Second: the biggest fashion brands see recycled polyester as a circularity “win” as it is the top lower-impact material they use. In fact, 65% of large brands use this material, compared to 46% of smaller brands. But continuing to use synthetics—even when recycled—rather than seeking out alternatives isn’t the answer.

Why is polyester so bad?

Polyester is a sustainability nightmare in that it’s a plastic made from fossil fuels. Polyester is an energy and water-intensive material that does not biodegrade. Its production fuels the demand for oil. It leaches microplastics, involves harmful chemical dyes, and is very difficult to recycle in textile form—something that isn’t always clear given the prevalence of recycled polyester, which is mostly made from recycled plastic water bottles, rather than textiles. Our experts agree that polyester is to be avoided.

This is yet another reminder to skip ‘high fashion’ fast fashion

The new John Galliano collection for Zara confirms what many have long known about fast fashion: growth and consumption must be achieved at all costs, regardless of the waste and pollution caused, and the controversy surrounding those involved. The race to the bottom continues, and now the biggest players in the luxury industry are getting in on it.

Looking for alternatives to Zara? Bookmark this list.

Editor's note

Feature image via Pexels. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion and beauty brands’ impact on people, the planet, and animals. Use our directory to search thousands of rated brands.