Stradivarius

By our assessment, Stradivarius is a fast-fashion clothing chain aimed mainly at younger shoppers who want current looks without luxury prices. Its strength is the quick, trend-led turnover of dresses, tops and accessories, so the racks change fast and the style follows the season closely. The downside is the usual one for this kind of retailer: quality, fit and fabric can vary, and the appeal fades as soon as the trend moves on. In practice it is a brand of browsing, trying on and moving on, not of building a long-lasting wardrobe piece by piece. Compared with Zara, its better-known sibling, Stradivarius sits a little more squarely in youthful, fashion-forward basics and occasion pieces. By our assessment, it suits people who want cheap access to what is current and do not expect durability to be the main feature. The Spanish fast-fashion model is exactly what it is here, right down to the speed of the cycle.