Many of us dream of the day we can afford to buy the latest Gucci dress or a Chanel handbag. But these days we only have to walk into Primark to see an almost exact replica hanging in front of us.

The trend for catwalk to high street ‘fast fashion’ has exploded in the UK over the past few years but recently questions have been asked about much longer it will last.

Discount retailers such as Primark and Matalan have expanded rapidly throughout the country and specialise in getting the latest designer looks into their stores within weeks of them hitting the catwalk. This encourages women to update their wardrobes more frequently- with dresses being sold for as little as £8 most have no reason not to.

Celebrity endorsement of these shops, both through advertising and a top name being snapped out and about in a dress from Peacocks only further encourages shoppers as they can now afford to look like their favourite stars. Newsagents are crammed with magazines telling us how we can achieve designer looks on the high street at a fraction of the price.

In 2007 a massive £18.9 billion was spent by the British public in the womenswear sector of the market.

In the past ten years sales of discount clothing have risen dramatically, now making up nearly a quarter of all sales in the clothing sector. BHS, House of Fraser and C&A have been replaced by Primark, TK Maxx and the Peacocks group in the top 10 womenswear retailers.

Although Marks and Spencer, Next and the Arcadia group are still the major players discount retailers are hot on their heels, creating massive competition.

Primark in particular has enjoyed major success and a near to iconic status. They have just opened a huge new flagship store on Oxford Street in London. Their minimal prices and speed at replicating looks means they are now the fourth biggest womenswear retailer in the UK. Another growing sector is sale of fashionable, affordable clothing in major supermarkets. Tesco PLC and Asda Group Ltd lead the way. Shoppers are encouraged to update their look after buying their groceries at minimum cost.

Popular WAG Colleen McClouglin’s advertising campaign with George at Asda has made the brand even more popular and makes the clothing appear trendy and cool to consumers.

It seems these discount retailers can do no wrong. However, they are facing some serious opposition. There have been investigations into how they can continue to produce clothing sold at such low prices.

Organisations such as War on Want and Labour Behind the Label have produced reports aiming to show the problems and injustices behind creating low-cost goods. Media attention has also brought the issue into the public eye. It may mean that retailers have to be more open about their manufacturing processes and how their purse-friendly prices are achieved.

However, it is unlikely this is going to cause any major disruptions to the companies. Most shoppers will be too enticed by the lure of a new outfit to worry about how it was made.

Despite this price is not the defining factor for success. The reign of Marks and Spencer and Arcadia as the top womenswear retailers shows this.

There is also the question of quality. Prices may be cheap but this can be at the expense of long-lasting fabrics and attention to detail. There are still plenty of people who prefer well made, key pieces to stocking up for minimum cost.

Women also have a desire for individual style which cannot be easily achieved by shopping in low-value stores. The chances are plenty of people have exactly the same outfit as you.

Consumers are demanding greater variety and some high street retailers have begun to launch individual, dynamic clothing such as Topshop’s ‘Unique’ collection. They also source vintage items and stock clothes from various independent designers.

Consumers have to make the choice: do they prefer quality over cost and quantity?

The fast fashion trend shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Surveys suggest that the industry will continue to grow over the next five years. With consumer interest and competition from the major supermarkets it is estimated that it will be worth £24.1billion by 2011.

It seems fast fashion is here to stay.

Jacqueline Farrer for Female First