The fashion industry
Read The fashion industry and check the IELTS Reading answers. The fashion industry is a multibillion-dollar global enterprise devoted to the business of making and selling clothes. It encompasses all types of garments, from designer fashions to ordinary everyday clothing. Because data on the indus…
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The fashion industry is a multibillion-dollar global enterprise devoted to the business of making and selling clothes. It encompasses all types of garments, from designer fashions to ordinary everyday clothing. Because data on the industry are typically reported for national economies, and expressed in terms of its many separate sectors, total figures for world production of textiles* and clothing are difficult to obtain. However, by any measure, the industry accounts for a significant share of world economic output.
Vocabulary from this passage
11 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- advent noun
The arrival or creation of a notable new thing, invention, or event
The advent of metal shipping containers revolutionized the distribution of finished garments across the globe.
- anonymity noun
The condition of working without being identified by name; lack of individual recognition
The majority of fashion designers work in total anonymity for large manufacturing design teams.
- automation noun
The technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically without human intervention
The automation of the spinning process was one of the earliest accomplishments of the Industrial Revolution.
- dissipation noun
The process of slowly disappearing or becoming scattered, particularly in reference to energy or heat
High-tech materials are designed to facilitate the dissipation of body heat during intense physical activity.
- economic output noun
The total value of all goods and services produced by an industry or national economy
The fashion industry accounts for a significant portion of the total world economic output each year.
- encompass verb
To include or contain a wide range of different elements, items, or ideas comprehensively
The global fashion industry encompasses everything from high-end designer garments to ordinary mass-produced clothing.
- labour-intensive adjective
Requiring a large amount of physical work or a large number of workers to complete
Despite the rise of computer-guided machinery, the fundamental process of sewing remains highly labour-intensive.
- prestigious adjective
Inspiring respect and admiration; having high status or a distinguished reputation in a field
Only a few designers manage to establish prestigious brands that become household names internationally.
- protectionist measures noun
Government policies that restrict international trade to help domestic industries, such as tariffs or quotas
Protectionist measures were eventually abandoned in favor of a free-trade approach controlled by global organizations.
- sustainable fashion noun
A movement and process of fostering change to fashion products and the system toward greater ecological integrity
Growing interest in sustainable fashion has led manufacturers to use environmentally friendly fibers like hemp.
- synthetic adjective
Relating to a substance made by chemical synthesis, especially to imitate a natural product
Advanced synthetic fabrics offer unique properties such as stain resistance and protection against ultraviolet radiation.
Answers with explanations
- 14. v
Section A describes the fashion industry as a "multibillion-dollar global enterprise" and concludes that it "accounts for a **significant share of world economic output**." This directly highlights the financial **importance** of the industry globally, matching heading v.
- 15. ii
Section B outlines the historical evolution from individual dressmakers to mass production via the "development of new technologies" and the "factory system". This historical narrative describes the origins and growth, or the **rise of the fashion industry**, which perfectly aligns with heading ii.
- 16. iv
Section C is entirely focused on the creation of fabrics that offer various special properties (moisture absorption, stain resistance, heat dissipation, fire protection). This perfectly matches heading iv: **Producing materials with a range of features**.
- 17. i
Section D details the work of fashion designers, explaining how they "draw inspiration" and adapt ideas into marketable garments using traditional and computer-assisted design techniques. This describes the creative process of **How new clothing styles are created** (heading i).
- 18. viii
Section E specifically discusses the highly skilled process of creating "templates" (patterns) that must be adjusted for the changing "proportions of the human body" and "different body shapes." This directly corresponds to heading viii: **Making patterns for people with different figures**.
- 19. iii
Section F focuses on the "assembly process" of garments, detailing how items are manufactured and how the "fundamental process of sewing" works. "Assembly" and "sewing" are synonyms for **Joining the garment pieces together**, matching heading iii.
- 20. vi
Section G explains the history of regulations, "protectionist measures", "quotas and tariffs," and the modern shift to a "free-trade approach." These elements represent the **Factors affecting international commerce** (heading vi).
- 21. sewing machine
The blank requires an invention that led to mass production. The text states that this development was due to new technologies, "such as the **sewing machine**". The answer grammatically fits the sentence and respects the two-word limit.
- 22. department stores
The blank requires a type of shop that spread and helped mass production. The text explicitly mentions the "growth of **department stores** and other retail outlets". The phrase fits within the two-word limit.
- 23. fixed prices
The blank requires a noun phrase that, along with standard sizes, became standard. The text states that clothing came to be "mass-produced in standard sizes, and sold at **fixed prices**." The answer fits perfectly.
- 24. Europe
The blank requires a proper noun indicating the geographical origin of the fashion industry. The text explicitly states that "the fashion industry developed first in **Europe**" before becoming a globalised enterprise.
- 25-26: CD
The correct options are C and D. Option C is supported because the text explicitly states the majority of companies rely on "separately owned manufacturing firms or contractors" (using other companies). Option D is supported because the text explains that after assembly, items go through 'finishing', which includes adding "fasteners, brand-name labels". Other options are wrong; for instance, the text says sewing remains labour-intensive, contradicting the claim that it's mostly computer-operated.