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the economy.

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Style over substance

The fashion industry has changed dramatically over the past century, transformed from a collection of small Parisian boutiques into a multi-billion dollar international network of e-commerce giants. But today’s widespread availability of cheap garments comes with heavy human and environmental costs.

Audio recordings

Data stories

What’s happening with UK pay and employment?

The UK labour market data released in March 2025 show rising real wages for those in work. But there are likely to be tougher times ahead for jobseekers as fiscal policy changes start to bite.

DATA HUB

Top global fashion brands

Louis Vuitton reigns as the most valuable apparel brand, worth $32.2 billion.

Today's #ChartOfTheDay shows the dominance of European fashion houses.

Click on the chart to read José Antonio Miranda and Alba Roldan on how fashion has grown into a global business.

Monday 24 March 2025

Nations, regions & cities

What’s happening in Bangladesh’s garment industry?

Bangladesh is well-known for its low-cost production of textiles and clothing, with much of the country’s recent development resting on rapid growth in the garment industry. But behind this progress is an unsustainable reliance on low pay and poor working conditions, particularly for women.

Science, technology & innovation

The personalisation economy: how is AI affecting businesses and markets?

The quantity of consumer data to which many companies now have access means that they can personalise their goods and services, as well as optimise their operations. In this way, artificial intelligence is changing big parts of our lives – from how we shop and learn to our banking and healthcare.

Health, physical & mental

Work and wellbeing during Covid-19: how were European countries affected?

Comparing data from France, Germany, Italy and the UK shows that social inequalities typically increased during the pandemic. Young people and those with less education were most affected by job losses: policy intervention could get more of them back into work.

Jobs, work, pay & benefits

What explains the gender division of labour and how can it be redressed?

Adam Smith’s division of labour was about the efficiency gains from task specialisation in factories. But the gender division – gaps between men and women in pay, prestige, career progression and much more – can also be highly inefficient as well as highly inequitable.

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