Fashion
Online reviews and Gen Z consumers’ satisfaction in the apparel industry: An expectation disconfirmation theory
This research article aims to analyse how online reviews influence the satisfaction level of Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers within the apparel industry by using the expectation disconfirmation theory as the analytical framework. Five hypotheses have been developed regarding the relationships between online reviews and satisfaction through literature review and were examined using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). In the research article data were gathered from 350 Gen Z consumers engaged in online shopping across three districts of Punjab. Questionnaires were distributed to the respondents in hard copy and Google Forms. The findings from this research article suggest a positive correlation between online reviews and the satisfaction level of Gen Z consumers in the apparel industry. The analysis reveals that online reviews play a significant role in influencing the online shopping of apparel.
Threads of insight: Exploring the narrative of online reviews (2002–22) in the apparel industry through bibliometrics
Online reviews have become crucial in research and consumer decision-making providing insights into customer perspectives on products and services. In today’s digital age they are an essential tool for retailers to engage with their customers. This is particularly true in the apparel industry where understanding consumer satisfaction and preferences is key to crafting effective marketing strategies. Despite the abundance of literature on the impact of online reviews on consumer evaluations of ready-made garments there has been limited scientific analysis of this extensive body of work. This bibliometric study utilizes performance analysis and science mapping to rigorously examine the body of literature on online reviews. Performance analysis assesses the quality and quantity of various scientific contributions using a suite of bibliometric indicators such as publication trends leading authors and journals and the most influential publications. To complement this science mapping is employed to elucidate the broader intellectual social and conceptual frameworks of the field providing a holistic view of its fundamental dynamics that performance analysis alone cannot offer. We analysed 161 articles published between 2002 and 2022 selected via targeted keywords from the Scopus database. The data was processed using VOSviewer (1.6.20) and Biblioshiny a web-based platform powered by the R-package Bibliometrix 4.1. This study not only delves into the historical and current states of the literature but also identifies and discusses future research agendas in online reviews within the apparel industry.
The impact of social physique anxiety on clothing choices among female university students
Media and societal values play a significant role in influencing social physique anxiety among female university students. This in turn affects the multifaceted roles that attire assumes including concealing enhancing and expressing. A recent study conducted in Taiwan examined 503 female college students utilizing the Social Physique Anxiety Scale and Clothing Functions Scale. The research aimed to uncover how anxiety about body image influences the selection of clothing. Cluster analysis identified three distinct groups: those with a ‘Confident’ ‘Comfortable’ and ‘Anxious’ body image. Further analysis through ANOVA revealed variations in clothing preferences across these clusters. Regression analysis then delved into the impact of public physical and competitive and non-public evaluative and comfort on clothing choices within each group. The findings indicated that clothing preferences were strongly influenced by the level of anxiety. While individuality and fashion preferences remained stable high anxiety levels led to more practical and concealing clothing choices. In contrast lower anxiety levels were associated with more individualistic and fashionable selections. The study emphasized the significant roles of ‘PPC’ and ‘NPEC’ in shaping clothing functions within the identified clusters highlighting the complex relationship between self-perception attire and self-expression in the pursuit of confidence. Overall the research emphasized the strong correlation between social physique anxiety and the decisions made in clothing selection.
A conceptual evolution and multifaceted concept of design: From historical definitions to modern perspectives and its integration with fashion
This article explores the evolution and diverse interpretations of ‘design’ throughout history emphasizing its broader implications beyond mere aesthetics. Initially a verb in the English language during the 1500s design encompasses a range of activities from thought and planning to the creation and execution of artefacts. The work challenges narrow perceptions highlighting design’s role across various domains as identified by Terence Love who views it as a set of instructions for realization. The discourse extends to the discipline of design asserting that all human activity inherently involves design thus blurring the distinctions between design and daily life. The article also delves into fashion design tracing its historical significance and the transition from individual craftsmanship to mass production and the subsequent rise of different fashion genres. Additionally the relationship between design and style is scrutinized noting the influence of societal and cultural factors on fashion. The article concludes with an examination of aesthetics in design underscoring the essential balance between functionality and visual appeal in successful design outcomes.
Gen-Z’s engagement with micro-cores: Exploring aesthetics and identity in contemporary times
‘Aesthetics’ is the new ‘it’ word among Gen-Zs. They stand for stylized visual trends shared on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The suffix -core is frequently used on these social media platforms to describe the various aesthetics. These micro-cores have emerged as mediums of self-expression and catalysts for social change amongst Gen-Zs. This study aims to understand the concept of trending micro-cores and the impact they have on framing identities of today’s youth who have grown up amid warnings of impending doom brought on by climate change pandemic lockdowns and economic collapse. The study discusses four micro-cores – Barbiecore Y2K quiet luxury and e-girl/e-boy – to understand their meaning origin and relevance in current cultural contexts. It follows a qualitative approach with an interpretivist paradigm to develop themes from literature by analysing website blogs and social media content. The study then triangulates the data by surveying Gen-Z participants to understand their perspectives on the influences that urge people to adapt to these micro-cores.
The meaning of the mask: Ambivalent social identity and mask refusal in COVID America
This article will consider the medical face mask as both an accessory and a protective barrier utilizing embodied dress theory. The face mask is now a symbol of ambivalent social identity and centrally the anxiety of who the mask is protecting – who is the ‘sick one’ here? This anxiety turned to powerful backlash against this small but key piece of the personal protective equipment (PPE) and against public health mandates ruling masks must be worn in certain settings. This article will examine the mask-refusal movement in the United States to unpick the roots of this backlash breaking new ground through utilizing key studies on cultural memory in America to propose that its origins come from an active belief in the ‘rugged individualism’ of the American psyche borne from the myth of the frontier spirit which runs through American collective consciousness underpinned by masculine ideologies. This article will suggest that with the reaction to the face mask we see further evidence that dressing oneself is an everyday embodied practice which has high stakes during a deadly global pandemic. The article suggests practices and activities that fashion and dress scholars could engage in to actively use embodied dress theory in the future research to develop public health policies based on solidarity and empathy and design masks we will want to wear.
Queering paisa style: The chunti style of buchonas, queer rancheros and Paisaboys
Clothes shopping is a chore: Plus-size men’s experiences of clothes shopping in the United Kingdom
The body positivity movement has called for greater inclusion of diverse body types within the fashion industry. Although a growing number of high street womenswear brands now include plus-size ranges and employ curvier models to represent them UK menswear is still trailing far behind. Fashionable clothing for larger men is scarce and the lack of research literature on the clothes shopping experiences of UK plus-size male consumers reflects this gap. The current research is the first study to explore male plus-size consumers’ experiences of clothes shopping in the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted online with ten plus-size men and reflexive thematic analysis was used to generate two key themes. First the ‘we struggle to fit in’ theme explores plus-size men’s problematic experiences of fitting into shopping environments fitting in with their peers’ shopping experiences and fitting into clothes. The second theme ‘we little care about what we wear’ identifies how the men dismissed clothes shopping fashion and appearance concerns and identified gender differences as a means to justify these actions. Together these themes demonstrate that plus-size men experience clothes shopping as a chore. Ultimately we advise menswear brands to use these findings to facilitate a more welcoming supportive and enjoyable shopping experience for plus-size men.
Can you be unique by wearing fast fashion? Exploring South African contemporary female consumers’ creative behaviour towards fast fashion uniqueness
Contemporary female consumers manage their appearance through current fashion trends and styles. The desire to be unique drives consumers to develop appearances that are perceived to differentiate them from others. In a world where fast fashion delivers multiple copies of one fashion item it is difficult to imagine if fast fashion could deliver a unique appearance. Little research has considered the possibility of achieving fast fashion uniqueness. The behaviour of South African female consumers and their desire for fast fashion uniqueness as proposed in the theory of the need for uniqueness has also not been researched. The purpose of this study was to determine the meaning of fast fashion uniqueness and the behaviour related to the dimensions of uniqueness. An exploratory descriptive qualitative study was used to determine the fast fashion unique experiences of female fashion shoppers in South Africa. Thematic analysis of electronic individual interviews revealed the meaning of uniqueness manifested through mechanisms of self-expression and design creativity. Contribution to uniqueness theory is expressed through a socially acceptable appearance typified by creative choice counter-conformity behaviour. Unpopular choice counter-conformity behaviour was expressed through precautionary and guarding behaviour. Avoidance of similarity behaviour resulted in similarity acceptance behaviour characterized by helplessness and acceptance of fast fashion duplication due to the inability to avoid similarity experienced during fast-fashion retail purchases. Coping strategies and avoidance behaviour tactics were applied to avoid fashion similarities. Fashion creativity serves as the mechanism through which contemporary fast fashion consumers achieve fast fashion appearance uniqueness. Fast fashion retailers in South Africa may need to improvise fashion offerings and give consumers alternative appearances to accommodate the creative uniqueness that female consumers are compelled to apply to achieve fast fashion uniqueness.
Viewers’ sensations: Using skin sensor technology to assess wearable technology
Wearable technology garments have been displayed for aesthetic evaluation in museums. With the additional multisensory cues in wearable technology garments such as digital sounds and LED lights this study examined 44 museum visitors’ electrodermal activity (EDA) sensory responses to a wearable technology garment in a museum. Results support that apparel with music-only sensory cues (rather than lights-only no music or lights and both music along with lights) created an enhanced sensory response due to viewers of the music-only garment having the highest EDA response after accounting for their baseline EDA. It is suggested that apparel designers and museum curators consider incorporating music and even music with lights into their designs for display at museums to promote enhanced sensory engagement for viewers. Conversely it is not recommended that designs utilize lights-only in these designs without the presence of music.
Chinese consumers’ attitudes towards clothing that incorporate Chinese cultural elements: A mixed method study
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Jinchi Yip
In the globalized fashion market a growing number of fashion brands and designers are utilizing Chinese cultural elements as a branding strategy to create competitive differentiation and attract Chinese consumers. Nevertheless Chinese consumers’ attitudes towards different styles of clothing that incorporate Chinese cultural elements remain uncertain. Therefore the present study aimed to investigate Chinese consumers’ attitudes towards clothing that incorporate Chinese cultural elements. The study also explored the factors that influence their attitudes. A mixed method approach was employed to survey 189 Chinese consumers aged 18–30. The survey encompassed attitude scales and open-ended questions. Paired samples t-tests and inductive coding were used in the data analysis. The study’s findings indicated that Chinese consumers illustrated a significantly positive attitude towards Chinese-style clothing incorporating Chinese cultural elements compared to global-style clothing incorporating Chinese cultural elements. Moreover five factors influence Chinese consumers’ attitudes namely cultural experience with Chinese cultural elements symbolism of Chinese cultural elements nationalist sentiments cultural aesthetics and innovation of clothing and the harmony between the clothing style and Chinese cultural elements. Practical implications to fashion brands and fashion designers are discussed.
A woke brand? An analysis of Nike and the limits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the fashion-industrial complex
In an era marked by heightened social consciousness and impacted by Black Lives Matter (BLM) fashion brands worldwide endeavour to position themselves as socially responsible. This study scrutinizes Nike a global leader in the fashion-industrial complex and its ‘woke’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. By conducting a detailed case study of Nike’s ‘woke’ CSR initiatives and analysing social media user comments the research seeks to unveil the tensions and constraints of ‘woke’ CSR. The study investigates the social media discourse surrounding Nike’s image focusing on racial consciousness and concludes that the brand’s ‘woke’ CSR initiatives are not transformative; they merely perform wokeness. The analysis uncovered three common themes in the social media data: (1) the commodification of BLM (2) commodity activism and (3) woke-washing. By examining the limits of Nike’s ‘woke’ CSR practices within the fashion-industrial complex this study provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for brands seeking to meet socially conscious consumers’ evolving expectations.
Undergraduate curators: Production of a justice-oriented fashion museum exhibition
The purpose of this scholarship on teaching is to examine how undergraduate students can engage with justice-oriented fashion history through curating a small fashion exhibition as a group project in a single 17-week semester. I explore how both scaffolding and formative assessment techniques shaped this undergraduate learning experience. To build this case study I drew upon multiple sources including the syllabus course materials provided to the students literature used to build the course and my faculty self-ratings. The instructions for the entire project were broken down into smaller tasks due throughout the semester. I found that students were heavily engaged throughout the entire process particularly when browsing the fashion collection for potential objects. Overall this project serves as an example for undergraduates curating exhibitions in a one-semester format using a smaller university fashion collection with modest resources overcoming the previously documented roadblocks to using fashion teaching collections.
Black women, Brazilian butt lifts and body image: A qualitative study on the role social media play in promoting the thick ideal
Brazilian butt lift (BBL) surgery is defined by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery as ‘a specialized fat transfer procedure that augments the size and shape of the buttocks without implants’. While members of all ethnic and racial groups elect to get cosmetic surgery BBLs are especially popular among Black women. Unlike the Eurocentric beauty standard to be as thin as possible Black women strive for an in-between weight otherwise known as the thick ideal. This body ideal is based on the Mammy and Jezebel stereotypes of Black women and can cause women with excess or too little curves to feel a sense of inferiority or a lack of racial acceptance. Many prominent Black celebrities and influencers have either had encouraged or drawn attention to BBLs through various mass media channels including social media. Thus this research aimed to understand the trend towards buttock augmentation and body concerns among Black women and examine if social media play a role in sharing information and opinions regarding the procedure within the Black community. The research was guided by two questions: (1) what discussions are Black women having about BBLs on social media? (2) Do conversations about BBLs impact Black women’s body image and body satisfaction? To explore the purpose videos on TikTok were examined. TikTok a video-focused social networking platform was chosen due to its rising popularity focus on appearance-based content and its emphasis on collaboration and conversation. The results fell under two themes: (1) motivations for having a BBL and (2) resistance against having a BBL. The themes were consistent with previous research done on the relationship between internet use and body image concerns previous research conducted on the impact of the thick ideal on Black women’s body image and sociocultural theories of self-objectification social comparison and body surveillance.
Service quality expectations of international fashion apparel brands in India: Satisfaction loyalty and the mediating role of culture
Service quality is an important determinant of customer brand experience customer satisfaction and customer loyalty with cross-cultural differences leading to varied expectations of service from consumers. Our research aims to understand the influence of the service quality expectations and cultural factors that influence customer satisfaction and loyalty and the moderating role of cultural values on the relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty of international fashion apparel brand purchasing of young consumers in India. Data collected across 142 young consumers in India via questionnaire are analysed using PLS_SEM structural modelling. The findings indicate that the service quality parameter tangibility has a significantly positive relationship with customer satisfaction while both reliability and formality positively influence customer loyalty. The cultural value self-transcendence depicts a significant positive relationship with customer loyalty while the moderating effect of conservation on the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is also significantly positive validating the role of cultural values as both a predictor and moderator of customer purchase motivation.
When East meets West: The politicization of kei pou (qipao) or cheongsam in Hong Kong
Kei pou (qipao in Mandarin) or cheongsam the oft-interchangeable style of dress has been labelled as the ‘Chinese national dress’ due to western media. However the perception originally stems from colonial mindset lacking understanding to the diverse Chinese diaspora. This article argues not only is kei pou or cheongsam the representation of Hong Kong’s local culture but also the symbolism of Hongkonger’s cultural identity. Through object-based research the article engages with a rare red quilted kei pou purchased in Hong Kong in the 1980s. The dress illustrates the true Oriental beauty with the symbolism of elegance and sophistication of Hong Kong women from an East Asian perspective. The article clarifies the etymological confusion between kei pou and cheongsam through their stylistic taxonomy and historical development and examines the cultural-political connotations of these two styles of dress and their semiotics in constructing the identity of Hongkongers. Consequently the research proposes the interconnected relationship between the city and the dress in which exists not only within the contexts of marginalized culture in the Eurocentric world but also within the authoritarian-ruled China.
Anti-sacred fashion: The use of profane performative costumes in the black metal music and performances of Nergal and Behemoth
This article examines the ways in which fashion and costume represent and communicate distinctive anti-authority sentiments and ideological positions and is based on a case study of the Polish black metal artist Adam Darski otherwise known as Nergal. The article critically explores the ways in which costumes worn by Nergal are confrontational in terms of their subversion of religious garments adornments and symbols as part of an artistic and political strategy designed to communicate profane stances and critiques in the context of the Catholic church in Poland. The article investigates the communicative nature of costume and fashion focusing on popular music and the genre of heavy metal and relates this analysis to the sociology of Emile Durkheim and Marcel Mauss in terms of their conceptions of the sacred and the profane and ritual practice. In this way Nergal uses the aesthetic of black metal to design and communicate a distinctive oppositional position in which the use of profane fashion and costume is a central and crucial factor.
