Fashion Consumption Research Articles

LDA 토픽모델링을 활용한 패션에 나타난 과시적 현상 연구

As the economy and ideology develop, the way people express themselves is also changing significantly. Fashion is used as a tool to express the needs of the wearer by reflecting all aspects of politics, economy, society, and culture of the era, and as a fashion, it shows off a specific class to which it belongs when distinguishing itself from others. This paper aims to identify the flaunting phenomena and characteristics of modern fashion by quantitatively exploring the changes and actual conditions of fashion flaunting with the development of the times through the big data research method. In order to achieve the research purpose, this study was conducted by reviewing previous studies and analyzing LDA topic modeling. Through the LDA topic modeling analysis, it showed off its fashion characteristics such as 'showoff and competence on social media platforms', 'Chanel's leading influence on fashion', 'star's leading role in fashion style', 'Korean luxury consumption', 'extreme growth of Asian fashion consumption and new expression'. In terms of the implications of the results, first, the way and place of modern social fashion flaunting have changed from offline to online. Second, luxury brands and stars lead the trend of showing off fashion consumption. Third, Asia has become the center of luxury goods consumption and fashion show-off. Fourth, not pursuing trends is becoming a new fashion show. Fifth, In the study of flaunting phenomena in fashion, it was confirmed that big data analysis can be used as a supplementary means for qualitative analysis, and the objectivity of the analysis results can be secured. It is expected that it can be used as useful empirical data for researching the trend of consumer's show-off psychology and show-off fashion in the future.

Disrupting the fashion retail journey: social media and GenZ's fashion consumption

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to assess the use of social media by Gen Z consumers and the ways they impact on and re-shape their fashion consumption journey. This generational approach uses the lens of uses and gratifications theory (UGT) to explore the customer fashion retail journey from the perspective of the Gen Z consumer.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses an exploratory approach in response to the relative lack of research in to GenZ consumers combined with a need to understand shopping journeys. Mixed methods were used with a first phase of interviews followed by a survey of 102 Gen Z students recruited online in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe study found that GenZ users of social media for shopping sought gratification from experiences derived from social relationships, entertainment and information. The need for immediate gratification was found in new information and meeting new people to maintain social relationships, learn about products and inform the shopping journey. Further, the research supported the importance of visual images in the affective gratification of shopping needs. Resale sites on social media were favoured for their low prices, information about previously owned fashion items and the opportunity to exercise sustainable fashion choices.Originality/valueThe research advances understanding of fashion shopping journeys through social media and online resale sites. It demonstrates that younger consumers, GenZ, shop through the gratification of experiences informed by their social networks and wider contacts. The linear stages of pre to post–purchase shopping are merged and looped as they exchange information about their shopping journey, from information gathering to post–purchase comments. The role of the brand to these knowledgeable consumers conducting their own resale trade is to facilitate access to and information about their products.

Breaking the cycle: A sustainable fashion paradigm

The fashion system fundamentally changed during the Industrial Revolution when the industry pivoted away from traditional craft-based production and towards mechanization and mass production. The design process, manufacturing operations, retail practices and marketing tactics of mass production contributed over time to the current climate crisis. Globally, the fashion system is acknowledged as an environmental and social emergency. Thus, the fashion system needs to get with the times. Fashion as a reflection of modernity needs to align with globally recognized social and environmental goals. Societal attachment to materialism and fashion consumption should be reconsidered. In this article we consider these challenges to propose a paradigm that breaks the fashion cycle and provides a framework for the role fashion producers and consumers should play in the twenty-first century.

How to achieve sustainable distribution in the fast fashion industry? An electric vehicle solution under the "vehicle-battery separation" mode.

Exploring sustainable urban distribution based on electric vehicles is crucial given the rise in global greenhouse gas emissions, especially for fast fashion industries with extremely high distribution frequencies. However, most studies have overlooked the impact of deep discharge on the distribution route scheme, and few studies fit the characteristics of the fast fashion industry. As a result, this study presents a novel electric vehicle routing problem considering deep discharge model (EVRP-DD) for distribution route optimization, which fully considers deep discharge under the emerging mode of vehicle-battery separation. The characteristics of fashion consumers and products were also integrated into the model, such as consumer satisfaction and 3D loading constraints. To solve this complex programming problem, a sophisticated hybrid ant colony optimization (HACO) algorithm was designed by combining the advantages of ACO and A-star algorithms. Using real-life data, the experimental results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed solution. EVRP-DD achieved reduced driving distance, total distribution cost, and deep discharge distance. HACO can enhance the computation speed and reduce the total distribution cost compared with the two conventional algorithms. The proposed solution showed excellent flexibility and could effectively adjust the optimal route scheme according to the ever-changing external environment. Thus, it can be concluded that this solution is a powerful tool for enterprises to achieve sustainable distribution. This study has realized theoretical innovation in sustainable distribution under the new mode of vehicle-battery separation, and its successful application in the fast fashion industry reflects its valuable application value.

Analysis of Organization and Management Issues and Development Proposals of CHOW TAI FOOK

The topic of this article is based on the domestic jewelry market, taking brand marketing in the fast fashion consumption era as the starting point and choosing the top domestic jewellery enterprise---- CHOW TAI FOOK (CTF) as the research objective. Through the analysis of the internal and external environment of CHOW TAI FOOK (macro environment, competitive environment, market environment, the enterprise’s own resources and capacities), this article uses marketing models (SWOT analysis) to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and analyze this firm. At the end, this paper proposes some optimization plans in terms of advertising, product quality and product design according to its weaknesses so as to enhance the media exposure and keep building the best jewelry enterprise in China.

Queering consumption: The discursive construction of sexual identity among gay fashion consumers in Hong Kong

The purpose of this study is to investigate how sexual identity is constructed among gay fashion consumers in Hong Kong through myriad consumption practices. We employed ethnographic research methods and conducted thirteen in-depth interviews with gay male consumers in Hong Kong to examine the relationship between identity and lifestyle consumption, as well as symbolic consumption and tribal behaviour, within a ‘gay’ community. The findings captured four stages of gay consumers’ identity construction, which began with (1) negotiating one’s sexual identity and changing their perception of gay identity, (2) tremendous identity change, (3) consumption behaviour change and eventually (4) full acceptance of one’s sexual identity. The construction and the expression of sexual identity among gay men in Hong Kong were found to be associated with Confucian-oriented social structures and various marketplace ideologies. This study contributes to the existing discussion of gay consumption literatures by offering a non-western context where the discursive construction of sexual identity – and the negotiations involved in its representation – reflects the multitude of tensions between Chinese culture, on the one hand, and ideas of modernity and cosmopolitanism, on the other.

Can rental platforms contribute to more sustainable fashion consumption? Evidence from a mixed-method study

Can rental platforms contribute to more sustainable fashion consumption? Evidence from a mixed-method study

Omnichannel Fashion Retail in Indonesia: How it affects Marketing Performance?

Objectives: Mobile commerce is an appropriate omnichannel practice adoption for fashion retail. Omnichannel in the retail industry is currently becoming an innovation strategy to increase consumer interaction by integrating various sales channel services. Consumers' channel-switching behavior remains as one of the challenges in the retail industry. To deal with these challenges, providing multiple points of contact to interact with consumers that gain competitive advantage and improve marketing performance is required.Methodology: This study is a causal research with a 95% confidence interval in collecting and constructing the data structure to evaluate the cause-and-effect relationship of the variables. The primary data was obtained through a survey of 91 retail fashion consumers in Indonesia. Subsequently, the data was analyzed using structural equation modeling.Finding: Compared to the previous studies, the results of this study indicated that novelty, hedonic, and utilitarian motivations influence brand love through omnichannel customer experience. To improve brand love, companies need to improve customer experience.Conclusion: Based on the findings, the researchers felt one of the biggest flaws in the study was only collecting data on consumers of international clothing products whose physical stores have only been operating in Indonesia

Foraging for fashion’s future: The use of mycelium materials and fungi intelligence in fashion design

In reaction to the climate crisis, we have seen the emergence of environmental fashion trends that seek to limit energy use and cut emissions, with the aim of building sustainability. The provocation to design in concert with our biosphere is driving fashion designers to renegotiate our relationship with living systems in the quest for innovative ecological design models. This article explores the transformative coupling of fungi fabric and fashion. It considers how fashion brands and designers might develop new languages by bringing fungi’s root intelligence into wearable forms. A body of remarkable experiments has shown that fungi engage in decision-making, are capable of learning and possess short-term memory. The intelligence of the fungal ecosystem and its ability to repair damage in its own structure brings new possibilities to the idea of a ‘smart’ textile. Preserving these active qualities in a textile raises challenges for fashion brands and consumers about how to store the garments and whether we would need to feed our wardrobe of the future to keep it alive. If use of mycelium in fashion is to progress beyond the Petri dish or catwalk novelty, challenges of consistency and scale need to be addressed. Far from the ‘perfect cure’, fungi materials raise questions about their eco-credentials, finishing treatments and disposability, and the ethics of working with living organisms. With a rising experimentation in bio-fabrics, I suggest the need for a critical discourse of materials that aims to promote new questions and scholarship on the intersections between body and botany, decomposition and drapery, and engineering and ecosystems.

Predictors of consumers' behaviour to recycle end-of-life garments in Australia

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to apply and extend the predictors within the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to understand consumers' behaviour toward recycling end-of-life garments among Australian consumers. The predictors explored within this study include attitude, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, self-identity, general recycling behaviour eco-literacy, self-efficacy, intentions to recycle and behaviour to recycle end-of-life garments.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a sample of consumers across all eight recognised states/territories in Australia through survey questionnaires. A total of 481 usable responses were analysed using structural equation modelling.FindingsResults show positive relationships between the factors explored with all hypotheses supported. The findings of this study have theoretical and managerial implications. They (1) provide an insight into the significant factors that influence consumers' recycling behaviour amongst Australian fashion consumers; (2) bridge the gap in the explanatory nature of TPB by extending this theory; (3) call to develop marketing campaigns to educate consumers on the impact of fashion waste; (4) suggest the need for provision of household textile collection bins at a national level and (5) highlight the need for policy reform on garment recycling enabled by the Australian government.Originality/valueThis study is part of the limited studies that focus on the recycling of consumer fashion waste within the Australian context. Little research has also applied the TPB to end-of-life fashion products with a focus on recycling. In addition, no study to the authors' knowledge has, in combination, explored self-efficacy, self-identity, general recycling behaviour and eco-literacy as predictors of intentions to recycle end-of-life garments.

Move the mind of fashion consumers with low environment saliency: use well- and healed-baby appeals and increase anticipated positive emotions

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effects of sick-, well- and healed-baby appeals used in fashion products on purchase intentions through anticipated emotions. Consumers' perceived saliency of the environmental issues in the fashion industry was examined as an influencing factor that further explains the persuasion of the advertising appeals.Design/methodology/approachTwo sets of experimental studies were conducted with 201 participants in Study 1 and 186 participants in Study 2.FindingsThe results demonstrated that well- and healed-baby appeals increased purchase intentions fully mediated by anticipated positive emotions. In particular, the mediation effect was conditionally significant when individuals' saliency of environmental issues was low. The three types of advertising appeals did not differ in consumers with high saliency for environmental issues. A sick-baby appeal did not induce purchase intentions through anticipated negative emotions. The mediation effect of anticipated negative emotions did not work with any appeal type.Originality/valueRetail marketers can use the findings to create commercial messages to persuade their fashion consumers. If the brand has consumers with low saliency, either educating consumers about the importance of environmental issues in the fashion industry or using a well- or healed-baby approach in their advertising can increase purchase intentions due to the increased anticipated positive emotions. Increasing the threat level of environmental problems by using a sick-baby appeal would not work, as consumers' anticipated negative emotions (e.g. feeling of guilt from not buying green products) would not convince them to purchase the green product.

Sustainable Fashion on Social Media

The sustainable fashion tribe is interested in ethical and ecological fashion consumption. To inform and reach various people, they use social media networks. However, as fashion consumption is often being used as a representation of wealth and status, the question arises, whether the underlying motives of the tribe to communicate on social media are altruistic or, on the contrary, promote conspicuous consumption. This qualitative study explores the underlying motives of the tribe communicating about sustainable fashion consumption on social media. The analysis of the nine interviews show, that there are four main motives: altruistic, social, egoistic and prestige-related motives. Even though the altruistic motives can be reconciled with the tribes’ principal values, the results also show signs of conspicuous consumption in terms of prestige-related motives. When posting on social media the tribe wants to inform about and influence its followers to a more sustainable fashion consumption, but also wants to gain reputation and recognition for it. Still, it is concluded that conspicuous consumption of sustainable fashion on social media can promote sustainable consumption overall and having a positive effect on the environment.

Fashion Consumption of Naturally Dyed Products: A Cross-Cultural Study of the Consumption of Blue-Dyed Apparel Between China and Japan

Abstract To compare the different motivation, intention and behaviour between Chinese and Japanese consumers in naturally dyed fashion consumption we collected 301 Chinese samples and 302 Japanese samples and used a structural equation model (SEM) to analyse the consumption behaviour of naturally dyed apparel based on the planned behaviour theory (TPB) and cross-cultural sustainable consumption framework (CCSC). The results indicate that attitude, social norms and perceived behaviour control (PBC) impact naturally dyed fashion consumption intention and behaviour. Among these relations, intention has a controlling influence on the relationship between subjective factors and actual consumption behaviour. PBC directly affects consumer behaviour. Moreover, the belief system and material source have a significant influence on all TPB constructs, wherein material source has more influence. Comparing China and Japan, attitude has a stronger impact on intention for Chinese than Japanese, but PBC influences Japanese intention more. Theoretically, this paper analyses the factors forming the difference in the strength of the TPB model from a cross-cultural perspective. The differences in Chinese and Japanese consumption behaviours also offer practical insights for the industrial development of natural dyeing.

Editor-in-Chief’s Top Picks From 2022

Each week, I record audio summaries for every paper in JACC, as well as an issue summary. This process has become a true labor of love due to the time they require, but I am motivated by the sheer number of listeners (16 million plus), and it has allowed me to familiarize myself with every paper that we publish. Thus, I have selected the top 100 papers (both Original Investigations and Review Articles) from distinct specialties each year. In addition to my personal choices, I have included papers that have been the most accessed or downloaded on our websites, as well as those selected by the JACC Editorial Board members. In order to present the full breadth of this important research in a consumable fashion, we will present these abstracts in this issue of JACC, as well as their Central Illustrations and podcasts. The highlights comprise the following sections: Basic & Translational Research, Cardiac Failure & Myocarditis, Cardiomyopathies & Genetics, Cardio-Oncology, Congenital Heart Disease, Coronary Disease & Interventions, Coronavirus, Hypertension, Imaging, Metabolic & Lipid Disorders, Neurovascular Disease & Dementia, Promoting Health & Prevention, Rhythm Disorders & Thromboembolism, and Valvular Heart Disease.1-100.

How can brands become central in the consumers’ life?

PurposeBrand centrality is a religion-like brand–customer relationship, which refers to the extent to which a brand is in the center or heart of a consumer’s life. While its role in the fast fashion industry is prominent, its drivers and effects have not been comprehensively studied. This study aims to investigate the relationships between three psychological drivers (i.e. fashion-conscious, chronic shopping orientation and self-esteem), one behavioral driver (i.e. the average frequency of shopping), brand centrality and relationship quality in the fast fashion industry.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 250 fast fashion consumers was conducted and partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data.FindingsThe study shows that fashion consciousness and chronic shopping orientation are positively related to brand centrality, whereas self-esteem is negatively related to brand centrality. The findings also show that shopping frequency moderates the relationship between fashion consciousness and brand centrality, and between chronic shopping orientation and brand centrality.Post hocanalysis indicates that brand centrality fully mediates the relationship between chronic shopping orientation and relationship quality.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first studies to investigate the psychological and behavioral drivers of brand centrality.

Examining the luxury consumers’ showrooming behaviour: The effect of perceived values and product involvement

ABSTRACT Since showrooming has been a key trend among luxury consumers, this study tries to understand the major drivers behind luxury consumers’ showrooming behaviour using a moderated mediation framework. Drawing from Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) Model and Value-Based Adoption Model (VAM), this research aims to bridge this gap in the existing work. Systematic sampling method was employed for data collection from 404 luxury fashion consumers in India. AMOS 27 and Process SPSS Macro were employed to analyse the data. Findings from the analysis revealed that sales-staff assistance, evaluation convenience, deals and discount and online purchase convenience significantly influence showrooming intention. Mediating roles of in-store search value and perceived value of online shopping were confirmed in the relationship between antecedent variables and showrooming intention. Furthermore, the mediating role of in-store search value is moderated by product involvement. This is the earliest work performed to examine the influence of product involvement in consumers’ showrooming behaviour for luxury goods. This paper will assist luxury players to create appropriate marketing programmes to facilitate or counter showrooming.

Acceptance factors of Zara's shopping app among fashion consumers during COVID‐19

AbstractOnline sales in the textile sector are undergoing a comprehensive renewal process as a result of COVID‐19. This article analyzes how the pandemic has influenced the ZARA brand in its sales channel through its mobile application (app). This analysis has been carried out through the development of a UTAUT 2 model into which the constructs of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Design have been incorporated. Based on a sample of 736 Spanish people, an anonymous online questionnaire was distributed, and the responses were modeled using structural equations with Smart‐PLS. From the results obtained and their interpretation, it is evident how, when purchasing textile products through the app, consumers are indifferent to the CSR of the brand, while design, ease of condition, and habit are shown as the elements that exert the greatest influence on the buyer. Despite being a growing trend within companies, the importance of CSR actions is not yet a determining factor in the intention to use fashion apps. Perhaps in a situation of uncertainty, consumers seek refuge in a well‐known brand, without assessing whether the company is aligned with the interests of its environment. In times of COVID‐19, users have changed their shopping habits, directly influencing online shopping. But what are the acceptance factors of these apps during this COVID‐19 era? For this study, we have analyzed the ZARA fashion app through a sample of users in Spain, where the app has a higher number of active users.

Behavior of Russian Premium Fashion Consumers and Designers after the COVID-19 Pandemic and International Sanctions

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the emerging changes in Russian premium fashion brand consumers' behavior on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic and international economic sanctions, the impact on foreign fashion brands' decisions to leave the market, and the willingness of some Russian fashion designers to scale their businesses and occupy vacated market niches. This problem had arisen for the first time; the situation is unexpected and unique. Therefore, the researchers combined multiple methods of data collection: (1) Observation; (2) Netnography to identify emerging changes in Russian consumers’ behavior, which increases the objectivity of the data obtained since personal contact was excluded; and (3) Expert in-depth interviews to assess the situation by Russian fashion designers. QDA and qualitative content analysis were used. Fashion designers in Russia percept the situation as an opportunity for business development, similar to the situation that occurred in Iran, but entrepreneurs understand the market risks and expect more serious measures of state support for business. The results may inform state policymakers and stakeholders about the stated changes in consumer behavior and the capabilities of Russian entrepreneurs to scale the business, which will help identify possible growth vectors for domestic fashion designers in the premium sector. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-SPER-010 Full Text: PDF

Exploring the Key Elements of Sustainable Design from a Social Responsibility Perspective: A Case Study of Fast Fashion Consumers’ Evaluation of Green Projects

With the growing global awareness of sustainable development, the impact of “fast fashion” on the environment has drawn much attention. This study investigated 365 fast fashion consumers with higher-than-average spending on fast fashion garments in Taiwan and analyzed the data with the analytic network process. From the perspective of social responsibility theory, the triple bottom line framework, and the concept of cradle-to-cradle, this study conducted in-depth interviews with 10 experts in the field of clothing. Based on the results, this study constructed a model with 4 core dimensions and 12 key criteria of sustainable clothing design, with the enterprise, design, and consumer sides as the decision-making options. Moreover, it was found that consumers believe that the first decision-making key that affects sustainable design is the enterprise side, and the most important green item that affects sustainable design is “cherishing”. The findings of this study can provide an important reference standard for sustainable design in the apparel industry.

Memories reminisced, reconciled, renewed: Hong Kong male consumers’ wardrobes and their search for a congruent self

Previous research on fashion, clothing and accessorising practices typically stressed either the symbolic and identity-creating or practical and habitual functions of fashion, often neglecting its affective, emotive and mnemonic aspects. Drawing on affective theory and the agency of things, we theorise how the affects, feelings and emotions attached to active and inactive fashion objects evoke and are evoked by the consumer’s ongoing reminiscence, reconciliation, and renewal of memories. Remapping the intricate relationship among consumers, memory, affect, and fashion objects, this article employs wardrobe study interviews to reconceptualise the clothing consumption, storage and disposal practices of male fashion consumers in Hong Kong and their trans-temporal self-memory-object relationships. Interviewing 21 gay male participants while physically going through their wardrobes together reveals the mnemonic abilities of clothes and accessories to bring up the past, their functioning as emotive devices, and the process of how affective, unpatterned feelings and sensations are reminisced, reconciled and renewed through fashion. These unique theoretical and methodological approaches make it possible to delve deeper into consumers’ intimate material and sensual relationships with clothing and accessory items, which are often used to make sense of incongruent memories and future fantasies, also enabling their ongoing mediation of unresolved affective experiences and curation of a linear cultural script of personal development.