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Drawing on the experiential advantage, three studies were conducted with online clothing rental service users and potential consumers to assess how material and experiential framing impact consumer happiness and word of mouth (WOM) intentions, moderated by consumer materialism, across different consumption (i.e., buying and renting fashion products) and product types (i.e., renting instrumental vs. terminal products). The findings indicate that material framing enhances consumer perceptions of rented fashion products as reflective of their self-identity and increases product-self connections, thereby boosting happiness and WOM intentions. In contrast, experiential framing proves advantageous with instrumental products. This research expands our understanding of the boundary conditions and psychological processes of material vs. experiential framing and provides practical guidance for access-based fashion businesses to effectively communicate and present their services, aiming to achieve positive customer buzz and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fashion knockoffs, which refer to the copycat behaviours of some brands in fashion apparel, are widely seen. It is commonly believed that the presence of fashion knockoffs harms the original-designer-label (ODL) product seller. Motivated by the industrial interviews and real-world observations, we build game-theoretical models to examine the impacts of fashion knockoffs on the ODL product supply chain and its agents with the consideration of risk attitudes. Explicitly, in the basic model, we consider a common manufacturer producing for both a knockoff product seller and a risk sensitive ODL product seller. The ODL product seller and the knockoff product seller make pricing decisions to optimise their own profits. We interestingly find that the presence of fashion knockoffs benefits the ODL product supply chain and its agents when (i) the ODL product seller is risk averse and the ratio of demand uncertainty is relatively small or (ii) the ODL product seller is risk seeking and the ratio of demand uncertainty is sufficiently large. The findings indicate that a risk averse (seeking) ODL product seller is more prone to benefit from the presence of fashion knockoffs when selling fashionable (classic) products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing rise of liquid consumption manifests in the growing popularity of ephemeral, access-based, and dematerialized forms of consumption that contrast with traditional solid forms of consumption characterized by possession and strong object relationships. The literature already presents a robust understanding of what makes liquid and solid consumption appealing to consumers. What has received less attention is the co-existence of liquid and solid consumption in consumers' lived experiences. Furthermore, the literature does not explain how the balance that consumers achieve between liquid and solid consumption fluctuates over time. This study illuminates the co-existence of liquid and solid consumption through a phenomenological inquiry of subscription-based clothing libraries, a context where solid personal possessions frequently mix with liquid accessed items in everyday use. Findings show that changes in consumer desire play a major role in consumer decisions to liquify or solidify consumption, especially over time. Overall, the study provides new theoretical insights into liquid and solid consumption, consumer desire, and burdens of access-based consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The erosion of high-end fashion brands by fast-fashion copycats (e.g., Zara, H&M) has stirred controversies and unceasing legal attempts to copyright fashion designs. Despite the purported negative impact of copycats, the effect of fashion copycats on high-end brands remains empirically unclear. Research on this topic has been impeded by the absence of a modeling framework to quantify fashion and by the lack of consumer-level data on fashion choices. The authors collect data on the posting behaviors of consumers on a fashion-specific social media platform and develop a dynamic structural model with deep learning image analytics to characterize consumers' choices of brands and styles. Results suggest that fast-fashion copycats can both harm high-end brands (a cannibalization effect) and help them (a market expansion effect). The authors also identify both static and dynamic mechanisms that contribute to the market expansion effect: The affordability of mixing copycats with high-end brands boosts the number of high-end items featured in posts by financially constrained consumers (a static mechanism). In addition, good styles from copycats enable users to build their popularity on social media over time, which may increase the users' valuation of high-end brands and reduce the users' future costs via sponsorship opportunities (dynamic mechanisms). The results could inform policy makers about the potential consequences of prohibiting fashion copycats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining trends in style and form with religious considerations, modest fashion has grown worldwide despite a series of intense controversies in Western countries from the mid-2010s. Building on the sociology of scandal, we identify three rhetorical strategies that structure nontarget majority consumers' responses to modest fashion, i.e. the place of religion in modern society, the defence of freedom, and the search for a harmonious society. Interestingly, the strategies of both the detractors and promoters of modest fashion appear to be built upon common values and norms, though at a collective vs. an individual level, respectively. This discursive dynamic allows the former to moralise their attack while neutralising the defence of the latter, thereby setting the public agenda, and leading to Muslims' marketplace exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors develop an attribute-based mixed-membership model of consumers' preference for stockkeeping units in store assortments. The model represents the underlying "topics of interest" that drive shopping behaviors as probability distributions over product attributes. It overcomes several limitations of latent Dirichlet allocation topic models and is particularly useful for making preference predictions in large and frequently changing store assortments. The authors apply the proposed model to investigate topics driving browsing and purchase activities in an online deal marketplace of fashion products and explore how preference structures evolve over time. They find commonalities and differences in the topics that drive the browsing and purchase stages of online shopping processes. In general, browsing covers a broader range of product attributes than purchases. Consumers tend to browse products of premium positioning and/or deep discounts in the deal marketplace, but when purchasing, they tend to gravitate toward lower-tiered products at their original prices and modest depths of discounts. The authors illustrate how insights from the proposed model can be utilized to profile consumers based on their price preferences and to improve personalized product recommendations. They show that the model's performance is particularly strong in predicting preferences for new products that are not in the existing assortment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the conceptual framing of inclusion and exclusion in fashion discourse, discussing how women are denied or restricted the access to the bounded space of fashion based on a part of their identity, be it their race, religion, disability, gender identification, body weight, or social class. It relies on the data corpus is 1061 Vogue articles, collected between July 2019 and June 2020 and analyzed qualitatively. The current study complements ample research on the container metaphor in political discourse and aims to open a debate on the role of this metaphorical model in a so far largely overlooked discourse of fashion. Drawing on the Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Critical Discursive Psychology, I demonstrate how the container metaphor pinpoints the repertoire of inclusivity, problematizes the dichotomous relationship between the center and periphery of the fashion industry, and normalizes roles of insiders and outsiders in fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examine the combination of flexible textiles and electrodes to develop electronic textiles (e-textiles). We present a facile fabrication process using printing and coating conductive electrodes. Innovative textiles, which have evolved primarily through the integration of textile and electronic elements, have developed into e-textiles capable of performing high-dimensional tasks. For practical use of e-textiles, however, they should be compatible with various textiles, economical production, and suitable for mass production. In this study, silver ink-carbon nanotubes are used to screen-print electrodes, a key element of e-textile. We verify four types of spandex textiles and analyze whether ink-based electrodes are stably printed on the textile surfaces. As a post-process, 3D printing mold coating is invited to invent durable and water-repellent electrodes. The fabricated e-textile proves its practicality using a washing test. Additionally, electrical measurements under mechanical bending reveal a variety of potential applications based on their properties. As a result, the electrodes of e-textile have an initial electrical resistance of approximately 10 Ω. Polymer coating enhances the reliability of e-textiles. Washing tests and repeated bending deformation demonstrate that they help the coating maintain its electrical conductivity. On the other hand, electrodes without coating lose their electrical capabilities. This study proposes functional materials and reliable manufacturing methods that are beneficial for e-textile production. Accordingly, we present the diversification and potential of the smart textile industry, such as IoT sportswear, medical healthcare clothing, hazardous work detection clothing, and space exploration clothing, which are examples of applications based on e-textile materials and manufacturing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the 1950s sack dress within the context of American and English fashion. The garment, featuring an undefined waistline and a shorter, more constricted hemline, was by all accounts as popular (and controversial) as the changes in women's fashion in the years after the Second World War. While the sack's zenith can be clocked to the autumn of 1957 and spring of 1958, this article contextualizes this moment against the trajectory of less figure-defining fashions throughout the 1950s. The uproar against the style has become legendary, centred around expectations of how a woman (and her figure) was supposed to appear in clothes, and the attendant discipline suggested by and required for that appearance. To term the style a failure, which later reminisces have repeatedly done, glosses over both the sack's popularity at the time, as well as its legacy as a harbinger for more youth-centred fashions in the 1960s. Through an understanding of the precedents, timeline, manifestations and press reactions to the garment, including a material culture analysis, this article contextualizes the sack's moment in dress history and its contribution to twentieth-century fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venturing into the digital frontier, the metaverse challenges our traditional understanding of real estate, beckoning a deep dive into its virtual realms and the complexities they harbour. This research seeks to provide an integrative framework for comprehending the intricacies of virtual real estate within the metaverse, emphasising its valuation, governance and sustainability. Utilising an exploratory design, the study amalgamates insights from existing metaverse literature and stakeholder perspectives to fashion a robust framework, which is further augmented by derived theoretical propositions. The findings shed light on the multifarious challenges inherent to the metaverse's virtual real estate. There is a spotlight on the substantial energy demands of the metaverse and the consequent ecological imperative for sustainable digital practices. It underscores the need for malleable governance mechanisms in a decentralised metaverse and champions the harmonisation of age-old ownership philosophies with avant-garde technological solutions such as blockchain. The research also postulates a collaborative ethos for virtual space creation and propounds innovative financial paradigms tailored to the unique economic rhythm of the metaverse. Future research vectors could span the cultural and psychological facets of virtual domains and the ripple effects on conventional real estate frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New fashion product sales forecasting is a challenging problem that involves many business dynamics and cannot be solved by classical forecasting approaches. In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of systematically probing exogenous knowledge in the form of Google Trends time series and combining it with multi‐modal information related to a brand‐new fashion item, in order to effectively forecast its sales despite the lack of past data. In particular, we propose a neural network‐based approach, where an encoder learns a representation of the exogenous time series, while the decoder forecasts the sales based on the Google Trends encoding and the available visual and metadata information. Our model works in a non‐autoregressive manner, avoiding the compounding effect of large first‐step errors. As a second contribution, we present VISUELLE, a publicly available dataset for the task of new fashion product sales forecasting, containing multimodal information for 5,577 real, new products sold between 2016 and 2019 from Nunalie, an Italian fast‐fashion company. The dataset is equipped with images of products, metadata, related sales, and associated Google Trends. We use VISUELLE to compare our approach against state‐of‐the‐art alternatives and several baselines, showing that our neural network‐based approach is the most accurate in terms of both percentage and absolute error. It is worth noting that the addition of exogenous knowledge boosts the forecasting accuracy by 1.5% in terms of Weighted Absolute Percentage Error (WAPE), revealing the importance of exploiting informative external information. The code and dataset are both available online (at https://github.com/HumaticsLAB/GTM-Transformer). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in platform trials that allow for adding of new treatment arms as the trial progresses as well as being able to stop treatments part way through the trial for either lack of benefit/futility or for superiority. In some situations, platform trials need to guarantee that error rates are controlled. This paper presents a multi‐stage design, that allows additional arms to be added in a platform trial in a preplanned fashion, while still controlling the family‐wise error rate, under the assumption of known number and timing of treatments to be added, and no time trends. A method is given to compute the sample size required to achieve a desired level of power and we show how the distribution of the sample size and the expected sample size can be found. We focus on power under the least favorable configuration which is the power of finding the treatment with a clinically relevant effect out of a set of treatments while the rest have an uninteresting treatment effect. A motivating trial is presented which focuses on two settings, with the first being a set number of stages per active treatment arm and the second being a set total number of stages, with treatments that are added later getting fewer stages. Compared to Bonferroni, the savings in the total maximum sample size are modest in a trial with three arms, <1% of the total sample size. However, the savings are more substantial in trials with more arms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dating back to when the inventor of the game, James Naismith, developed a mentoring relationship with John McClendon one of the African American pioneers in basketball (founder of the "fast-break"), there are countless examples of these intersections. Entering the college basketball culture as the most decorated recruiting class in National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball history, the University of Michigan Fab Five's legacy catalyzes a new era of American basketball culture. Gracefully talented, the Fab Five abruptly disrupted the institution of basketball, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the identity of basketball athletes globally. This paper presents a sociocultural exploration of the residual impact of the Fab Five's legacy. As authentic, confident, and culturally competent, the five young men intentionally resisted and acknowledged the intersections of race, culture, and class within the college basketball culture. We critically assess the evolution of basketball culture, grounded by the sociocultural experiences of the Fab Five, imprinting upon contemporary generations of college basketball programs and their player. Through these experiences, the Fab Five's success through conflict, during their short stint in college basketball and beyond their professional careers trailblazed a path for the modern-day basketball athlete. Known for their style of play, their expression of fashion on and off the court, and eagerness to talk smack, the Fab Five backed up their talk with performance. Their performance on and off the court, revolutionized the culture of basketball; Even more, American society. The Fab Five's legacy is the cultural catalyst for basketball culture on all levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Data-enabled design (DED) is a design approach where research data is integrated with design praxis in an iterative and hands-on fashion, and it has been successfully applied to design for people in the healthcare domain. However, how to utilise DED as a more broadly applicable approach that facilitates design for larger populations in semi-public spaces remains an open question. Understanding the advantages and challenges of applying DED in various contexts is crucial to guide design researchers further and prevent methodological mismatch. Methods: In this article, we report on applying DED in an open, semi-public context with a large population of visitors. Here, DED was applied in projects with student design researchers who had limited control over the data gathered from people in the context. Results: We share the results of a two-week design workshop that involved sixteen student design researchers and was organised in collaboration with Särkänniemi, one of Finland's largest theme parks. Using design proposals and reflections from five teams, we investigate the use of DED in this context, reporting on perceived challenges, barriers, successes and future directions for taking the DED approach into similar (semi-)public contexts. Discussions: We conclude with reflections from the workshop organisers' point of view and share the feedback from our industry collaborator, highlighting challenges and opportunities in translating the DED approach to a new domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe article proposes an analytical approach tuned to 19th-century society portraiture and tests it on Józef Simmler’s Portrait of Emilia Włodkowska (1865, National Museum in Warsaw). The pictured ball gown was likely by Worth and presented as being worn in Paris rather than in Warsaw to respect the politically-motivated Polish national mourning (1861–1866), culminating during the January Uprising (1863–1864) against Russian rule, that precluded organizing and attending balls at home. The portrait was an act of public performance—and indeed it was publicly exhibited at the artist’s posthumous exhibition in Warsaw in 1868. Its staging and costuming reflected the sitter’s particular agenda fine-tuned to multifarious current contexts: she promoted her Warsaw fashion house and herself as a respectable society lady and competent agent of French fashion in the period of political turmoil and resultant expectations concerning Polish women’s dress and conduct. The portrait showcases Simmler’s juste milieu approach and illustrates a very current shift in the fashionable female silhouette, advocated by Worth, while referencing the dress and artistic tradition of the 17th and 18th centuries and drawing inspiration from the new medium of photography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement in the internet and mobile technologies has substantially altered information diffusion in modern society, creating a diverse environment for generating and sharing various forms of information. Specifically, the emergence of new information sources, such as influencers and online communities, has significantly influenced the formation of consumer opinion. We highlight the changes that have occurred in the diffusion of fashion trend information. To do this, we conducted data mining, which involved three main steps: data preprocessing, specifically converting image data (including images from the 2022 F/W season runway collection, fashion influencer outfits, and best items from online fashion retailers) into textual data; data mining analysis (quantitative analysis); and data post-processing. As a result, we found that even items with low or no appearance on the runway held significance in the best item data or fashion influencer outfits. Specifically, the best items on online fashion retailers, reflecting popular fashion trends, had greater similarity to fashion influencer outfits. However, similarities in silhouette attributes were found among runway collections, fashion influencer outfits, and best items data. This study holds great significance because it focuses on fashion items genuinely consumed by the mainstream consumers rather than only focusing on the four major runway collections. Furthermore, these findings offer valuable insights for merchandising and trend forecasting, emphasizing the importance of selectively utilizing fashion trend information in the planning of fashion products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper explores the status of Chinese fashion media from 2005 to 2015 to understand the role of fashion discourse and information flows in mobilizing activity and meaning in the Chinese fashion industry. By examining ten-year issues of two fashion magazines, Vogue China and iLook, alongside interviews with two fashion media workers, this research reveals that during this period, the diffusion channels for Chinese fashion media are experiencing significant change, with a shift in focus to the presentation of more localized fashion content and the creation of a closer relationship between Chinese fashion media and the Chinese fashion industry. The rise of online fashion media has provided an unprecedented way of engaging Chinese consumers with Chinese fashion, supporting a two-way information flow and a new dimension of interaction. Despite this development, the continuing dominance of fashion retailing and consumption, much of this being comprised of global fashion brands, and the scarcity of fashion professionals in China continue to marginalize Chinese fashion discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how social enterprises in East London drive sustainability in the fashion industry, focusing on the following two case studies: Making for Change and Stitches in Time. The research uses the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework and social capital theory to assess how these enterprises integrate TBL principles and leverage social capital to promote sustainable practices. The qualitative exploratory study generates hypotheses proposing that East London-based social enterprises employ diverse TBL strategies to advance sustainability (H1) and utilise social capital through networks and community ties to support their initiatives (H2). Data collected through interviews and focus groups confirm that these enterprises effectively address social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability. However, balancing these dimensions, especially economic sustainability, remains challenging and often varies depending on organisational objectives. The study also emphasises social capital's key role in enhancing internal cohesion and facilitating external collaborations. The research deepens our understanding of how social enterprises can drive sustainable development by providing evidence-based insights within an underrepresented context of the UK. Using social enterprises as exemplars, these insights could potentially guide the transition of the UK fashion industry towards more sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFashion is now seen as a form of identity associated with everyday life in human society. However, it did not originate as a term with this definition. Instead the concept has been polished through the course of history. The transition from clothing as political tool, to fashion as identity, in the Chinese context did not happen overnight. This study unpacks the complex transition that not only unfolded through vital periods and various iconic events in China, but also involved and impacted upon individuals in their daily lives. Drawing on historical records in clothing/costume museums in Beijing and Shanghai, the study investigates the shift from premodern clothing toward an understanding of modern Chinese identity and clothing. In particular, the article focuses on the multiple interpretations of hybrid dress in Shanghai during the transitional period from late Qing to Republican China. The research finds that the evolving of identity of fashion was embedded in the changing identity of wearers as well as other participants in the fashion chain, which are interlocked and mutually reinforced each other in this socio-political cultural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPiña cloth, or textile woven from the delicate fibers of the pineapple plant used to be the epitome of luxury and high fashion in mid-nineteenth century Philippines. The weaving and wearing of piña experienced a rapid decline largely caused by the influx of British cotton textiles so that by the last half or the 20th century it had all but disappeared. This article analyses the history of reviving piña and its afterlives. It argues that reviving piña resulted in re-inventing new blended forms of the textile (with silk, cotton, and linen), and creating new ones such as piña shifu. Because these blended varieties are cheaper and faster to make, piña has been democratized. The revival process has caused a re-thinking of piña to make it “modern” and “chic”—from adding color to it (as traditionally it was worn in its natural ecru color), turning it into casual or everyday wear, and painting on it to make it wearable art. Finally, the revival project has also altered the status of weavers and challenged gender norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe paper explores the use of country-related stereotypes associated with Italian identity in the social media communication of 21 Italian fashion brands on Instagram. Focusing on the concept of “made in Italy”, the research employs image content analysis to identify how the selected sample of brands communicates Italian identity globally. The theoretical framework emphasizes the importance of the Country of Origin (COO) concept, indicating that “made in Italy” extends beyond a manufacturing label to encompass cultural, historical, and esthetic dimensions. The analysis reveals Italian fashion brands’ deliberate use of stereotypes, iconic objects, and cultural references to shape and reinforce Italian identity in their digital communication. It highlights the intertwining of these elements, contributing to a multifaceted narrative that extends beyond product promotion. Moreover, it underscores the role of social media, particularly Instagram, in enabling brands to project their Italian identity globally, perpetuating esthetics associated with the concept of “dolce vita”. The study emphasizes the importance of holistic brand communication and the powerful role of Instagram in shaping and reinforcing the global image of “made in Italy”. It also offers insights on utilizing stereotypes and cultural symbols to enhance brand identity, aligning with perceptions associated with Italian culture1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is a broad concept and sustainable consumption includes using products and services that not only meet consumer needs but also minimizes the use of natural resources. Brands use social media (SM) to engage with consumers as it enables the brand to build an emotional connection, hence a great platform to provide sustainability related messaging. Thus, using consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRA) as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how sustainable brands utilize SM platforms for organization sustainability communication. Instagram and Facebook were selected for their high-frequency usage and five sustainable fashion brands were evaluated. Seven hundred and twenty-seven sustainability-related posts and 66,821 comments were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach, an established and credible methodology. Three months of SM posts were compiled and examined. Data was coded systematically as deemed appropriate based on the qualitative content analysis approach and resulted in 20 sub-themes across eight thematic categories. The findings of this study provide implications for enhancing stakeholder engagement through (1) content strategy (e.g. video content in sustainability messaging), (2) imagery (e.g. the use of lifestyle content and influencers), and (3) messaging strategy (e.g. educational posts that provide insight into brands' sustainability initiatives). Overall, Instagram (vs. Facebook) was preferred by brands. Brands that post educational messaging, specifically information related to sustainability along with video content, led to higher consumer engagement. Educational messaging yielded high levels of engagement when lifestyle related imagery was partnered with sustainability. Sustainable brands should focus on working with influencers that align with their brand philosophy and values. Brands should post discounts and incentives to promote sustainable purchases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fashion recommendation has become a prominent focus in the realm of online shopping, with various tasks being explored to enhance the customer experience. Recent research has particularly emphasized fashion recommendation based on body shapes, yet a critical aspect of incorporating multimodal data relevance has been overlooked. In this paper, we present the Contrastive Multimodal Cross-Attention Network, a novel approach specifically designed for fashion recommendation catering to diverse body shapes. By incorporating multimodal representation learning and leveraging contrastive learning techniques, our method effectively captures both inter- and intra-sample relationships, resulting in improved accuracy in fashion recommendations tailored to individual body types. Additionally, we propose a locality-aware cross-attention module to align and understand the local preferences between body shapes and clothing items, thus enhancing the matching process. Experimental results conducted on a diverse dataset demonstrate the state-of-the-art performance achieved by our approach, reinforcing its potential to significantly enhance the personalized online shopping experience for consumers with varying body shapes and preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Circular economy strategies may appear practical for business but are complex in application. Country-specific situations, taking into consideration the cultural dimensions, aid the practicality of such strategies. As part of a longitudinal research, this study sought to identify and evaluate circular strategies that could be integrated into selected fashion SMEs in Ghana. An in-depth qualitative case study was adopted to engage nineteen owner-designers of SMEs through interviews and observations. The owner-designers must have formal businesses, have been running their retail stores during the last decade and operate within the two major cities in Ghana where population growth supports economic activities. Life extension strategies were adopted for the study. The indications were that the majority of ownerdesigners of fashion SMEs, although practicing some circular strategies unknowingly, were not motivated to formally integrate the practice into their businesses. Cost, time, labour and consumer attitudes and behaviour were factors considered to undermine the effectiveness of adopting and implementing circular strategies in these firms. Creation of awareness of circular strategies and models for their implementation are needed to enable practitioners to imbibe circular economy principles in fashion SMEs in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fashion exists at the intersection of art, culture, and commerce, serving as a specific form of cultural industry and embodying a complexity that can be both fascinating and overwhelming. This article explores the main theoretical connections between the notions of fashion, mass art, and art, highlighting eight significant challenges within the grey zones of these three concepts. These eight challenging issues are: authenticity and lack of authenticity (1); popularity and unpopularity (2); market determination (3); mass production (4); democratization and availability (5); standardization and uniformization (6); cultural effect (7); and style and taste (8). In the second half of the article, I provide contemporary fashion examples (tabi shoes, the Barbie phenomenon, the Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion exhibition) that underscore the inherent complexity of these eight issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of designing a diffractive neural network (DNN) consisting of a set of sequentially placed phase diffractive optical elements (DOEs) and intended for the optical solution of several given classification problems at different operating wavelengths, so that each classification problem is solved at the corresponding wavelength. The problem of calculating the DNN is formulated as the problem of minimizing a functional that depends on the functions of the diffractive microrelief height of the DOEs constituting the DNN and represents the error in solving the given classification problems at the operating wavelengths. We obtain explicit and compact expressions for the derivatives of this functional, and using them, we formulate a gradient method for the DNN calculation. Using this method, we design DNNs for solving the following three classification problems at three different wavelengths: the problem of classifying handwritten digits from the MNIST database, the problem of classifying fashion products from the Fashion MNIST database, and the problem of classifying ten handwritten letters from the EMNIST database. The presented simulation results of the designed DNNs demonstrate the high performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the significance of effective communication skills for veterinarians who work with food animals. It emphasizes that communication is not only about educating clients, but also about facilitating change. The article suggests that understanding clients' general personality characteristics can help veterinarians present new ideas and suggestions in a manner that is more likely to be accepted and adopted. It also explores different communication styles based on personality types and provides tips for better communication with clients and colleagues. The article concludes by highlighting the potential for individuals to adapt their communication styles to better match the preferences of others. Additionally, the text discusses the benefits of implementing communication training in a clinic setting, particularly with clinic staff and colleagues. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring communication to match the style of clients, which can improve relationships and increase client uptake of recommendations. The author also shares their experience with small group meetings as a way to facilitate change in clients' management decisions, highlighting the power of information shared between farmers. The text provides tips for maximizing knowledge transfer in small group meetings, including asking open-ended questions and involving all participants in the discussion. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of using communication skills routinely and provides information on submitting photographs for the cover of The CVJ. [Extracted from the article]

The overconsumption of clothing has detrimental impacts on society and the environment. For consumers, reducing consumption is complicated by the vital role that clothing plays in individual expression. This study examined the influence of personal values and clothing style confidence on consumers' interest in upcycled clothing. An online Internet survey was used to gather data from a valid sample of 565 U.S. residents. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Schwartz's self-transcendence and self-enhancement values were modeled as antecedents to clothing style confidence (CSC), which is a multi-dimensional construct composed of five factors, including (1) style longevity, (2) aesthetic perceptive ability, (3) creativity, (4) appearance importance, and (5) authenticity. CSC was predicted to mediate the relationship between self-transcendence and self-enhancement values and interest in upcycled clothing, including the purchase of upcycled clothing and interest in learning how to upcycle clothing. Findings showed that CSC mediated the relationship between self-self-transcendence and self-enhancement values and interest in upcycled clothing, as predicted according to value–attitude–behavior theory. Results suggest that bolstering consumers' confidence in personal style may provide intrinsic motivation for change, empowering individuals to embrace their personal style rather than follow fashion trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the growth of social media platforms has led to an increase in the number of influencers who work in/for the fashion industry - these individuals have become attractive marketing partners for fashion brands. As a result, understanding how to measure the performance of fashion influencers (and what kinds of behavior lead to better performance) is paramount. This paper presents a methodology for characterizing fashion influencers' behavior on Instagram. Using a preexisting dataset, we analyze Instagram fashion influencers exploring behavioral patterns, engagement metrics, and content dynamics. Our analyses uncover insights about influencer behavior, gender-based performance, and correlations between engagement metrics and posts' metadata (such as caption sentiment, length, and hashtag usage). Additionally, our research highlights the impact of early engagement and post comments on overall engagement rates, highlighting the role of community interaction. Though focused on Instagram influencers, our proposed methodology could be adapted to diverse datasets and social media platforms. In sum, we present here a preliminary study for understanding and decoding the complex dynamics of fashion influencer culture on social media, offering actionable insights for marketers, brands, aspiring influencers, scholars, and regular social media users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late early modern period witnessed critical consumer transitions across Europe. Yet, while the explosion of the material world and the transition from an 'old luxury' material culture to a 'new luxury' model is well documented, our understanding of the underlying value systems of consumer goods is still under‐developed. Building on a database of eighteenth‐century advertisements for household auctions in the London‐based Daily Advertiser, this article maps the value systems that characterized elite secondary markets in London. We find the language of consumption growing in complexity and sophistication as the eighteenth century progressed, but historiographically, key concepts such as fashion and modernity played minor and sometimes unexpected roles. While silverware is traditionally perceived as a store of wealth and marker of status, and hence a textbook 'old luxury', in the auction advertisements it is often praised for its design value. Chinaware, often attributed a central role in forging an affordable yet fashion‐sensitive 'new luxury model', is paradoxically valued for its age and patina. In fact, the boundaries between 'new' and 'old' luxuries were never clear‐cut. The intrinsic value of material culture continued to matter, and the language of consumption continued to reproduce social inequalities, much as it did in previous centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores South Asian diasporic fashion retail spaces and sartorial practices in Glasgow. Drawing on ten months of ethnographic research, it investigates how fashion and clothing contribute to identity construction, community building, and cultural blending among British South Asians. Utilising patchwork ethnography and city walking, the article presents the lived experiences of shopkeepers and consumers, demonstrating the interplay of gender, migration, spaces, and religion in sartorial practices. The findings reveal that fashion and sartorial practices are not merely about personal expression but also about negotiating hybrid and multiple identities and fostering community solidarity amidst the challenges of migration and cultural preservation. The article also contributes to the broader discourse on transnational fashion, advocating for a decolonial perspective that addresses ethical, moral, and environmental sustainability within diverse fashion systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study delves into the realm of traditional Korean fashion/textile practice, known as traditional nubi and Tongyeong nubi (t/T nubi), and re-engineers it from a contemporary fashion perspective within the framework of cultural sustainability. Drawing upon the systemic design approach, the project employed specific activities to trace, decode, and reconfigure t/T nubi following the phases of exploration, reframing, creation, and catalyzation, aiming for innovative design in the contemporary fashion space. The paper emphasizes a holistic and iterative process, based on learning the practice of t/T nubi from artisans, understanding and recontextualizing the future envisaged for t/T nubi, and delivering creative outcomes. Utilizing the interpretative model of cultural sustainability through craft, the study also analyzed the outcomes, identifying impacts such as rethinking craft culture, decoding craft roots, and influencing craft culture. Striking a balance between safeguarding the practice and fostering creativity was challenging; however, the approach serves as a valuable reference for designers and/or artisans of traditional craft practice, bridging their knowledge and design thinking process with the enduring sustainability of this heritage craft. It also demonstrates the potential for designers to leverage traditional craft practices to drive innovation in design, production, and business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDecolonial scholars call for fashion definitions and perspectives from all cultures, and this article responds to these requests. Numerous theories and positions have inspired and shaped this conceptual model, including valuable insight from First Nations scholars who have explored fashion theories that integrate First Nations philosophies and ontologies. This First Nations fashion, art and style conceptual model explores the practice and outlines the themes of Culture, Expression, and Self-determination. First Nations fashion, art and style, as a term, acknowledges the holistic practice and industry, which includes fashion design, style, and the intersection of art via textiles and garments. The Cultural element within the model explores the continuation of cultural practice through design and dress and how it can contribute to cultural well-being. The Expression element describes contemporary cultural and intersectional identity forms through traditional and modern garments. The Self-determination component explores the autonomy of First Nations fashion practices and how First Nations people self-determine their fashion brands via cultural, financial, and environmental sustainability. This article concludes with recommendations for further theoretical and empirical research on First Nations fashion, art and style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a review of an exhibition titled "Strings the Length of Our Palm's Seal" by artist Ozioma Onuzulike at the ChertL€ udde Gallery in Berlin. The exhibition showcased the artist's textile works made from palm kernel shells and ceramic beads. The review discusses the artist's background, his use of discarded objects as art materials, and the themes explored in his works, including social, economic, political, and environmental issues in Nigeria. The review also highlights specific works in the exhibition, such as the "Extra-Large-Sized Jumper" and "Agbada," which reference popular clothing styles in Nigeria. The text discusses an art exhibition by Ozioma Onuzulike called "Strings the Length of Our Palm's Seal." The exhibition features artworks made from palm kernel shells, terracotta beads, stoneware clay bodies, recycled glass, and copper wire. The artworks explore the esthetic quality and cultural significance of palm kernels in Nigeria, highlighting the historical and economic aspects of the palm trade. The exhibition also addresses the artist's concerns about the reckless behavior of Nigerian politicians and the lopsided trade relations between Africa and the Western world. The artworks are visually striking and symbolically rich, representing the artist's critique of societal issues. [Extracted from the article]

This study examines the state of research in the field of digital fashion, specifically focusing on design and production. The authors propose a definition for digital fashion as the ‘virtual creation, production, and depiction of an individual's identity, in particular in the field of clothing and footwear, through computer-aided design’. Using PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 386 publications from the Web of Science database have been selected for the systematic review. A keyword map was created based on bibliographic data, and a cluster analysis of the publications revealed five main clusters. The analysis of articles shows that the most frequently mentioned topics are design, fashion, social media, and technology. Sustainability, digital fashion, and performance are also frequently discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In recent times, clothing upcycling has emerged as a sustainable solution to tackling textile waste. Despite its popularity, there remains a limited understanding of the factors driving individuals' upcycling behavior. This study delves into the determinants of clothing upcycling behavior within the Japanese population. Administered via an online survey involving 433 participants in Japan, this research utilized structural equation modeling to assess a theoretical model that integrates personal norms, attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and intention within the theory of planned behavior. The outcomes reveal that both personal norms and perceived behavioral control exert a substantial influence on individuals' intentions to participate in upcycling activities. Interestingly, the impact of attitude on upcycling intentions is moderate, while subjective norms surprisingly showed no significant influence. These findings contribute to the pro-environmental behavior literature and can guide the development of focused interventions that promote sustainable fashion consumption through upcycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exhibition Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse (2022) reexamined the British fashion designer’s oeuvre by contextualizing select Alexander McQueen designs within art history. Juxtaposing permanent collection works that spanned media, eras, and cultures with McQueen’s fashions, curators explored the cyclical nature of inspiration against the backdrop of appropriation in art history. As evidenced in his powerful collections, McQueen’s artistic process ranged from thoughtful research and examination to Eurocentric revisions that were both critical of and at times complicit in the legacies of colonialism. This analysis of McQueen’s artistic intent and process initially sought to uncover new frameworks for understanding the designer; however, the thematic conversations between encyclopedic objects also yielded new and unexpected insights for the museum’s non-dress and textile art collections. Investigating McQueen’s fashion collections through a broader art-historical lens enabled significant and mutually beneficial dialogues between both dress and non-dress art historians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study uses an autoethnographic situated strategy to undertake an analysis of the vogue/ballroom subculture. Vogue is an urban dance performed by a subculture with global reach. It is done in balls or dance competitions where identities challenging cis-heterosexist norms participate. These encounters have achieved enormous visibility, both through productions such as Pose and Paris is Burning, and in seminal academic essays such as the influential "Gender is Burning" by Judith Butler. This essay analyzes the way this dance acts as a stage for identity construction. At three analytical/biographical moments, an approach is developed, which, on the one hand, questions the romanticization of this scene and, on the other, criticizes the simplistic analyses conducted on it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutions, as intangible factors, influenced the development and configuration of the Italian fashion system in the second half of the twentieth century. Historians have recognized the importance of institutions in understanding historical change, economic trends, and path dependence. This approach is well established in historical studies, but the application of the institutional logics theoretical framework to detailed analyses of specific cases and contexts remains unexplored. In this respect, the institutions and institutional logics in the emergence and configuration of the Italian fashion system exemplify how institutions influence organizational structure and behavior as well as market evolution. The evolution of Italian fashion therefore underscores the cultural dimensions of institutions and, eventually, their significance as intangible factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the library of the famed diarist Samuel Pepys (1633–1703) at Magdalene College, Cambridge sits one of the largest surviving bound collections of seventeenth-century French fashion prints. Containing nearly one hundred illustrations of named and anonymous figures spanning from 1670 though the 1690s, the Pepys fashion prints remain an underutilised resource for seventeenth-century dress history. Using Pepys's Habits de France and 'Modes de Paris', this article argues that these engravings served a dual purpose to Pepys and his contemporaries. In addition to reflecting long-standing trends in collecting images of historical and global fashions, the prints were considered in some capacity to accurately depict the current French modes. As such, they provided vital sartorial guidance to fashionable elites seeking to mimic Continental styles, cementing their importance in the visualisation and dissemination of dress in late seventeenth-century England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The defining feature of the nuclear-free movement in New Zealand was people power: a groundswell of popular support which achieved a major change in government policy and became a turning point in our national identity. Creative expression was crucial to building visibility for the cause. By looking at the textiles produced at this time, we can both read the history of the movement and understand how New Zealanders saw ourselves and our place in the Pacific. Banners, fabric prints, and t-shirts used conventional protest messaging like peace signs and caricatures of key political figures. But it is the imagery chosen to support these messages which echoes a wider conversation in New Zealand's identity as a Pacific nation. In the 1980s and 1990s, an emerging "Pasifika" movement in craft and fashion adopted Pacific Island imagery to create a unique New Zealand style. Anti-nuclear textile designs formed a part of this, drawing upon the romanticized image of palm-tree-fringed islands, a natural paradise in which grotesque mushroom clouds had no place. This article considers how anti-nuclear textiles are a visible creative record of New Zealand's changing self-identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logos are part of a brand's identity, responsible for its recognizability and what it stands for. Research showed that buying products easily recognizable by others is associated with status and/or conspicuous consumption. This research aimed to determine the reasons behind consumers wearing logo clothes. Building on existing literature, it investigated how status, conspicuousness, self-monitors, self-esteem, materialism, brand loyalty, opinion seekers and leaders, and gender influenced wearing visually branded clothing. A conceptual model was developed combining these constructs. An online questionnaire was conducted amongst 206 individuals, and the model was tested using PLS-SEM. Results indicated that materialism, conspicuous consumers, and brand loyalty affected the decision to wear logo clothes, whereas status consumers, self-monitors, self-esteem, and opinion seekers and leaders were not significant in explaining the dependent variable. Future research could expand the research to different countries and age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the impact of Consumer Cultural Identity on the fashion preferences and buying patterns of hijab wearers. A mixed-method approach to gather data on the fashion consumption habits of young citizen women who wear hijabs. The study revealed that religious beliefs significantly influence the fashion choices and purchasing behavior of Muslim young citizens women. Consumer Cultural Identity plays a crucial role in shaping fashion consciousness, with implications for marketing strategies and product development in the hijab fashion industry. The findings highlight the importance of considering religious devotion and cultural influences. Marketers and designers can leverage these insights to create more tailored and culturally sensitive products and campaigns. This research provides valuable insights for businesses looking to engage with the hijab fashion market, emphasizing the need to align products and marketing strategies with the religious and cultural values of the target consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]