Browsing by Subject "Fashion"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Collaborative redesign of used clothes as a sustainable fashion solution: exploring consumer interest and experience.
    (2011-12) Janigo, Kristy Ann
    Consumers’ clothing disposal decisions have lasting effects because the decomposition process of certain materials can span several decades (Fletcher, 2008; Black, 2008). Unfortunately, only 48% of post-consumer used clothing is recycled (Chen & Burns, 2006). The primary aim of this mixed methods study was to explore the viability of a service or business involving consumers in redesigning their used garments as a sustainable alternative to disposal. Through focus groups discussions and questionnaires with closed-ended items, I sought to answer who potential redesign consumers are and therefore the appropriate target market for the service. I collaborated with participants to conceptualize practical, executable redesign plans for their garments. After all redesigned garments were returned, consumers provided their feedback in focus groups and questionnaires. These suggestions may be used to develop recommendations for future redesign businesses. A total of 27 mostly Caucasian (89%) women ages 18-62 participated, and 27 corresponding garment redesigns were completed. Although not motivated by environmental concerns to modify their clothing purchase behavior, the women were comfortable with used clothing and were interested in using a redesign service in the future. Participants indicated they were mostly satisfied with their redesigned garment and will continue to wear their garments for a mean of approximately two additional years. They were willing to pay $50 to $60 for the service. Many (52%) suggested redesign could be marketed as a social experience to commemorate life events (i.e., engagement or marriage) among women, similar to a Tupperware® or Mary Kay® event.
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    Consumer response to cause-related business strategies: sponsorship, transaction-based, event, and experiential
    (2013-08) Lee, Ji Young
    The purposes of this study were first, to investigate the impact of four different types of cause-related business strategies (CRBS) on consumer responses to an apparel brand. The four strategies investigated were classified based on Pine and Gilmore's (1998) four realms of experience. They were labeled sponsored-linked marketing, transaction-based cause-related marketing, cause-related event marketing, and cause-related experiential marketing. The consumer responses investigated were drawn from Curra´s-Pe´rez, Bigne´-Alcaniz, and Alvarado-Herrera's (2009) conceptual model of consumer identification with a socially responsible company that identified brand image, distinctiveness, brand attractiveness, customer-brand identification, attitude toward the brand, and customer loyalty as important antecedents to brand loyalty. The second purpose was to examine the relative effectiveness of CRBS as opposed to a commonly employed strategy (i.e., celebrity marketing) to establish whether the effects of CRBS on consumers were significantly different. Data was collected from consumer panels (n = 344) and undergraduates (n = 415). This process resulted in responses from 759 individuals that were used for primary data analysis. For each type of CRBS, there were significant positive relationships between corporate social responsibility image, brand distinctiveness, credibility, and attractiveness, customer-brand (C-B) identification, attitude toward the brand, and customer loyalty. The relationships of the variables were significantly different between each type of CRBS. Specifically, the effect of CSR image on brand distinctiveness, the effect of brand distinctiveness on brand attractiveness, the impact of brand attractiveness on C-B identification and the impact of C-B identification on attitude toward the brand were strongest in the cause-related event marketing condition followed by transaction-based cause-related marketing, cause-related experiential marketing, and sponsorship-linked marketing conditions. Third, the relationships of the dependent variables were significantly different between all types of CRBS and celebrity marketing suggesting participant's response to CRBS and celebrity marketing was different. Specifically, the effect of corporate social responsibility image on brand distinctiveness, credibility, attractiveness, C-B identification, attitude toward the brand, and customer loyalty was stronger for each type of CRBS condition than for the celebrity marketing condition. Theoretical and managerial implications and suggestions for future research based on the findings were provided.
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    Dressing the dancer: identity and belly dance students.
    (2010-05) Deppe, Margaret Anne
    Dressing the Dancer: Identity and Belly Dance Students Dress is a primary tool in the public presentation of the self (Stone, 1962). Clothing, grooming, and the physical appearance of the dressed body contribute to self image in both professional and recreational settings. Attending belly dance classes is a popular leisure activity among American women, and for many, dress accouterments are a significant part of the class experience. Dressing of the self for recreational events gives individuals the opportunity to express alternate aspects of the self not typically evident in other social settings and provides an opportunity for female socialization. The appearance of vendors selling specialized dancewear for classes, seminars, and workshops suggests that dress plays a significant role for students at all levels of belly dance activity, not just among those who perform professionally. This study examines the types of dress worn for belly dance classes and the motivations for dress choices made by students learning to belly dance from professional instructors in dance classes, seminars, and workshops. The study will further investigate how dress contributes to the expression of identity in the belly dance class context. The methods used for this study are participant observation at locations and events where belly dance classes, workshops, and seminars are held as well as half-hour interviews with students attending those events. The procedure and interview schedule have been approved by the Institutional Review Board, study #0804P29690
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    Online or Offline? Understanding Consumers’ Experiences and Perceptions of Collaborative Fashion Consumption Channels. A Black Female Perspective.
    (2020-08) Bobwealth Omontese, Carmi
    Excessive consumption is evident in the fashion industry with fast fashion contributing to a rapid cycle of consumer acquisition and disposal of apparel products. Collaborative fashion consumption opposes conventional views of consumption, which is dominantly inclined toward purchasing new products. The aim of this study was to understand the lived experiences of collaborative fashion consumers and explore consumers’ personal experiences with second-hand shopping using online and offline channels. In addition, the study examined consumers’ perceptions of the attributes of online and offline second-hand shopping channels that either encourage or deter their decision to engage in collaborative fashion consumption. Questions developed to address the research objectives were as follows: 1) What are second-hand consumers’ experiences with shopping clothing items using online and offline channels? 2) What are second-hand consumers’ perceptions of the attributes of online and offline second-hand channels? 3) What incentives drive second-hand consumers to patronize one channel over the other? The study adopted a qualitative approach using phenomenology to collect data from black female participants who engage in collaborative fashion consumption using online and offline second-hand shopping channels. Themes that were generated from the interviews were discussed. This work contributes to the existing literature on consumer behavior and collaborative fashion consumption. Limitations and suggestions for future studies were discussed.
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    A Sustainable Fashion Business Opportunity? Exploring Clothing Redesign with the Theory of Planned Behavior
    (2015-12) Janigo, Kristy
    In the United States, more than half of post-consumer used clothing has been discarded into landfills (Chen & Burns, 2006). Redesigning used clothing could be a sustainable alternative to disposal. Through in-depth interviews, visual analysis of redesigned clothing, and questionnaires, redesign behavior was explored. Thirty women participated in the study (mean age 43.75, 86.67% Caucasian). Participants were divided into groups based on their experience with redesign. Redesign Consumers (RC) 30% of participants, hired someone for redesign or redesigned without advanced sewing and fashion design skills. Redesign Enthusiasts (RE), 33.33% of participants, redesigned clothing for themselves, implementing advanced sewing and design skills. Redesign Professionals (RP), 36.67% of participants, had sold redesigned garments in the past. The theory of planned behavior was used as a theoretical framework for data analysis (Ajzen, 1991). Participants had a generally high level of concern for the environment, were somewhat likely feel social pressure from friends and family to behave ecologically, and engaged in several types of sustainable fashion behaviors, especially wearing used clothing. Eighty percent (n = 16) intended to keep their redesigned garments and indicated high likelihood to redesign again in the future. Participants discussed barriers to redesigning clothing, such as worry that the garment wouldn’t turn out as expected. Almost half of participants (48.28%), expected to pay less than the original retail price of the garment for redesign which could make it difficult to profit from redesign. The findings will have practical implications for entrepreneurs, who might use these results to weigh the pros and cons of starting a new redesign business.
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    Who are fashion brand fans? an investigation of antecedents and outcomes of brand commitment
    (2012-11) Ju, Hae Won
    A model was developed to test the concept of fanaticism within the context of a fashion brand. Specifically, the research objectives of this research were to investigate 1) whether individual attributes (i.e., need to belong, materialism) and brand-related attributes (i.e., brand consciousness brand engagement in self-concept, relationship investment) were related to a fan’s commitment to a fashion brand, and 2) whether a fan’s commitment to a fashion brand was related to related behavioral outcomes (i.e., behavioral loyalty, consumer advocacy intention, personal obligation, and willingness to pay premium prices for a brand). Data was collected from panel members (n = 418) obtained from a marketing research company who self-identified as fans of a specific fashion brand. An online self-administered survey methodology was employed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses reflected in the model. Participants who indicated they had strong desire for belonging indicated they were also materialistic, but their desire for belonging was not related to brand consciousness and brand engagement in self-concept. Participants who were high in materialism were conscious of fashion brands and strongly agreed that their sense of self was linked to the fashion brand that was the object of their fandom. Participants who were brand conscious also indicated that a fashion brand was an important part of their self-concept and invested resources (e.g., time, effort, money) to keep their relationship with this fashion brand. Participants also tended to invest resources for a brand to keep their relationships with a fashion brand when they reported a strong connection between a fashion brand and their self-concept. Participants who invested resources in a fashion brand were highly committed to the brand. Brand commitment was found to be positively related to behavioral outcomes investigated: behavioral loyalty, willingness to pay premium prices for a brand, advocacy intention, and personal obligation. Discussion of the findings, theoretical and practical implications, and limitations and suggestions for future research were provided based on the findings.