The impact of buying intention of global fashion on local substitute: The role of product design and price

In a competitive environment, the relationship between global and local fashion in shaping consumption behavior is under question. This study explores the antecedents of consumers' purchasing intentions for local fashions, mainly considering buying intentions for global alternatives, price, and product design while controlling for age, income, gender, geographic location, and occupation. We discovered that consumers' buying intentions for global fashion harm their intent to buy local substitutes, based on a non-probability survey of 260 young adults and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. We associate these findings with cultural identity theory, social identity theory, ethnocentrism, substitute versus complementary concepts, and cue utilization theory. International marketers can devise marketing strategies referring to these findings.

The smart body concept as a demonstration of the overarching utility and benefits of 3D avatars in retail, health and wellbeing: an accuracy study of body measures from 3D reconstruction

Recent developments in 3D graphic technologies enable the affordable and precise reconstruction of body scanned models that can be applied in a variety of verticals, such as fashion, fitness and wellness, and healthcare. The accuracy of body measurements is a crucial element for the successful application of avatars in the following use cases: Avatars that go beyond visual representation and offer intrinsic and precise anthropometric data defined as a smart body are discussed in this paper. In particular, this paper presents the Gate technology, an innovative, autonomous, sustainable body scanner, coupled with an automatic production pipeline and the concept of avatars as smart bodies. We present an accuracy study of scanning technology for scanning inanimate objects, as well as body parts versus the ground, by using an established accuracy scanning system. The results appear to be promising and confirm the hypothesis of applying the technology to the use cases discussed as well as broadening the research to other studies and future applications.

"We're categorized in these sizes-that's all we are": uncovering the social organization of young women's weight work through media and fashion

Background

For decades, dominant weight discourses have led to physical, mental, and social health consequences for young women in larger bodies. While ample literature has documented why these discourses are problematic, knowledge is lacking regarding how they are socially organized within institutions, like fashion and media, that young women encounter across their lifespan. Such knowledge is critical for those in public health trying to shift societal thinking about body weight. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how young women’s weight work is socially organized by discourses enacted in fashion and media, interpreting work generously as any activity requiring thought or intention.

Methods

Using institutional ethnography, we learned from 14 informants, young women aged 15–21, in Edmonton, Canada about the everyday work of growing up in larger bodies. We conducted 14 individual interviews and five repeated group interviews with a subset (n = 5) of our informants. A collaborative investigation of weight-related YouTube videos (n = 45) elicited further conversations with two informant-researchers about the work of navigating media. Data were integrated and analyzed holistically.

Results

Noticing the perpetual lack of larger women’s bodies in fashion and media, informants learned from an early age that thinness was required for being seen and heard. Informants responded by performing three types of work: hiding their weight, trying to lose weight, and resisting dominant weight discourses. Resistance work was aided by social media, which offered informants a sense of community and opportunities to learn about alternative ways of knowing weight. However, social media alleging body acceptance or positivity content often still focused on weight loss. While informants recognized the potential harm of engagement with commercial weight loss industries like diet and exercise, they felt compelled to do whatever it might take to achieve a “normal woman body”.

Conclusions

Despite some positive discursive change regarding body weight acceptance in fashion and media, this progress has had little impact on the weight work socially expected of young women. Findings highlight the need to broaden public health thinking around how weight discourses are (re)produced, calling for intersectoral collaboration to mobilize weight stigma evidence beyond predominantly academic circles into our everyday practices.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13607-w.

Exoseketons: A Rehab Tech Consumer's Unexpected March to Action

This paper is both a stakeholder perspectives as well as a 'case study' describing a journey from sudden disability to participant and investor in exoskeleton design. It tells of my experiences and opinions, as a successful fashion designer, when my life took a drastic turn on becoming paralysed from the waist down over the course of 24 hours, by a spinal tumour. Getting this diagnosis was 'the worst day in my life', and it was quickly followed by the 'second worst' when, in my determination to walk again, I received Knee Ankle Foot Orthotics (KAFOs) and was shocked to learn that this appeared to be the best technology solution available on the market 'suitable' for use in the community. Initial anger at the system for not being better, at the rehab team for their complacency, and at myself for allowing a feeling of helplessness to take over led to questions such as: what does this say about our society? and what are we all willing to accept, for ourselves and others? This is professional opinion and an essay about how we see ourselves and how others see us. The journey from pre-injury 'consumer' to post-injury 'disabled' person and learning that being labeled 'disabled' leads to the additional handicap of the narrow vision of "cost" taken by the mobility industry where innovative ideas are stripped down to the bare minimum with the excuse that patients are "lucky" to have what they have been "given". Grappling with these labels and inequities and seeking a better outcome, I became an integral team member of an exoskeleton development team, leading to the design of The Next Generation Exoskeleton! This is MY story, the story of Chloe Angus. It is the story of inclusive, user focused design and is a call to include and respect the end users of all assistive device technology design early in the design process and it is being told from the perspective of a person having experience and success in the world of business.

These Boots Weren't Made for Walking: Gendered Discrepancies in Wearing Painful, Restricting, or Distracting Clothing

Using the framework of objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts in Psychology of Women Quarterly 21(2): 173–206, 1997), the current studies explored how often women (vs. men) reported wearing clothing that is painful, distracting, and/or restricting (PDR clothing). Additionally, we examined differences in body surveillance (i.e., chronically monitoring the appearance of one’s body) and body appreciation between those who reported wearing various types of PDR clothing and those who did not. In both a sample of U.S. college students (n = 545) and a broader sample of U.S. adults (n = 252), results indicated that women were substantially more likely to wear PDR clothing than men. Across both samples, the largest differences between men and women were in wearing uncomfortable or painful shoes and in wearing clothing that is distracting because it requires ongoing monitoring or adjusting. Women and men with higher body surveillance were more likely to report wearing PDR clothing. Though some findings pointed toward a negative association between body appreciation and wearing PDR clothing, these results were inconsistent. Overall, results were consistent with the notion that the gendered nature of clothing might reflect and provoke chronic vigilance of the body’s appearance. Gendered differences in the extent to which clothing promotes comfort and movement vs. discomfort and distraction has clear implications for women’s quality of life.

The role of social media in long-running live events: The case of the Big Four fashion weeks dataset

The advent of social media platforms has caused many changes in humans’ daily lifestyle. One of the most significant changes is the way in which people participate in social and cultural events. Users' participation in social media platforms is continuously increasing. This has provided brands with new opportunities such as enhancing brand influence and understanding online users' reactions through user-generated content (UGC) analysis.

We provide and describe a large-scale hashtag-based dataset of social media posts published on Instagram about the Big Four international fashion weeks in New York, Paris, Milan, and London. The dataset provides the data of the 2018 events and has a periodic and well-established structure.

Moreover, we designed a two-stage platform for collecting such large-scale datasets related to long-running events based on relevant hashtags: In the first stage, the platform extracts all the posts, and in the second stage, it extracts the information about the authors of the posts.

What is the relationship between body mass index and eating disorder symptomatology in professional female fashion models?

Low body mass index (BMI<18/18.5) is utilized as a mandated cutoff for professional fashion model employment, based on assumptions that low BMI indicates eating disorder pathology. No previous studies have examined the association between experimenter-measured BMI and eating disorder symptomatology in professional fashion models. We measured BMI and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) responses in United Kingdom (UK) professional fashion models, and nonmodels. Characteristics were compared using robust standardized mean difference (rSMD) obtained via probability of superiority. Associations between BMI and eating disorder symptomatology were examined using robust regression, controlling for age. Models exhibited lower BMI but higher fat-percentage and muscle mass. On the EDE-Q, models had higher Restraint, Global, Eating, and Weight Concerns, and similar Shape Concern scores compared to nonmodels. BMI was positively associated with eating disorder symptoms in both groups, and all but one of the eight models with clinically significant EDE-Q level had ≥18.5 measured BMI. Lower BMI was not indicative of worse eating disorder symptomatology in models or nonmodels. Thus, using a low BMI cutoff (<18.5) may not be an appropriate single index of health for detecting elevated eating disorder symptoms in models. Different policies to protect models' health should be considered.

The psychology of sustainable consumption

This paper investigates the psychological factors that impact sustainable consumption, an area where commerce meets individual behaviors. With a growing trend of sustainability initiatives, the fast fashion industry has been targeted by consumers and firms alike due to the immense damage it causes to the environment throughout its life cycle. While there has been an increased awareness regarding its negative externalities, the consumer-driven industry nevertheless continues to flourish as people have started treating garments as almost a disposable good resulting in firms generating new fashion lines quicker than ever before. In order to combat this issue, one may analyze the psychological process behind sustainable purchasing behavior and apply the findings to marketing communications to increase sustainable purchases. The discussion on the theory of planned behavior, temporal discounting, the role of corporate social responsibility and the trade-off between product attributes illuminate a number of factors ranging from an individual's moral beliefs to the nature of social influence as well as the impact of identity deficits. These findings from psychology are then synthesized and applied to the segmentation, targeting, positioning framework from marketing to offer recommendations for firms selling sustainable apparel. Further studies may investigate how demographic variables such as age or culture may be incorporated into the psychological models intended to understand and influence these recommendations.

The role of clothing on participation of persons with a physical disability: A scoping review

Determining ways to facilitate participation of persons with a physical disability is crucial and clothing may play a central role. This review aims to synthesize and examine the role of clothing on participation of persons with a physical disability. Six research databases and grey literature were searched following Arksey & O'Malley's six steps, including multiple expert consultations. English and French articles contributing to how clothing affects participation were included and tabulated based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Fifty-seven articles and 88 websites were included. A variety of stakeholder perspectives, diagnoses, and types of clothing were represented. Clothing mostly influences mobility and self-care, as well as various personal factors. Forty-nine percent of articles reported essential clothing design features to consider. Clothing is an important and complex environmental factor that interacts with all health domains, including participation. Future research should consider intersectoral initiatives.

Using Sexual Selection Theories to Examine Contextual Variation in Heterosexual Women's Orientation Toward High Heels

High heels are symbols of female sexuality and are "costly signals" if the risks of wearing them are offset by improving women's attractiveness to men. From a functionalist perspective, the costs versus benefits of wearing heels may vary according to personal and contextual factors, such as her effectiveness at competing for mates, or at times when such motives are stronger. Here, we examined potential differences between women (self-rated attractiveness, dyadic versus solitary sexual desire, women's age, competitive attitudes toward other women) and contextual variation (priming mating and competitive motives) in their responses to high heels. Study 1 (N = 79) and Study 2 (N = 273) revealed that self-rated attractiveness was positively related to orientation toward heeled shoes. When examining responses to two very attractive shoes (one higher heel, one lower heel) in Study 2, dyadic sexual desire, but not solitary sexual desire or intrasexual competitiveness, predicted their inclination to buy the higher-heeled shoe. In Study 3 (N = 142), young women chose high heels when primed with free choice of a designer shoe (95% CI [53.02 mm, 67.37 mm]) and preferred a heel 22 mm (0.87") higher than older women (Study 4, N = 247). Contrary to predictions, priming mating or competitive motives did not alter women's preference toward a higher heel (Studies 3 and 4). Our studies suggest that attractive women augment their physical appeal via heels. High heels may be a subtle indicator of dyadic sexual desire, and preferences for heels are stronger at times in the lifespan when mating competition is relatively intense.

Luxury Fashion Wildlife Contraband in the USA

The fashion industry is one of the largest markets for illegal wildlife products. This study examined US luxury fashion-related wildlife seizures made between 2003 and 2013 to better guide detection, enforcement, and policy. The findings of this study indicate that the number of incidents has increased over the 11-year period, while the number of associated items seized has decreased over this time. Of these seizures, nearly 88% were produced goods. A small proportion of genera made up the majority of seizures, with reptiles in particular accounting for 84% of incidents. Over half of all wildlife was wild-caught and was exported from eight countries. Based on these findings, it is suggested that policy be enacted relating specifically to the use of exotic leathers and furs, and that situational crime prevention alongside commitments to sustainability from fashion brands be used to reduce illegal imports and improve industry sustainability.

Investigating fairness in global supply chains: applying an extension of the living wage to the Western European clothing supply chain

PURPOSE

This paper explores the issue of fairness in global supply chains. Taking the Western European clothing supply chain as a case study, we demonstrate how applying a normative indicator in Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) can contribute academic and practical insights into debates on fairness. To do so, we develop a new indicator that addresses some of the limitations of the living wage for SLCA.

METHODS

We extend the standard form of living wage available for developing countries to include income tax and social security contributions. We call this extension 'living labour compensation'. Using publically available data, we estimate net living wages, gross living wages, and living labour compensation rates for Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC) in 2005. We then integrate living labour compensation rates into an input-output framework, which we use to compare living labour compensation and actual labour compensation in the BRIC countries in the Western European clothing supply chain in 2005.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We find that in 2005, actual labour compensation in the Western European clothing supply chain was around half of the living labour compensation level, with the greatest difference being in the Agricultural sector. Therefore, we argue that BRIC pay in the Western European clothing supply chain was unfair. Furthermore, our living labour compensation estimates for BRIC in 2005 are ~ 35% higher than standard living wage estimates. Indeed, adding income taxes and employee social security contributions alone increases the living wage by ~ 10%. Consequently, we argue there is a risk that investigations based on living wages are not using a representative measure of fairness from the employee's perspective and are substantially underestimating the cost of living wages from an employer's perspective. Finally, we discuss implications for retailers and living wage advocacy groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Living labour compensation extends the living wage, maintaining its strengths and addressing key weaknesses. It can be estimated for multiple countries from publically available data and can be applied in an input-output framework. Therefore, it is able to provide a normative assessment of fairness in complex global supply chains. Applying it to the Western European clothing supply chain, we were able to show that pay for workers in Brazil, Russia, India, and China is unfair, and draw substantive conclusions for practice.

Tooth Jewellery- Its Knowledge and Practice Among Dentists in Tricity, India

INTRODUCTION

The world of fashion is ever changing and this dynamics applies to dentistry. As dentistry and dental treatments have become necessary facet of a healthy life and therefore down the line fashion prospect of tooth jewellery are also getting fused into it.

AIM

To assess the knowledge and practice of tooth jewellery among practicing dentists of Tricity, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 310 dental practitioners in Tricity (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula), India. A self-administered, close-ended questionnaire was distributed among all the dental practitioners in order to assess their knowledge and practice regarding tooth jewellery. Responses of the questionnaire was obtained on the dichotomous scale with Yes and No. Right answers were given a score of 2 whereas the wrong answers were given as score of 1. The data was analyzed using unpaired students t-test, one way ANOVA (analysis of variance) and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

A significant difference was observed among the genders with males being three times more knowledgeable (OR=3.5, 95%CI: 0.8-2.8). It has been found that knowledge and practice scores of dental practitioners who spend more than 10 hours per day have two times more knowledge (OR= 2.3, 95%CI:0.08-1.1) than others. The dentists holding the masters degree were having three times more knowledge than the graduates' ones (OR= 2.3, 95%C.I:0.1-1.9).

CONCLUSION

The present study concluded that dental practitioners had sufficient knowledge about tooth jewellery. Practice of tooth jewellery in the dental clinics was found to be adequate but it was also associated with some complications. To overcome this, it is advised that professional and government bodies should create strategies for enhancing and improving people's knowledge as well as make them aware of the pros and cons while using tooth jewellery which shall further enhance their smile.

4Ps medicine of the fatty liver: the research model of predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory medicine-recommendations for facing obesity, fatty liver and fibrosis epidemics

Relationship between adipose tissue and fatty liver, and its possible evolution in fibrosis, is supported by clinical and research experience. Given the multifactorial pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), treatments for various contributory risk factors have been proposed; however, there is no single validated therapy or drug association recommended for all cases which can stand alone. Mechanisms, diagnostics, prevention and treatment of obesity, fatty liver and insulin resistance are displayed along with recommendations and position points. Evidences and practice can get sustainable and cost-benefit valuable outcomes by participatory interventions. These recommendations can be enhanced by comprehensive research projects, addressed to societal issues and innovation, market appeal and industry development, cultural acceptance and sustainability. The basis of participatory medicine is a greater widespread awareness of a condition which is both a disease and an easy documented and inclusive clue for associated diseases and unhealthy lifestyle. This model is suitable for addressing prevention and useful for monitoring improvement, worsening and adherence with non-invasive imaging tools which allow targeted approaches. The latter include health psychology and nutritional and physical exercise prescription expertise disseminated by continuous medical education but, more important, by concrete curricula for training undergraduate and postgraduate students. It is possible and recommended to do it by early formal teaching of ultrasound imaging procedures and of practical lifestyle intervention strategies, including approaches aimed to healthier fashion suggestions. Guidelines and requirements of research project funding calls should be addressed also to NAFLD and allied conditions and should encompass the goal of training by research and the inclusion of participatory medicine topics. A deeper awareness of ethics of competences in health professionals and the articulation of knowledge, expertise and skills of medical doctors, dieticians, health psychologists and sport and physical exercise graduates are the necessary strategy for detectin a suboptimal health status and achieving realistically beneficial lifestyle changes. “The devil has put a penalty on all things we enjoy in life. Either we suffer in health or we suffer in soul or we get fat” (Albert Einstein); the task of medical research and intervention is to make possible to enjoy life also without things that make sufferance in health and souls and which excessively increase body fat.