Consuming digital fashion in online communities: A mixed-methods research on consumption motivations for digital fashion end products
From Firenze University Press Journal: Fashion Highlight
Adil Boughlala, Radboud University, Nijmegen
Silvia Mazzucotelli Salice, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
INTRODUCTION: FASHION CONSUMPTION IN THE DIGITAL REALM
When we consider contemporary fashion consumption, what comes to mind is its high dependence on digital tools from pre- to post-pur-chase (Andò et al., 2019). From shopping on e-commerce websites (Crewe, 2013) to sharing on social media (Choufan, 2022) and personalising clothes online (Park & Chun, 2023), digital technologies take central place. There is no denying that fashion and technology have gone hand in hand for centuries, from the creation of garments to technology integration in ‘wearable technology’ (Toussaint, 2018). As such, “fashion itself can be considered a history of technology” (Quinn, 2002, p. 3). Each Industrial Revolution has driven fashion forward, and the current era, the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, has given rise to ‘fashion 4.0’. This paradigm, as highlighted by Bertola and Teunissen (2018), prioritises sustainability goals and blurs the lines between physical and digital realms through the fusion of fashion with ‘smart’ technologies. The convergence of fashion and digital tools is particularly evident in the realm of digital fashion, a phenomenon that gained significant traction during the COVID-19 pandemic (Casini & Roccetti, 2020).Digital fashion encompasses the creation, promotion, and sale of virtual clothing and accessories designed specifically for digital platforms and virtual environments (Giraldi, 2023; Särmäkari, 2023). These digital fashion ‘end products’ (Chan et al., 2023) can vary from NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) to videogame skins, influencer skins, superimposed images, AR (Augmented Reality) filters and digital twins. They are created digitally, using digital software such as CLO3D or Marvelous Designer, for consumption and use in digital or virtual space. The internet has led to the democratisation of fashion, making it possible for anyone to become a designer or fashion influencer (Kawamura, 2023). Platforms like Instagram enable designers to directly reach a global audience, build their brands, and gain recognition without significant financial investment. Additionally, social media and fashion blogs empower consumers, giving them a voice in the industry. In such a process, the creation of fashion, as a system of signs, meanings and discourse (Barthes, 1967/1990), is now constructed offline and online, through online magazines and social media (Noia et al., 2023). In light of this dematerialisation of goods, contemporary fashion consumption needs to be studied again.This paper investigates why digital fashion end products are consumed despite their seeming contrast to the material clothing we wear every day. Motivations for material fashion consumption range from protection to self-expression, cultural norms, and more (Kaiser, 1997). For digital fashion end products, some motivations seem inconsistent, while others may also exist. Consuming fashion goes beyond simply buying or wearing clothes; it is the subjective experience of incorporating fashion — from dress to culture, values and discourse — into one’s existence. This study focuses on digital fashion end product consumption and aims to trace the community profile of its consumers. It does so by way of a mixed-methods approach including digital ethnography, an online survey and qualitative interviews.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/fh-2685
Read Full Text: https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/fh/article/view/2685