ABSTRACT. Luxury fashion faces a profound paradox: while brands invest heavily in sustainable supply chains, they remain hesitant to communicate these efforts, fearing that transparency might dilute the exclusivity and aspirational symbolism that define luxury. Unlike mass-market brands -where sustainability addresses urgent concerns about waste and overproduction- luxury brands risk undermining their core appeal when sustainability messaging becomes too explicit or pronounced.

Within this context, the Digital Product Passport (DPP), introduced as part of the European Union’s Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, represents a new form of digital infrastructure that connects physical products with embedded sustainability and traceability data, but also with authenticity, ownership and heritage. While DPPs are primarily discussed as regulatory and technical instruments, their role as communication tools in fashion marketing and management remains underexplored.

This study investigates a critical question: Can DPPs serve as effective sustainability communication devices for luxury brands without compromising symbolic value? Through an extensive literature review, analysis of five pioneering case studies, and primary qualitative data from in-depth interviews with managers responsible for sustainability and digital strategy, we uncover diverse DPP implementation strategies that enhance luxury attributes while meeting transparency demands. Our findings reveal how luxury brands are reimagining DPPs, not as regulatory burdens, but as storytelling platforms that preserve desirability while demonstrating environmental and social responsibility, creating unprecedented opportunities for controlled, strategically curated transparency.

Situated within Europe's evolving digital sustainability policy landscape, this research advances our understanding of technology-enabled communication in fashion management, exposing both the strategic opportunities and risks that digital traceability introduces across luxury and mass-market segments.

ABSTRACT. Luxury fashion advertising increasingly relies on sustainability narratives to reconcile symbolic value creation with growing ethical expectations, while artificial intelligence (AI) influencers are becoming prominent communicators in digital luxury contexts. This study examines how influencer type (AI vs. human) shapes consumer trust in sustainable luxury fashion advertising, particularly when sustainability claims rely on Potemkin attributes, defined as attributes that are institutionally regulated yet experientially unverifiable at the point of evaluation. Drawing on signaling theory, trust theory, and authenticity theory, the study investigates whether artificial agency disrupts the trust-substitution role traditionally fulfilled by influencers in ethically sensitive advertising contexts. A 2 × 2 between-subjects online experiment manipulates influencer type (AI vs. human) and sustainability claim presence (Potemkin claim present vs. absent) using mock Instagram advertisements for a fictitious luxury fashion brand. The results reveal significant interaction effects. When sustainability claims are present, advertisements featuring human influencers generate higher perceived authenticity, trust in the sustainability claim, and brand legitimacy than those featuring AI influencers. In contrast, when no sustainability claim is included, differences between AI and human influencers are substantially attenuated, with comparable attitudes toward the advertisement and purchase intention. Overall, the findings indicate that AI influencers do not inherently undermine advertising effectiveness in luxury fashion but become problematic when sustainability claims rely on influencer credibility to resolve consumer uncertainty.

ABSTRACT. Research on the Influencer Beauty Marketing phenomenon has given rise to a growing body of studies focused on mediated persuasion by digital endorsers, the aesthetic construction of content, and consumer responses on social platforms. Within this field, a significant subset of work focuses on beauty brands with aspirational and luxury positioning, allowing for an analysis of how the traditional codes of luxury advertising are being reconfigured in digital and retail transformation scenarios. The global mapping shows that the literature centers on influencer attributes, influencer-brand congruence, and the aesthetic and narrative dimensions of content—central variables for the symbolic legitimization of premium beauty products (Wiedmann & von Mettenheim, 2021; Choi, Zhang & Sung, 2023; Feng, Chen & Kong, 2021). Additionally, some studies link these dynamics to engagement and commercial metrics in retail contexts (Bazi, Filieri & Gorton, 2020; Pessanha & Soares, 2021) and to reception effects among younger audiences (Feijoo & Sádaba, 2025; Feijoo et al., 2023). Altogether, this analysis positions Influencer Beauty Marketing as a strategic empirical domain for understanding the contemporary interplay between aspirational branding, digital transformation, and consumption dynamics.

ABSTRACT. This study aims to investigate the influence of perceived fit between product placement and short-form video created by internet celebrity on processing fluency and the latter’s impact on brand awareness and future purchase intention. A quantitative online Likert-scale survey was conducted with 234 respondents, who have experienced the product placement in short-form video. All the hypothesized relationships between variables were examined by structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that both perceived cognitive fit and perceived affective fit have a positive and significant impact on processing fluency. Processing fluency positively affects brand awareness, but has no direct effect on future purchase intention. Brand awareness positively affects future purchase intention, playing a mediating role in the relationship between processing fluency and future purchase intention. Parasocial relationship moderates positively the relationship between perceived cognitive, affective fit and processing fluency. This study supplements and expands the research on the marketing effect of product placement in internet celebrity short-form video, provides guidance for practitioners to optimize product placement strategy correspondingly.

ABSTRACT. As chatbots achieve near-human conversation capabilities through artificial intelligence advancement, online retailers rapidly expand adoption. However, interaction style effectiveness depends on context alignment. Online shopping encompasses browsing (exploratory) and searching (goal-directed) tasks with distinct service expectations, yet little is known about which style optimally supports each task or how style-task alignment influences adoption. Drawing on the Stereotype Content Model and role congruity theory, this study examines how matching chatbot styles with shopping tasks influences usage intentions through perceived role congruence. We propose warm styles position chatbots as relational assistants fostering experiential shopping, while competent styles position them as transactional assistants supporting functional outcomes. A 2×2 experiment with 206 U.S. adults manipulated chatbot style (warm vs. competent) and task (browsing vs. searching). Participants reviewed ChatGPT-based scripts and completed questionnaires. Warm styles used inclusive pronouns, emotional language, and informal tones; competent styles used singular pronouns, cognitive terms, and formal tones. Warm chatbots elicited higher role congruence in browsing than searching, while competent chatbots produced higher congruence in searching than browsing. Direct effects on usage intention were nonsignificant, but perceived role congruence fully mediated the style-intention relationship: warm styles increased intention via role congruence in browsing; competent styles increased intention via role congruence in searching. Findings demonstrate successful chatbot design requires aligning styles with tasks, with perceived role congruence as the critical mechanism. Theoretically, this extends the SCM to retail chatbots, identifies how linguistic cues signal warmth and competence, and pioneers applying role congruity theory to chatbots. Practically, retailers should use warm styles for browsing and competent styles for searching, deploying adaptive systems that detect shopping intent from verbal cues and navigation behavior.

ABSTRACT. This paper examines how the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is transforming the operations, competitiveness, and sustainability of fashion small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the strategic of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and other advanced digital technologies. Like its predecessors, 4IR represents a paradigm shift in production and communication systems, characterised by the fusion of intelligent technologies that collect, analyse, and apply data to enhance productivity, efficiency, and decision-making. These advancements are redefining the structure and purpose of business models (BMs) across industries. Within the clothing and textile sector, where responsiveness to consumer trends, rapid product cycles, and sustainability pressures are paramount, 4IR provides opportunities to optimise operations, predict demand more accurately, and minimise waste. By embedding digital intelligence into design, manufacturing, and retail processes, fashion SMEs can develop more agile, sustainable, and consumer-centric strategies that foster long-term growth. Despite the rapid global diffusion of 4IR technologies, their adoption among South African fashion SMEs remains uneven and under-researched. While larger fashion retailers increasingly leverage AI and IoT to forecast consumer preferences and streamline production, smaller enterprises often face financial, technical, and informational barriers that hinder meaningful technological integration. This gap has significant implications for competitiveness, particularly in developing economies where SMEs contribute substantially to employment creation and economic stability. The lack of empirical studies examining how 4IR can be systematically applied within SME business frameworks further limits the sector’s ability to innovate and adapt. Consequently, there is a pressing need to conceptualise how SMEs can incorporate 4IR principles into their business models to remain viable and competitive in an increasingly digital economy. Employing an inductive thematic analysis and systematic literature review, this study synthesises existing research on 4IR, AI, IoT, and SME business models to identify patterns, challenges, and emerging opportunities. Data were gathered from academic journal articles, industry reports, books, and other credible publications, complemented by insights from company case studies and digital innovation reports. The analysis focused on understanding how 4IR technologies influence core BM components - such as value creation, delivery, and capture - while considering contextual challenges unique to developing markets. The primary outcome of this study is a conceptual framework illustrating how AI and IoT can be integrated into SME business models to enhance efficiency, innovation, and sustainability. The framework positions AI as a driver of intelligent decision-making, capable of improving consumer engagement, forecasting, and inventory management, while IoT serves as the connective infrastructure that supports real-time data exchange and system operations. Together, these technologies enable SMEs to transition from fragmented digital activities to fully integrated intelligent systems that strengthen competitiveness and resilience. Ultimately, this paper contributes to both theory and practice by bridging conceptual and applied perspectives on digital transformation in developing economies. It provides actionable insights for SME owners, policymakers, and researchers on how to leverage 4IR technologies not merely as tools for operational enhancement but as catalysts for reimagining business model design in the fashion and textile sector.

ABSTRACT. The rapid growth of omnichannel retailing has prompted retailers to integrate online and offline channels to deliver seamless customer experiences. This study proposes that fulfillment, fluency, and flexibility represent the consequences of omnichannel capability and act as key drivers of journey satisfaction. Over time, journey satisfaction serves as a transitional mechanism that links journey experiences to long-term customer satisfaction. This study employed a survey-based approach, collecting data from 420 customers with omnichannel shopping experience. Longitudinal customer panel data were also analyzed to capture the temporal progression from journey satisfaction to customer satisfaction. The proposed model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) with LISREL and PROCESS, allowing for a rigorous evaluation of the measurement and proposed framework model. The results revealed that omnichannel capability significantly enhanced fulfillment, fluency, and flexibility, which in turn positively influenced journey satisfaction. Longitudinal analysis also confirmed that journey satisfaction gradually developed into overall customer satisfaction, supporting that short-term evaluations of journey satisfaction led to long-term customer satisfaction. The findings provided empirical support for the sequential mediation effect, confirming its presence in the proposed model. This study emphasizes the importance of omnichannel capability that shapes customer satisfaction over time. Beyond specific causal links, this study explores the concept of the capability–experience–satisfaction (CES) pathway. The findings suggest omnichannel capability should be managed not only as a systemic infrastructure but as a strategic pathway that enhances journey experiences and builds sustained customer satisfaction over time.

ABSTRACT. Livestream shopping is transforming the retail landscape. This study investigates (1) how streamer attributes, platform affordances, and product quality influence streamer–viewer relationships, consumer perceptions, engagement, and behavioral intentions; (2) the mediating role of customer engagement in shaping intentions to watch livestreams and purchase products; and (3) the moderating effect of product type on these relationships. The study draws on two theoretical frameworks in consumer behavior and livestreaming research: the Stimulus–Organism–Response model and parasocial relationship theory. The study focuses on consumers in the United States with prior experience in livestream shopping. Data were collected through an online survey company, and screening questions were used to identify qualified participants who had purchased clothing or consumer electronics via livestream shopping and who viewed livestream shopping at least several times per year. A total of 443 usable responses were included in the analysis. To test the hypothesized relationships, path analysis and multigroup path analysis were conducted. The findings provide theoretical and practical implications for how retailers can strategically leverage livestream shopping according to the product types they offer.

ABSTRACT. With the rapid diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies across the fashion industry, brands are increasingly integrating AI into multiple stages of the design process, ranging from creative ideation to functional optimization. In parallel, a growing body of academic research has examined consumer responses to AI-generated designs, demonstrating that the use of AI can shape brand attitudes, purchase intentions, and willingness to pay. Despite these advances, prior research has largely conceptualized AI use in design as a homogeneous practice, offering limited insight into when and why AI-driven design strategies are effective. In particular, existing studies provide insufficient understanding of the contextual conditions under which the utilization of AI in design enhances brand outcomes and the psychological processes through which such use influences consumer brand perceptions. Addressing this gap, the present research aims to provide the contextual effects of AI usages of AI in design on consumer responses by examining how different modes of AI design utilization (creative vs. practical) moderate the effect of brand type (luxury vs. non-luxury) on perceived brand uniqueness, and how these perceptions subsequently inform inferences about brand innovation ability and overall brand attitudes. Drawing on an authenticity perspective, this research examines how AI design utilization influences perceived brand uniqueness across luxury and non-luxury brands. Authenticity refers to the extent to which an entity is perceived as expressing its true or expected nature without distortion or inappropriate external. Importantly, authenticity judgments are inherently contextual, as consumers evaluate whether value creation practices align with what is considered appropriate for a given brand category. In luxury branding, authenticity is closely tied to human creativity and craftsmanship, which constitute core sources of symbolic and experiential value. Consequently, the use of AI in creative design domains may be perceived as encroaching upon these human-centered value foundations, thereby undermining authenticity and weakening perceived brand uniqueness. In contrast, AI utilization in practical design domains, such as functional optimization or execution support, does not intrude upon these core creative domains, allowing luxury brands to preserve their authentic essence and sustain perceived uniqueness. For non-luxury brands, however, authenticity is grounded in different expectations, emphasizing efficiency, technological advancement, and contemporary modes of innovation. Within this context, creative AI utilization aligns with consumers’ expectations regarding how non-luxury brands should create value, enhancing perceived authenticity and reinforcing brand uniqueness. Perceived brand uniqueness, in turn, serves as a critical signal of a brand’s innovation ability, reflecting its capacity to generate distinctive and forward-looking offerings. Stronger inferences of innovation ability subsequently contribute to more favorable brand attitudes, as consumers associate uniqueness-driven innovation with brand competence and relevance. A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design was employed to examine the effects of brand type and AI design utilization on consumer responses. The experiment manipulated brand type (luxury vs. non-luxury) and AI design utilization (creative vs. practical). Data were collected via CloudResearch, an online research panel. A total of 287 consumers participated in the study and were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions. Participants were exposed to a brand scenario describing how a luxury or non-luxury fashion brand utilized AI in its design process, with AI framed as supporting either creative design activities or practical design functions. After reviewing the scenario, participants completed measures assessing manipulation check, perceived uniqueness, perceived innovation ability, and brand attitudes. A two-way ANOVA was conducted to examine the effects of brand type and AI design utilization on perceived uniqueness. The analysis revealed a significant interaction effect between brand type and AI design utilization on perceived uniqueness. Specifically, luxury brands were perceived as more unique when AI was applied to practical design rather than creative design, whereas non-luxury brands exhibited higher perceived uniqueness when AI was used for creative design rather than practical design. To further examine the underlying mechanism, a moderated serial mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS Macro Model 83. The results indicated a significant moderated mediation effect, demonstrating that the indirect effect of brand type on brand attitudes through perceived uniqueness and perceived innovation ability was contingent on AI design utilization. Consistent with the ANOVA results, the conditional effect of brand type on perceived uniqueness was significant only under practical AI utilization, indicating that the inherent uniqueness advantage of luxury brands was maintained and amplified when AI supported practical design. This effect disappeared when AI was applied to creative design, whereas non-luxury brands benefited more from creative AI utilization. These findings support the proposed framework, suggesting that AI design utilization functions as a critical condition that shapes how brand type translates into perceived uniqueness and downstream brand evaluations. This research extends prior AI design literature by demonstrating that the effectiveness of AI in fashion design is context-dependent and operates through specific psychological mechanisms. Drawing on an authenticity-based perspective, the study reveals that AI utilization can either preserve or undermine brand value depending on whether it aligns with brand-specific expectations. Importantly, the results offer practical guidance for fashion brands by suggesting that AI design strategies should be tailored to brand characteristics. Luxury brands may benefit from using AI in practical design functions that support, rather than replace, human creativity, whereas non-luxury brands can leverage creative AI utilization to enhance differentiation and brand evaluations.

ABSTRACT. The rapid proliferation of Virtual Influencers (VIs) in the marketing campaigns of global fashion houses like Louis Vuitton and Prada marks a significant shift in the traditional celebrity endorsement paradigm. While conventional marketing theories emphasize the necessity of human-like relatability and social presence to foster consumer trust, luxury brands are increasingly utilizing hyper-realistic digital avatars to reinforce their unique value proposition of brand mystique. This research addresses this phenomenon by proposing the “Luxury Paradox of the Uncanny Valley,” which reinterprets Masahiro Mori’s seminal theory within the psychological framework of luxury consumption. We hypothesize that in the luxury domain, the eerie perfection of VIs is not perceived as a deterrent but is instead sublimated into a sense of “Divine Perfection” and “Exclusivity,” thereby enhancing the brand’s aura. To empirically test this paradox, we conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis of consumer responses across various brand tiers. The dataset consists of over 10,000 social media comments crawled from official platforms of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada, as well as mass-market benchmarks. Our methodology employs an AI-driven approach, specifically utilizing a fine-tuned BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) model for nuanced emotion classification. This advanced NLP technique allows us to categorize consumer sentiments beyond simple polarity, capturing complex psychological states such as “Aesthetic Awe,” “Skepticism,” and “Technological Mystery.” Furthermore, we applied Semantic Network Analysis to visualize the distinct discourse structures formed around human versus virtual influencers. Preliminary findings suggest that while human influencer-led campaigns foster “intimacy” and “lifestyle relatability,” virtual influencer campaigns trigger a discourse centered on “mystical flawless beauty” and “technological wonder.” Crucially, our results indicate that linguistic cues typically associated with the Uncanny Valley—such as “unreal” or “robotic”—correlate significantly with positive brand prestige perceptions in the luxury group, a trend that is absent in mass-market data. This suggests that luxury consumers perceive digital non-humanity not as a flaw, but as a modern form of digital rarity that aligns with the brand’s need for distance and unattainability. This study provides significant theoretical contributions by identifying the “Luxury Buffer Effect,” which moderates psychological responses to AI entities based on brand category. Practically, it offers a strategic roadmap for luxury marketers on how to navigate the digital transformation without compromising brand heritage. As this work is being prepared for the International Journal of Advertising Special Issue, future stages of this research will incorporate a longitudinal analysis of consumer sentiment shifts and a broader cross-cultural comparison to enhance the generalizability of the findings.

ABSTRACT. Based on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and licensing effect, this research explores why consumers disengaged in cause-related marketing. It delves into the mechanisms of consumer cause fatigue through mixed methods, aiming to enhance the long-term consumer experience, achieve sustainable marketing effectiveness, and contribute to social goals.

ABSTRACT. The increasing use of virtual influencers in social media marketing raises important questions regarding how consumers emotionally respond to digitally created endorsers, particularly in luxury consumption contexts. For example, would consumers experience envy if a virtual influencer were depicted carrying a luxury handbag? Although virtual influencers are increasingly adopted by brands due to their controllability and strategic flexibility, their psychological impact on consumers remains insufficiently understood. Prior research has largely focused on influencer attributes such as credibility, authenticity, and attractiveness, while comparatively less attention has been devoted to the emotional mechanisms underlying consumer responses to influencer-related stimuli. Drawing on social comparison theory, this study proposes that consumers’ emotional reactions toward influencers emerge through comparison processes. When consumers perceive the influencer as attainable, assimilative comparisons may generate positive emotional responses that motivate aspirational consumption. In contrast, when the influencer is perceived as unattainable, contrastive comparisons may evoke negative emotions such as envy or feelings of inferiority, potentially reducing purchase intention. In addition, this study considers brand prestige as an important contextual factor shaping consumer responses to virtual influencer endorsements. Because luxury brands emphasize exclusivity and symbolic value, consumers may interpret influencer-related stimuli differently depending on the prestige level of the promoted brand. Accordingly, the present research proposes that brand prestige moderates the relationship between emotional responses and purchase intention by distinguishing between low-prestige SPA brands and high-prestige luxury brands. Furthermore, individual differences in social comparison orientation are expected to influence the extent to which consumers engage in comparison processes when exposed to influencer content. To examine these relationships, this study proposes a scenario-based experiment in which participants are exposed to a social media post featuring a virtual influencer promoting a fashion brand, with brand prestige manipulated through descriptions of either an SPA brand or a luxury brand. By integrating social comparison theory with research on virtual influencer marketing and luxury branding, this study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how comparison-based emotions and brand prestige jointly shape consumer responses in digital marketing environments.

ABSTRACT. As physical AI rapidly expands across diverse industries, the potential adoption of humanoid physical AI in luxury fashion retail is drawing increasing attention. This study empirically investigates the pathway through which value co-creation between humanoid physical AI and customers influences brand perception and service satisfaction in the luxury fashion retail sector. Drawing on established theoretical frameworks, value co-creation is positioned as the independent variable, physical AI customer experience and brand perception as sequential mediators, and service satisfaction as the dependent variable, with awe and AI autonomy included as moderating variables. Through a scenario-based online survey targeting consumers with a luxury fashion experience, this study examines how different types of physical AI interaction shape consumer responses in the luxury fashion context. Data are analyzed using PLS-SEM and multi-group analysis to test the proposed hypotheses. This study contributes theoretically by extending the value co-creation framework to the physical AI context in luxury fashion retail, and practically by providing evidence-based guidance for luxury fashion brands seeking to develop differentiated physical AI deployment strategies.

ABSTRACT. As luxury retail shifts toward a phygital paradigm, brands increasingly invest in interactive 3D virtual stores that replicate flagship atmospheres online. Yet little empirical research explains whether such environments provide psychological restoration for stressed consumers and how this translates into luxury brand outcomes. This study tests 3D virtual retailing as a “therapeutic space” using a randomized experiment. Participants first underwent a stress-induction writing task and were then assigned to explore either a strictly controlled 3D virtual store (Burberry × Harrods) or a matched 2D website featuring the same brand and product category. Independent-samples t-tests showed that the 3D condition produced significantly higher post-experience positive affect than the 2D condition, suggesting stronger mood enhancement. To unpack the mechanism, a mediation model was estimated using SmartPLS 4.0. The 3D (vs. 2D) condition significantly increased telepresence, and telepresence strongly predicted therapeutic well-being. In turn, therapeutic well-being enhanced both brand authenticity and brand aspiration, while authenticity further increased aspiration—highlighting authenticity as a key psychological bridge between consumer restoration and aspirational luxury outcomes. Contrary to a persuasion-knowledge account, perceived persuasion intent (PPI) did not negatively moderate the effects of therapeutic well-being on authenticity or aspiration; instead, PPI showed a small positive direct association with authenticity. Overall, the findings demonstrate the restorative potential of 3D virtual stores and offer actionable guidance for luxury retailers to design digital environments that foster telepresence and consumer well-being while strengthening brand relationships.

ABSTRACT. Hand and wrist tremors are involuntary, rhythmic muscle movements found in many individuals with chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, or other illnesses (Deuschl et al., 1998). In some cases, these tremors appear suddenly, and without a clear medical diagnosis (Bansil, S., et al. 2012). These involuntary movements can make everyday tasks, such as writing, eating, or activities requiring fine motor skills, challenging, limiting independence and well-being (Lora-Millán et al., 2021). Current medical interventions, such as prescription medications or deep brain stimulation, can help manage tremors, but these approaches are often invasive, costly, or not effective for everyone (Lora-Millán et al., 2021). Assistive devices like adaptive gloves and other wearables exist (Rocon et al., 2007), but many are rigid, cumbersome, and lack natural movement, and tremor suppression. Exoskeletons provide stability but often sacrifice comfort and usability for mechanical precision, with wearability and long-term comfort remaining insufficiently addressed in many stiffness-based systems for individuals with tremors (Fromme et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2023).

Soft robotics, wearable systems made from flexible materials that can move and adapt to the body’s natural movements, provide potential solutions for tremor support needs. Embedded sensors are commonly found in these robotics allowing for adjustments of stiffness levels for different tasks, enabling customizable support; however, integrated control within a soft, low-profile sleeve form factor has not yet been demonstrated in existing literature. One feature recently developed with soft robotics is the use of localized stiffness mechanisms, such as layer jamming, which allow parts of a material to become stiffer or softer when needed (Caruso et al., 2023; Ma et al., 2023). While such mechanisms have been modeled in controlled settings, their adaptation to curved areas of the body, such as the forearm and wrist, remains largely unexplored (Caruso et al., 2023). Soft robotic systems can naturally conform to the hand and wrist, allowing normal movement while providing support only where and when it is needed. By reducing physical constraints and improving wearability, soft, stiffness-adaptive garments offer a more practical solutions for tremor assistance in everyday life (Lora-Millán et al., 2021; Wanasinghe et al., 2021).

Ma et al. (2023) explores a biomimetic approach, examining an elephant’s ability to selectively stiffen different regions of its trunk to achieve precise, controlled movements and explore ways to achieve selective stiffness in soft robotic form. Ma et al.(2023) were able to create a soft robotic comprised of sensor actuators that incorporates similar mechanics of the observed stiffness control. There has been significant research on this type of soft robotic design, but it has yet to be translated into wrist or hand assistive wearable devices. Mechanical precision mechanisms like those implemented in Ma et al’s (2023) study could provide support to reduce tremors without fully restricting natural movement. Building on this concept, the goal of this study is to explore adaptive sleeve designs that respond to user movement and provide targeted tremor suppression as needed.

Despite advancements in soft robotics, there are no current wearable devices that integrate localized stiffness mechanisms and provide adaptive sensor feedback for people with tremors. Current devices either restrict natural movement, are not adaptable to varying tasks, or lack comfort (Rocon et al., 2007; Lora-Millán et al., 2021). This study seeks to address the major gaps in wearable designs for hand and wrist tremor suppression and will build on existing exoskeleton designs with focus on improving wearability, usability, and appearance. Research will also expand on and incorporate Ma et al’s (2023) elephant-trunk-inspired stiffness mechanisms into the assistive device design. The ultimate goal of this exploratory study is to design a discrete, adjustable, and wearable sleeve prototype that provides task-specific tremor support for daily activities.

ABSTRACT. Imitation of fashion designs is often perceived negatively as counterfeiting, yet "imitation" or "copycat" products can also be socially accepted. This study used paired images of ceramic designs and conducted a face-to-face survey of university students in Japan (N = 114) and the Netherlands (N = 113). Participants rated their recognition of imitation, perceived similarity (1–5), and acceptability, operationalized as unacceptability of the modeling (higher scores indicate stronger rejection). Comparisons based on cues suggested that pattern/texture information may dominate similarity judgments. High perceived similarity and high unacceptability coexisted across three stimulus pairs. A linear mixed-effects model with a random intercept for participants showed a robust positive effect of perceived similarity on unacceptability (b = 0.822, p < .001). This slope was significantly weaker in the Netherlands than in Japan (interaction b = -0.416, p < .001), and the mean differences across countries were not significant. These findings suggest that local norms need to be taken into account when communicating and managing design imitation.

ABSTRACT. Architectural education increasingly calls for pedagogical approaches that engage students with the social and spatial complexities of real-world contexts. While participatory methodologies such as Participatory Action Research (PAR) and Participatory Design (PD) have gained prominence, their implementation in architectural design studios often remains limited to structured formats, including interviews, workshops, and consultation-based processes. These approaches, although valuable, tend to position students as facilitators of predefined interactions rather than active agents capable of initiating and shaping engagement. This study proposes Direct Action (DA) as an alternative, project-based methodology that foregrounds action, immediacy, and iterative engagement within architectural education. The research was conducted through two undergraduate architectural design studios at Yonsei University in Seoul, involving third-year students working within the urban context of Hongje-dong. Over the course of two semesters, students carried out a total of 29 Direct Action projects. Instead of producing conventional design proposals, students were asked to engage directly with the city through self-initiated actions. These actions were not treated as preliminary research stages but as central components of both the design and learning process. The studio framework emphasised autonomy, allowing students to define their own scope, methods, and trajectories of engagement, while supporting continuous development through cycles of action, documentation, and collective reflection. Through inductive analysis, the projects were categorised into three types according to their primary drivers: human, space, and programme. This categorisation reflects the different ways in which students approached urban engagement—through social relationships, spatial conditions, or activity-based interventions—while also demonstrating the flexibility of Direct Action as a pedagogical framework. Rather than prescribing specific methods, the studio environment enabled a plurality of approaches, allowing students to construct their own modes of participation and interaction. To examine how participation unfolded within these projects, a dual-axis analytical framework was applied, assessing the levels of engagement of both students (actors) and participants (reactors). Based on a participation taxonomy—nominal, directed, creative, and collaborative—each project was positioned according to its degree of interaction. The analysis revealed a wide distribution of participation levels across the projects, indicating that Direct Action can accommodate diverse forms of engagement. At the same time, a noticeable pattern emerged in which students who conducted multiple actions tended to move toward more complex and collaborative forms of participation over time, suggesting that deeper engagement is not predefined but gradually cultivated through iterative practice. The findings indicate that Direct Action repositions learning within real-world conditions, where students engage directly with complexity and unpredictability. This fosters adaptive thinking, situational awareness, and the ability to make decisions in context. Through direct interaction with participants, students also develop communicative and relational competencies, while gaining a stronger sense of agency by initiating and shaping their own actions. The iterative cycle of action and reflection further supports reflexive learning, allowing students to critically assess and refine their approaches. More broadly, Direct Action reframes the design studio as a site of engagement and experimentation rather than solely representation. Knowledge is generated through action and reflection, blurring the boundary between design and research and expanding the scope of architectural learning. This study argues that Direct Action offers an effective pedagogical framework for expanding the scope of architectural education and cultivating architects capable of engaging with contemporary urban conditions.

ABSTRACT. This paper examines the ecological performance of traditional Korean Hanok architecture through its three principal passive systems: Ondol radiant underfloor heating, Madang courtyard spatial organisation, and Hanji breathable building envelope. Drawing on building science literature, thermal simulation studies, and field data, we argue that Hanok constitutes an integrated bioclimatic system developed in response to Korea’s continental climate, achieving thermal comfort, moisture regulation, and indoor air quality through passive means. Empirical studies demonstrate heating energy reductions of 20–35% for Ondol, summer temperature reductions of 2–4°C through Madang-driven ventilation, and stable indoor humidity through Hanji hygrothermal exchange. We further argue that these environmental systems are inseparable from Hanok’s spatial design logic. The arrangement of heated rooms, open wooden halls (maru), and courtyard-centered layouts produces a layered spatial system structured by thresholds, permeability, and gradual transitions between interior and exterior. Climatic adaptation is thus embedded within spatial composition, where movement, orientation, and environmental modulation operate as an integrated architectural strategy. The findings position Hanok as an empirically grounded model for low-carbon residential design.

ABSTRACT. This study examines how emerging digital technologies are reshaping informal relational B2B relationships—such as guanxi in China and salotto buono in Italy—within the fashion supply chain. Through multiple case studies of Italian and Chinese medium-sized firms, it examines how AI, platforms, and blockchain affect informal negotiation, trust, and transparency. The findings clarify how technological and relational governance interact, sometimes complementing and sometimes conflicting. The findings contribute to an understanding of how hybrid governance models impact supply chain resilience and internationalization in fast-moving global industries.

ABSTRACT. Introduction ACS Clothing is a UK based circular fashion reverse logistics provider helping brands shift from linear “take make dispose” models to circular systems through rental, renewal, resale, and reverse logistics. Founded in 1997 as a menswear rental business, the company has grown into a 200,000 sq ft technology enabled facility in Scotland, processing garments at scale for B2B clients (ACS Clothing, 2025). This case study outlines ACS’s operations, market positioning, and sustainability strategy to show how a specialised SME can operationalise circular economy principles in B2B fashion. ACS’s infrastructure includes RFID tracking, automated overhead systems, and advanced sanitisation technologies such as O₃ ozone treatment and specialist pressing, forming an efficient critical path for high volume garment processing. The facility handles over 10,000 returns weekly, with 84% deemed saleable after cleaning and repair, demonstrating strong material recovery. ACS also operates a B2B eBay channel, enabling brands to monetise surplus, returned, and pre loved stock without developing their own recommerce systems. Client sectors span rental specialists like Moss Bros and Bundlee and mainstream or luxury brands including Monsoon, LK Bennett, Burberry, and The North Face. Sustainability efforts include annual ESG reporting, water capture, microplastics collection, and a B Corp score of 150.9, reinforcing credibility and legitimacy. Literature Review The case reflects broader shifts toward access based consumption, such as subscription services and eventwear rental, and growing acceptance of recommerce in the UK (Appolloni, Centi, & Yang, 2023; Marcello Falcone, Yilan & Morone, 2022). Research shows increasing engagement with reuse markets, with one third of UK adults purchasing second hand fashion in 2022 and many recycling or planning to recycle items (Sender Seron, 2025). At the B2B level, brands increasingly outsource renewal and reverse logistics to specialists, accelerating circularity (Haq, Moazzam, Khan & Ahmed, 2023). Although ACS began as a rental business, its core capabilities aligned with sustainable practices, enabling an evolution into a provider of circular models other organisations can also adopt. Methodology The study draws on two days of field research at ACS’s Glasgow facility. Nine senior managers participated in 30–60 minute interviews. A focus group with factory workers and a guided tour provided operational insight was also completed. An investment associate at Circularity Capital, the fund that invested £10 million in ACS in 2022, was also interviewed. All interviews were recorded and transcribed with consent. Research was supported by a Scottish Funding Council Innovation Voucher. Conclusions ACS acts as a B2B intermediary, translating cultural shifts in consumption into scalable operational circularity. Its advantage lies in specialist textile care and renewal capabilities supported by lean, technology enabled processes. The company is positioned for international expansion in resale and rental markets, though past U.S. experience highlights the need for market specific strategies. Emerging policies such as extended producer responsibility may boost UK demand and shape global decisions. The case illustrates how a sustainability focused SME can extend garment lifecycles, reduce waste, and generate new revenue streams for fashion brands and how best circularity business practices can be shared and emulated across the sector. References Appolloni, A., Centi, G. and Yang, N., 2023. Promoting carbon circularity for a sustainable and resilience fashion industry. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 39, p.100719. Haq, M., Moazzam, M., Khan, A.S. and Ahmed, W., 2023. The impact of reverse logistics process coordination on third party relationship quality: A moderated mediation model for multichannel retailers in the fashion industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 73, p.103362. Marcello Falcone, P., Yilan, G. and Morone, P., 2022. Transitioning towards circularity in the fashion industry: some answers from science and future implications. In Circular Economy and Waste Valorisation: Theory and Practice from an International Perspective (pp. 81-101). Cham: Springer International Publishing. Sender Ceron, T., 2025. Mintel - Fashion & Sustainability – UK – 2025. url - https://clients-mintel-com.gcu.idm.oclc.org/report/fashion-sustainability-uk-2025 [Accessed: December 2025].

ABSTRACT. Luxury consumption research has predominantly emphasized conspicuous and social signaling, overlooking contexts in which luxury is consumed privately and for the self. This research adopts a self-reflective perspective and examines luxury consumption as self-reward following sustained effort. The researcher proposed that post-effort psychological states shape luxury self-reward through distinct self-reflective functions. The results of an experiment show that individuals in an achievement-focused state are more likely to choose luxury goods, while those in a depletion-focused state tend to prefer luxury experiences. Those outcomes are explained by two parallel self-reflective functions. Achievement-focused states promote commitment-oriented self-reflection, characterized by a desire for enduring, motivating symbols of effort (referred to as “trophy luxury”), while depletion-focused states encourage psychological closure, marked by a desire to reset and mentally disengage (referred to as “reward luxury”). Mediation analyses demonstrate that these functions jointly explain luxury self-reward choices. Consumers tend to evaluate their chosen option more positively when it aligns with their dominant self-reflective function.

ABSTRACT. Wishlists capture shoppers’ evolving interests without necessarily signaling imminent purchase intent, yet they remain underexamined in coupon-targeting research that has largely emphasized cart activity. Partnering with a fashion platform, we conducted a randomized field experiment to test discount coupons across the purchase funnel, explicitly incorporating wishlist behavior into targeting design. While the cart targeting also offers efficiency in our study, wishlist targeting activates a larger pool of latent intent: Coupons accelerated funnel progression and improved conversion among users in the pre-offer wishlist segment, suggesting that wishlisters are a high-value target segment for funnel expansion. Even low-value offers significantly encouraged transitions to cart and purchase, whereas comparable incentives had negligible or negative effects among mere browsers. A Heckman selection model revealed that while coupons increased conversion rates, average checkout values (net of discounts) did not significantly change conditional on purchase. Pooled causal forests reveal substantial heterogeneity and show that, for low-value coupons, being in the pre-offer wishlist state is a particularly informative signal of responsiveness. Counterfactual simulations further show that incorporating wishlist activity improves targeting efficiency relative to strategies that ignore wishlist data, underscoring the untapped potential of wishlist-based personalization.

ABSTRACT. Gen Z consumers often continue to use ultra-fast fashion platforms despite sustainability concerns, reflecting a significant attitude–behavior gap. This study helps reconcile prior mixed findings by introducing algorithmic awareness as a key boundary condition that clarifies the effects of anticipated guilt on continuance intention. We propose and test a comprehensive model using data from 242 Gen Z Shein users. The findings show that anticipated guilt reduces perceived value and continuance intention. Algorithmic awareness increases perceived value and moderates the negative impact of guilt on continuance intention. When algorithmic awareness is low, guilt has no significant effect, but when algorithmic awareness is high, the negative effect of guilt on continuance intention is strong.

ABSTRACT. The study analyzes how Generation Z university students in Spain perceive sustainable fashion, focusing on value for money as a key factor that explains the gap between stated pro-environmental attitudes and actual purchasing behaviors, which are still dominated by fast fashion. Based on cognitive-affective models of consumer behavior and approaches to consumer value, social influence, and digital communication, a structural model (PLS SEM) is proposed that incorporates perceived sustainable quality, price as a barrier or investment, social influence, purchase intention, and the behavior gap. based on an estimated sample of 700-1,000 students aged 18-25, obtained through stratified quota sampling and measured with a 22-item Likert-type questionnaire, in order to generate evidence to guide marketing strategies, educational policies, and digital interventions that facilitate Generation Z's transition to more responsible fashion consumption patterns.

ABSTRACT. Luxury has historically been associated with exclusivity, often reinforcing social and physical barriers (Shukla et al., 2022). Today’s consumers—particularly Gen Z—expect brands to demonstrate inclusion, sustainability, and ethical awareness (Osburg et al., 2024). However, the intersection of inclusivity and luxury remains under-researched and under-taught (Khalifa & Osburg, 2025). This research addresses that gap by adopting a critical theory of spatial inequality (Lefebvre, 1991) to examine Gen Z perceptions of exclusive luxury retail spaces. By exploring the mismatch between abstract (physical) space and social (subjective) space, the research sheds light on consumers’ lived experiences of luxury retail environments and examines how such spaces can be reimagined through inclusive design. Across one field study and three experimental studies, we uncover the environmental and situational vulnerabilities consumers experience in luxury spaces and analyse the role of socio-spatial dynamics in shaping consumer affect, belonging, and patronage intentions. The findings provide actionable insights for luxury brand managers seeking to foster marketplace inclusion by transforming retail environments from exclusive, exclusionary spaces into open sites of rich social exchange, where diverse consumers can operate freely without symbolic or structural exclusion.

ABSTRACT. This study aims to investigate how employee engagement in digital training improves their productivity in China’s cashmere manufacturing sector. China dominates global cashmere manufacturing, with vigorous promotion of digital transformation. However, the country faces significant challenges in digital technology adoption, as the majority of cashmere workers lack sufficient educational attainment and digital competencies to adapt to these technological innovations. This underscores the importance of examining the significant impact of digital skills training intervention on employee productivity and digital skills. This research employs a survey method, focusing on a representative cashmere manufacturer in Inner Mongolia with 222 employees. The survey results indicate that employee engagement in training exerts a positive effect on their productivity, and employee digital skills mediate the relationship between training engagement and productivity. These findings provide valuable guidance for enterprises in designing future training initiatives. Business executives can leverage the results to objectively evaluate the implementation of training programs and maximize training value, thereby improving employee work efficiency and enhancing the organizational capacity for cashmere production.

ABSTRACT. Existing discourse on sustainability in the fashion industry has traditionally prioritised environmental impact over the social dimension of sustainability (Díaz-Soloaga, 2021). Recent studies have developed more holistic perspectives that recognise the interdependence between social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability (Black and DeLong, 2018; Steindl, 2024), and influential industry reports increasingly have adopted this language, particularly in relation to circular economy approaches (British Fashion Council, 2021; Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2023). Nevertheless, the discourse and narratives surrounding sustainability in fashion remain abstract, offering limited opportunities for meaningful worker involvement (Evans and Peirson-Smith, 2018; Kaner and Baruh, 2022), despite the sustainability commitments undertaken by fashion companies (Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company, 2025).

The disconnect between sustainability dimensions highlights the need for in-depth research into the implementation and perception of sustainability and corporate social responsibility within the global fashion industry. This sector is widely characterised by fragmented and opaque value chains, limiting visibility, accountability, and meaningful engagement among stakeholders. In this context, a renewed, human-centered approach to social sustainability—supported by the strategic use of AI-based tools—has the potential to better integrate and connect diverse actors across the value chain, enabling new perspectives on production, consumption, and communication processes.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies is giving greater importance to social sustainability for fashion supply chains (López et al., 2022; Gangoda et al., 2023). Tools like digital product passports, RFID labelling systems, traceability platforms, worker feedback applications, and AI-based monitoring systems have improved processes for supply chain transparency whilst also supporting the development of skills (Gangoda et al., 2023). However, there is little research available on how these various technologies have been applied in particular production contexts, and how they can be incorporated into governance, and community structures.

Accordingly, this study examines the potential use of AI-based tools to support social sustainability within global fashion supply chains, responding to critical studies that highlight both the opportunities and risks associated with digitally integrated fashion value chains (López et al., 2022). Using Inditex’s Moroccan production cluster as a case study, and in line with literature emphasising the importance of human-centred perspectives in fashion supply chains (Karimova et al., 2025), this research adopts a qualitative, interpretivist design. Data are gathered from a range of stakeholders—including workers, managers, and suppliers—to develop an in-depth understanding of how AI may enhance worker participation, skill development, perceived well-being, and transparency.

This paper advances sustainability research by demonstrating that an ecosystem perspective is necessary to achieve true social sustainability. By adopting a human-centred approach to digital transformation, it provides illustrative examples of how innovative technologies can be adopted within a regional production cluster to enhance worker wellbeing and community development. In practical terms, these initial findings from an emerging market context offer guidance to fashion brands and industry stakeholders seeking to implement digital tools in their operations to achieve socially sustainable outcomes for their employees and surrounding communities.

References

Black, S. and Delong, M. (2018). Perspectives on 10 years of fashion practice. Fashion Practice, 10(3), 262–275.

British Fashion Council. (2021). The Circular Fashion Ecosystem: A blueprint for the future. Institute of Positive Fashion. Available at: https://instituteofpositivefashion.com/circular-fashion-ecosystem [Accessed online: 30/01/26]

Business of Fashion & McKinsey & Company. (2025). The State of Fashion 2026. The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com [Accessed online: 30/1/26]

Díaz-Soloaga, P. (2021). Communication in the Fashion Industry: Sustainability Focus. In: Rienda, L., Ruiz-Fernández, L., Drylie Carey, L., García-Medina, I. (eds) Firms in the Fashion Industry. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76255-1_8

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2023). Our vision of a circular economy for fashion. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/our-vision-of-a-circular-economy-for-fashion

Evans, S. and Peirson-Smith, A. (2018). The sustainability word challenge. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 22(2), 252–269.

Gangoda, A., Krasley, S. and Cobb, K. (2023). AI digitalisation and automation of the apparel industry and human workforce skills. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 16(3), 319–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/17543266.2023.2209589

Kaner, G. and Baruh, L (2022) How to speak ‘sustainable fashion’: four consumer personas and five criteria for sustainable fashion communication, International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 15:3, 385-393, DOI: 10.1080/17543266.2022.2078891

Karimova, G.-S., LeMay, S. A., Müller, A. and Klumpp, M. (2025). From the shallows to the shelves and back: A review, synthesis, and research agenda for socially sustainable, AI-driven digital fashion supply chains. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 34(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12839Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

López, T., Riedler, T., Köhnen, H. and Fütterer, M. (2022). Digital value chain restructuring and labour process transformations in the fast-fashion sector: Evidence from the value chains of Zara & H&M. Global Networks, 22(4), 684–700. https://doi.org/10.1111/glob.12353Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Steindl, S., (2024) Evaluation of Sustainable Investments in the Fashion Industry, a Triple Bottom Line & Stakeholder Approach. In The Palgrave Handbook of Consumerism Issues in the Apparel Industry (pp. 529-548). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.

ABSTRACT. This paper conceptualizes interoperable Digital Product Passport (DPP) infrastructures as strategic trust-enabling governance mechanisms in global fashion. Integrating circular business model innovation, interoperability theory, artificial intelligence, and dynamic capabilities, we propose a framework explaining how DPP systems can strengthen brand credibility and enable scalable circular strategies within the twin digital and sustainability transition.

ABSTRACT. Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining traction within the fashion industry - an industry long criticised for fragmented digital infrastructures and unsustainable practices, particularly in upstream design and product development activities (Hellström & Olsson, 2024; Chrimes, 2024; Gallery et al., 2025). Product development workflows - comprising forecasting, ideation, fit engineering, material sourcing and sampling - account for an estimated 44% of total textile-to-landfill waste (Holloway, 2024). These challenges highlight the need for design-led digital innovation that enhances sustainability performance while supporting creativity, brand differentiation, and market responsiveness. Although open-access generative AI tools are rapidly expanding (Mayer et al., 2025), organisational adoption remains constrained by weak cross-functional alignment, limited system interoperability, and cultural resistance (Chrimes, 2024; Witkowski & Wodecki, 2025; Culot et al., 2025). Existing research disproportionately focuses on aesthetic applications - such as image generation and concept ideation - while underexploring AI’s role in decision-making and circularity-oriented product development processes, including smarter material selection, iterative prototyping, and stock planning (Mohammadi & Kalhor, 2021; Culot et al., 2025). Critically, the perspectives of product development stakeholders - who directly shape design, sourcing, and production decisions - remain under-researched despite calls for more sector-specific insights (Klimecka-Tatar & Kapustka, 2025; Kumar et al., 2025).

Accordingly, this study examines AI adoption within fashion design and product development using an integrated Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) and Social Practice Theory (SPT) framework. Drawing on 21 semi-structured interviews with designers, buyers, merchandisers, and garment technologists across diverse market levels, findings were analysed using thematic analysis to identify structural and practice-level dynamics. Results reveal that adoption is shaped by structural factors - leadership culture, system compatibility, and sustainability regulation - and practice-level dynamics including role identity, prompt literacy, and ethical interpretation. Designers and technologists increasingly frame AI as a creative co-agent, while merchandisers express substitution anxieties. Participants identify AI’s potential to support circularity through improved material selection, reduced physical sampling, and enhanced sustainability reporting, although implementation remains nascent. By conceptualising AI as a “trainable organisational actor,” this research demonstrates how AI reshapes creative practice, organisational capability, and sustainability within fashion design and product development.

References available upon request.

ABSTRACT. As a business leader who has spent the past 20 years supporting industrial manufacturers, I have taken an interest in how improving production methods are a way to preserve some of the natural resources that the textile industry is rapidly depleting. The perspective of my research and opinions in this paper come from empirical knowledge as well. Having worked in the retail environment early in my career in both procurement (decentralized buying) and supply chain operations (merchandise management) the industry challenges over the past 30 years have grown exponentially. I will examine the manufacturing efforts toward sustainability with research emphasis on increasing scale of industry innovators, regenerative recycling methods, and challenges that thwart ongoing innovation and advancements in reducing production emphasis on virgin materials, natural resource waste and supply chain traceability improvement. I embarked on this project with the intent of educating myself and my university audience on the benefits that garments made of recycled cotton are having on the textile ecosystem. My findings, however, have morphed into understanding a broader approach to recycling, specifically with raw materials and regenerating fibers. My research has become a labyrinth in optimal fiber preservation tactics, with a realization that consumption patterns, and brand survival are complex and complicated. Equally complex is investment in technologies that will improve supply chain outcomes. I start out, attempting to make sense of all the recycling statistics that are available and shared by the industry mostly with good intent. As a consumer I quickly realized to make meaningful comparisons, I needed to synthesize data between production and consumption and between US and Europe, as approaches between continents are distinct, perhaps inhibiting a unified industry effort toward significant impacts. The world, while embracing global commerce, still does not always speak the same language. Even though geopolitical positions are not always similar, we can all agree that our consumption patterns are not moving in the right direction and substitution rates for waste are critical KPIs. I will introduce some non-traditional and cutting edge ideas from entrepreneurs and startups that are gaining traction in the name of emissions reduction and minimizing waste in landfills. My study includes a variety of sources as world players are in different places along the spectrum when it comes to measurable action. The proliferation of legislation in the EU regulating through policy and “CEAP” Circular Economic Action Plans has other regions of the world building action plans to respond. “EPR” Extended Producer Responsibility legislation is also gaining traction. Every day I seem to have found another new venture capital company funding closed looped recycling startups spanning from the east coast to the west coast in the US. If anything, it is encouraging that the industry is attempting to turn around the adage “a race to the bottom”. There are change makers who are gaining traction, with technological process advancements and financial contributions encouraging improvements. They are building viable ecosystems with upstream feedstock making it cleaner/greener for brands to use and finished product content more identifiable for consumer use downstream. The closed loop model is far from a “household” name. However, waste is not looked at the same way by all players. “One man’s trash, as another man’s treasure” is having its moment. Even as there is steady progress upstream, the challenge of consumer choice still looms preventing any significant gains in tackling over consumption. I will share some unintended consequences that still result in inventory overruns due surprisingly to second hand purchase patterns and reverse logistic markets. Buying fewer, but buying better quality has become a mantra to recycling. The “CBM” Circular Business Model includes repair, resale, rent and upcycle, and displacement rates (avoiding brand new purchases) have been slowing inching skyward year on year. Redistribution is growing in many markets. Community outreach and donation programs funnel clothes to those who cannot afford to pay for them instead of incinerators and landfills.

ABSTRACT. This study examines the barriers and drivers of digital marketing adoption among small rural retailers in the United States. Drawing on qualitative interviews and the Technology Acceptance Model, the findings indicate that time, limited resources, and insufficient digital skills hinder adoption, whereas perceived ease of use, cost effectiveness, and community engagement motivate continued use of digital marketing.

ABSTRACT. This ongoing study theorises how fashion brands and generative AI jointly participate in the construction of “quiet luxury” imaginaries rooted in Alentejo’s rural heritage landscapes. Although global brands increasingly appropriate the region’s minimalistic materiality for visual storytelling, the locations remain unlabelled, generating an intentionally abstract Mediterranean aesthetic. Drawing on fashion geography , visual communication, assemblage theory, and heritage commodification, this research conceptualises the Alentejo as a digitally mediated cultural landscape where brand aesthetics and algorithmic outputs co-produce new semiotic regimes of luxury. Using digital ethnography and comparative visual analysis, the project examines real fashion editorials photographed in Alentejo, brand-curated online imagery, and AI-generated simulations designed to replicate fashion visual codes. Recent studies suggest that AI-generated imagery can alter consumer perception compared to real images in hedonic services (e.g., leisure and tourism) and luxury advertising. These works highlight that perceived authenticity, humanness, and visual quality play a central role in how audiences emotionally engage with algorithmic visual content. Expected results suggest that AI amplifies brand narratives by producing hyper-minimal, decontextualised, and aspirational representations of the territory , reinforcing symbolic associations of silence, exclusivity, and timelessness. The anticipated theoretical contribution lies in modelling AI as an active aesthetic agent that reshapes cultural heritage representations and co-creates destination imaginaries. Practically , the findings aim to inform destination marketing by illuminating how AI-mediated imagery influences visitor desire; to guide luxury branding in ethically integrating rural heritage landscapes; and to advance digital cultural heritage by critically assessing how algorithmic aesthetics may distort or overwrite local meanings.

ABSTRACT. Luxury cruise lines, since their beginning in the 19th century, have functioned as floating heritage museums. Nowadays, several of them host multimillion-dollar collections not only as a signal of exclusivity, but also to offer passengers immersion in art and heritage. For instance, Picasso lithographs are displayed on Regent Seven Seas Grandeur and Oceania Riviera, Edvard Munch originals in Viking's private holdings, Warhol prints, and cultural replicas, like Fred Olsen's Terracotta Warriors exhibitions. After the pandemic era, millennial and Gen X travellers experienced greater personalized service thanks to technology, leading them to seek it out on cruise ships as well (Gonzáles-Santiago et al., 2025). In response, cruise lines have adopted digital art solutions such as Viking’s Voyager audio self-guided tours with expert commentary, Regent’s Art Experience app offering scan-to-video artist insights, and Oceania Allura’s 2025 interactive digital exhibition. Yet these solutions remain largely static, pre-scripted, and non-conversational. The current apps lack of personalization, natural dialogue, or extensions such as augmented reality (AR) overlays or virtual reality (VR) recreations. This underlies a gap between onboard heritage experiences and contemporary consumer expectations for emotional engagement and interaction. Also, this gap is most evident when comparing generational preferences: for example, millennials lean towards more technologically advanced cruise lines, while seniors prefer traditional ones, such as Fred Olsen Cruises.

In line with the experiential consumption research (Holbrook & Hirschman, 1982) and the experience economy framework (Pine & Gilmore, 1999), we propose an "Agentic AI Curator" to enhance onboard art engagement. The system aims to integrate generative AI (Gen AI) (Menotti, 2025) to create a conversational persona trained specifically on the cruise brand’s proprietary art archives, available 24/7 with adaptive storytelling dialogues and curated tours. It is further enhanced with AR for contextual/historical overlays (e.g., visualizing artwork influences) and VR for artwork recreations that go beyond the ship's physical limits. This study aims to identify the key technological drivers of immersive motivation and examine their effects on consumer satisfaction, emotional attachment, brand attitudes, loyalty, and promotional effectiveness. A comparative analysis between a technological cruise line (e.g., Regent Seven Seas) and a traditional line (e.g., Fred Olsen) is proposed to generate in-depth insights into perceived value, brand trust, and emotional loyalty. By positioning the cruise ship as a “living museum,” this study aims to offer a practical and strategic framework for luxury cruise brands to adopt modern technologies while preserving heritage. It also contributes new insights into how agentic AI and immersive tools shape consumer–brand relationships at the intersection of heritage and art in luxury cruise travel.

ABSTRACT. As technological advancements accelerate, brick-and-mortar retailers are increasingly required to adopt innovative strategies to draw customers into physical stores. One effective approach has been the integration of smart retail technologies (SRT’s) like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), smart screens (SS), and smart mirrors (SM) that enhance the in-store experience. These developments align with shifting consumer expectations, where decisions are increasingly shaped by emotional engagement than by purely rational deliberation. This study investigates whether a positive in-store experience strengthens the effectiveness of SRT in fostering customer loyalty within the fashion sector. The study was conducted in Canada and investigates youth consumers’ behaviour and responses to SRT. By means of a quantitative approach, online surveys were distributed to 471 Canadian respondents. The theoretical framework was informed by the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory, which suggests that external sensory stimuli influence consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions. The conceptual model proposed nine hypotheses to test the relationships between augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), smart screens (SS’s), and smart mirrors (SM’s) on in-store customer experience (CE) and customer loyalty (CL) in the Canadian fashion industry. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27 and AMOS to test hypotheses, examine path coefficients, and assess model fit. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for apparel brands and shed light on the differences in consumer responses to SRT in Canada. Understanding the effectiveness of SRT implementation will assist retailers enhance customer engagement and competitiveness in an evolving retail landscape.

ABSTRACT. This study explores how augmented reality (AR) shapes consumer cognition, identity, and aesthetic practices within phygital beauty contexts, grounded in situated cognition theory. A qualitative netnographic approach was employed, incorporating diaries and semi-structured interviews with 25 young Taiwanese female users. Findings identify four interrelated cognitive mechanisms: embedded cognition, where interactive guidance and personalized recommendations scaffold learning and experimentation; embodied cognition, highlighting how bodily awareness, sensorimotor alignment, and cultural norms shape affective responses; cognitive extensions, in which AR serves as an external system enabling reflective, imaginative, and culturally informed experimentation; and enacted cognition, emphasizing performative, socially situated, and iterative engagement with digital self-styling. Participants actively negotiate and co-construct expressions of femininity, integrating internal perception, embodied experience, and algorithmically mediated suggestions. Managerial implications suggest that AR interfaces should prioritize template flexibility, cultural alignment, interactive guidance, and social-sharing features to enhance adoption, trust, and brand engagement. The study extends AR marketing scholarship beyond luxury and Western-centric contexts, demonstrating how phygital environments can simultaneously facilitate identity exploration, experiential learning, and purchase decision-making, offering both a theoretically rigorous and practically actionable framework for designing immersive, consumer-centric AR experiences.

ABSTRACT. The contemporary fashion industry is characterised by a fast-paced and linear take-make-waste model, marked by short production cycles, multiple yearly collections, and low prices. This model ultimately encourages a type of clothing consumption in which consumers purchase increasing volumes of garments while wearing each item only a few times before disposal. As a result, the fashion industry generates an ever-growing demand for resource-intensive, polluting production and extensive volumes of textile waste.

In response to mounting concerns about these sustainability challenges, circularity has been suggested as a potential solution. Circular fashion seeks to move away from the linear economy, extending garment lifetimes through practices such as reuse, repair, and resale. The circular transition relies heavily on consumers to actualise these principles in their everyday clothing consumption. The circular consumer is positioned as a responsible subject who enacts care and responsibility for the environment by reusing, repairing, reselling, and recycling products. This often entails a significant reconfiguration of one’s clothing consumption.

Over the past decade, a range of digital platforms that aim to enable such clothing consumption has emerged. These include platforms for buying and selling second-hand clothing, digitally enabled repair services, digitally organised sharing networks, and platforms for renting clothes. However, cultivating circular clothing consumption may be an ambitious and challenging undertaking for these platforms for several reasons. Circular practices often require specific competencies and access to various tools and infrastructures. Moreover, they may impose additional demands on consumers in the form of time-consuming unpaid labour. In a consumption culture that values novelty and trendiness, consumers must also find circularity meaningful and socially acceptable to perform in their everyday lives. To realise their potential as enablers of circularity, platforms must therefore do more than simply make circular clothing consumption possible–they must also actively encourage and recruit users to engage as circular clothing consumers despite the burdens this may entail.

This raises the question of how platforms might successfully market circularity to consumers. In line with constructivist market studies, we understand the consumer as actively constructed in and through market practices. That implies that the consumer, rather than being a predetermined individual, is a market actor ‘made’ through practices such as market research, segmentation, advertising, branding, and product and packaging design. These activities together continually co-construct who the consumer is and its various forms of agency. Thus, from this perspective, marketing does not simply represent the consumer – it is performative, bringing the kinds of consumers it claims to describe into being. Applied to circular fashion, this analytical lens emphasises the active role of platforms in constructing circular consumers that embody certain values, competencies, and responsibilities, who engage in circular practices.

Against that background, the aim of this paper is to explore and conceptualise how digital platforms configure users into circular clothing consumers and with what outcomes. How is the circular clothing consumer imagined and arranged through the socio-material configurations of the platforms? How and, consequently, to what extent are the platform users made into these circular clothing consumers?

Drawing on literature from Science and Technology Studies as well as market studies, we in this paper explore these questions by mobilising the concept of configuration. We conceptualise the platforms as market devices configured with a future user in mind and, furthermore, to encourage and delimit certain actions. We direct our attention towards how the circular clothing consumer is imagined by the designers and marketers of circular platforms and how, in turn, this shapes the users’ clothing consumption.

The paper draws on an ethnographically inspired study of circular clothing platforms and their users. Extensive digital observations of three platforms for clothing rental, resale, and repair respectively were conducted. 24 Swedish households were recruited to a field trial where they got to try one of the three platforms during a period of 3-6 months. The households participated in ethnographic interviews–one at the beginning of the trial and one at the end–and produced self-monitoring material including reports of use of the platforms.

Our ongoing analysis of the material shows that while the studied digital platforms are designed to configure fashionable, caring, and competent circular clothing consumers, they are only partially successful in recruiting and retaining consumers and, furthermore, in enabling a circular clothing consumption.

These misconfigurations arise from users’ various forms of non-compliance with the platforms' attempted socio-material arrangements, grounded in discrepancies between the platforms’ discursive narratives and their material support. At times, the platforms materially enable certain circular practices without fully defining or legitimising them discursively; at others, the platforms successfully promote circular values and ideas, which are not consistently and smoothly translated into platform functionalities. This gives rise to disloyal and partially engaged consumers, who try out circular practices without committing to them.

ABSTRACT. As AI chatbots increasingly deliver frontline service in online fashion retail, questions remain about whether algorithmic interactions can convey empathy and enhance customer experience. This study examines how empathetic chatbot responses influence consumers’ feeling of being heard and subsequent brand-related outcomes. In an experimental fashion return scenario (N = 292), participants interacted with an AI chatbot expressing empathetic concern. Structural equation modeling results show that chatbot empathy significantly increases feeling heard, which in turn strengthens self–brand connection, reduces skepticism, and improves brand attitude. The model explains 49% of the variance in brand attitude. The findings highlight the role of empathetic AI-generated content in humanizing digital fashion service encounters and offer insights for designing chatbots that enhance customer experience in fashion marketing.

ABSTRACT. This study examines how AI-generated fashion is evaluated depending on artistic level and co-creation framing. Couture evokes greater awe under ideation framing, while mass fashion aligns with implementation framing. Awe stimulates curiosity, shaping attitudes. Findings extend technological sublime theory and show that emotional congruence drives consumer responses to AI creativity.

ABSTRACT. Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM), characterized by consumer information exchange on brands, significantly influences brand image, consumer involvement, and purchase intention. Recently, brands have leveraged social listening, consumer sentiments, and authentic data to form AI-generated eWOM, often utilizing a pre-set persona in social media posts and replies to increase resonance. The profound implications of this emergent form of eWOM demand investigation.

This research leverages existing eWOM attributes such as message volume, credibility, valence, and authenticity to explore the distinct characteristics of persona-driven AI-generated eWOM, a novel form of WOM. Our results indicate that authenticity in AI-generated content is linked to originality, the presence of a distinct persona, and clear product evaluations. The study also explores which eWOM characteristics are particularly salient and effective within the fashion industry, revealing that fashion content demonstrates a relatively strong alignment for persona and analytical thinking.