importance of research in fashion industry

Market Research in Fashion Industry: Meaning, Types and Importance

Shubham Anil Jain Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited Bangalore, India Email: [email protected]

Introduction: The process of gathering and analyzing information to find insights into the fashion industry, which involves its top players, competitors and more importantly the target market is called as market research. Either you own an existing clothing business or are looking for entry into the world of fashion, market research is very necessary and can ensure effective use of the marketing expenditure as well as increase the chance of business success. The feature of fashion market research is that it provides business owners and entrepreneurs with beneficial insights so they can make correct, informed decisions to manage the development or evolution of their fashion business .

Market research in fashion industry is necessary due to following reasons:

• To understand how customers describe to your brand or a competitor’s brand.
• Helps in identifying different areas for growth, new markets, and customer segments.
• To know about how existing customers would like to see your brand evolve.
• To gather information about consumer opinions and interactions with different fashion segments (e.g. fast fashion vs. luxury brands).
• To analyze how  fashion marketing  campaigns influence consumers’ mindset and their behavior.

Why Market Research in the Fashion Industry is Important?

a) The market retaliate strongly to trends: It is seen that, in all types of market, influencers are directly impacting buying decisions. And it’s just not limited to fashion bloggers, but anyone with a decent following, can change the way people shop. Not only runways and social media trends that impact the fashion industry, in case of the pandemic situation after years of being on the rise, both online and brick and mortar fashion outlets experienced a large drop in sales, even they’re still recovering from. The lifestyle of people has changed as well as their buying habits, and it’s up to brands to highlight this out and react cleverly. Even consumers getting more eco-friendly nowadays and more resistant to fast fashion, and a look for more inclusive clothing across genders and sizes, will also automatically leave its mark on the fashion industry.

b) Variation in target segments: Fashion lovers who have grown up buying high fashion brands and loving every second of the experience fast fashion affords, might have turned into environmentally conscious purchasers who are only interested in made to measure concept, or who shop mostly on second-hand apps like Depop or Vinted. It is very visible that, your current customers could shop elsewhere tomorrow. It’s critical to get to know them as well as you can, to sustain them for long enough and create interest.

c) Competitiveness in market: Currently, there are too many brands and stores are available to count, which leads to high competition in the market. It’s not unusual for a kind of for busy shopping streets to have multiple stores of the same brand, walking distance from each other. One can add the e-commerce part of the industry to that, in which brands can easily come and go as they required, and one find yourself in one of the most competitive industries in the world.

d) It’ll help to connect with the target group: Market research can be a tricky yet smart way to connect with your target group. Especially in case of a large scale, for an example by online surveys that are offered with some sort of discount code, brands can earn extra benefits from asking their customers some different types of quick questions. One can ask them about styles and certain products, but one also has to figure out if they’ve seen your recent ads and what they thought of it.

Types of Market Research:

A. Primary Market Research: It is basically a combination of both Qualitative and Quantitative Research. A process where instructions or businesses get in contact with the end consumers or employ a third party to carry out different studies to collect data is known as primary market research. While carrying primary market research, one can collect two types of information: Exploratory and Specific. Exploratory research is simply an open-ended, where a problem is raised by asking open ended questions in a deep interview format usually with a small group of people, also known as a sample, whereas in specific research, as the name suggests it is more specific and is used to solve the problems that are identified by exploratory research.

In qualitative market research study, it includes semi-structured or unstructured data collected through some of the commonly used qualitative research methods like:

1. Focus groups: Focus group is a small group of people usually 6-10 people who typically react or answer to online surveys sent to them. It is more expensive method and used to collect complex information.

2. One-to-one interview: By the name it is clear that, this method involves personal connect in the form of an interview, where the researcher asks a number of questions to collect information or data from the respondents. Here the questions are mostly open ended and asked in a way to get responses.

3. Ethnographic research: It is a in-depth research which is conducted in the natural settings of the respondents. In this method the interviewer adapt himself/herself to the natural environment of the respondents which can be a city or a town area.

B. Secondary Market Research: That is managed by outside sources such as government agencies, media, chambers of commerce etc. is called as secondary market research. The example is information published in newspapers, magazines, books, company websites, free government and nongovernment agencies and so on. The secondary source makes use of the following:

1. Public sources: Public sources such as library are a good way of gathering free information. Even government libraries are free of cost and a researcher can document available information.

2. Commercial sources: This sources although reliable but expensive in nature. The examples are local newspapers, magazines, journal, and television media to collect the information.

3. Educational institutions: Although it is not a very famous source of collecting information, most universities and educational institutions are a good source of information as many research projects are carried out there than any of the business sector.

Benefits of Systematic Market Research:

1. Make good and correct decision: As it is fact that, the growth of any organization is highly rely on the way decisions are made by the management. Using market research methodology, the management can take business decisions on the basis results that back their knowledge and experience.

2. Obtain right information: Market research generally gives real and correct information that will prepare the organization for any mistakes that may happen in the future.

3. Identify the market size: With the help of this, a researcher can analyze the size of the market that must be considered in case of selling a product or service in order to make profits.

4. Helps in selecting an appropriate sales system: It helps to select a correct sales system according to what the market is demanding for, and according to this, the product/service can be highlighted in the market.

5. In analyzing the customer preferences: It helps to identify how the preferences and tastes of the clients change so that the business can satisfy their preferences, purchasing habits, and income level.

Conclusion: It is simply all about understanding what you target group needs, and will require in the future. From their spending behavior to the effectiveness of many campaigns, fashion market research covers everything that helps you identify of find out many business opportunities for the next season and many more after. The goals of fashion market research ranges. It can be happen that a brand that’s getting ready for their first collection to drop might want to look into how huge scope is for their future market share, to finalize whether it’s worth it or not to go live.

References:

• Market Research: What it Is, Methods, Types & Examples, https://www.questionpro.com/blog/what-is-market-research/
• https://www.askattest.com/blog/guides/market-research-for-fashion
• https://www.designscene.net/2018/06/market-research-fashion.html
• How to Conduct Fashion Market Research Like a Pro
• https://resources.pollfish.com/market-research/how-to-conduct-fashion-market-research-like-a-pro/

You may also like:

• Fashion Marketing: Effective Strategy for Branding and Promotion
• Marketing Strategies for Luxury Fashion Brands
• Impact of Digital Marketing in Fashion Industry
• Marketing Mix in Fashion Industry

Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.

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How to conduct effective market research for fashion

Defining fashion market research, 4 reasons why market research in the fashion industry is important, secondary and primary sources for fashion market research, how to conduct fashion market research like a pro, get fashion market insights and data with attest, fashion industry market research faqs.

Are people buying more long-lasting, durable and luxury items in the name of sustainability? How big is the opportunity in second-hand clothes—and how does this affect spending in regular retail stores? Is Gen Z really not buying skinny jeans anymore—and have they scared millennials out of doing that too?

Questions like these keep everyone in the fashion industry up at night, in every part of the supply chain. Designers are frantically scrambling hints on social media to find out whether or not florals for spring are groundbreaking again, marketers are trying to find the next influencer that their target group will love, and commercial leaders are contemplating whether or not the latest fashion trend is a money spinner.

The fashion market is less unpredictable than it seems—and we’re not talking about low rise jeans from the 90s coming back to haunt us two decades later. If fashion professionals dive into research and get to know their target market as if they were their best friends, it’s very possible to create a proactive strategy for your fashion brand, as opposed to a reactive one. 

But where do you start looking? What sources should you combine, what questions need to be asked, and how can you effectively use all that data?

In this article, we’ll dive into the art of performing market research in the fashion business. This knowledge will be useful for not only brand managers, marketers and insights professionals, but anyone who wants to get ahead of the game by getting in the head of their customers. The right fashion market research tools can help you to:

• Identify golden opportunities in the market
• Spot emerging trends before your competitors
• Understand what your target market is looking for- sometimes before they’re looking for it
• Inform your overall fashion marketing plans, even in the face of fast-moving trends.

Fashion market research is all about understanding what your target group wants, and will want in the future. From their spending patterns to the effectiveness of campaigns, fashion market research and market trend analysis covers everything that helps you uncover business opportunities for the next season—and many more after. 

The goals of fashion market research vary. A brand that’s getting ready for their first collection to drop might want to look into how big the potential is for their future market share, to decide whether it’s worth it or not to go live. 

But even big players, from Inditex to Chanel , are constantly keeping an eye on their target market. Reasons for them to perform market research are to gain insights into how different customer segments react to trends in the market and certain marketing strategies. They also try to gain insight into how much consumers spend on certain items, to identify areas for growth and new markets. They might even discover a new customer segment to tap into while they’re at it.

Long-term market research in the fashion business is all about collecting data that will help a brand understand how to beat the competition, simply by connecting with their customers better and creating new products they can’t resist buying. 

In the short term, fashion brands can perform research to measure the effectiveness of campaigns and commercials, or to gauge how successful a new line has been. 

Market research is important in any industry where there’s even the tiniest bit of competition—and the fashion industry especially is one that really depends on it. Here are four reasons why market research is vital for brands and businesses who want to thrive.

Reason 1: The market reacts strongly to trends

Philosophy aside: influencers have a huge, well, influence on the fashion market . In all types of market, they are directly impacting buying decisions. And it’s not just fashion bloggers—anyone with a decent following, can alter the way people shop. Just take the show Love Island, where winners get rewarded by having their ‘own’ clothing line on ASOS. And it’s become incredibly easy to shop items that were worn on the show. 

But it’s not just runways and social media trends that impact the fashion industry. Take the pandemic: after years of being on the rise, both online and brick and mortar fashion stores saw a dramatic drop in sales, one they’re still recovering from. The ways people shop have changed, and it’s up to brands to figure this out and react cleverly.

Plus, consumers getting more eco-friendly and more resistant to fast fashion, and a call for more inclusive clothing across genders and sizes, will also inevitably leave its mark on the fashion industry.

Reason 2: Target groups vary a lot

Fashionistas who grew up buying Primark and loving every second of the experience fast fashion affords, might have turned into environmentally conscious shoppers who are only interested in bespoke pieces, or who shop mostly on second-hand apps like Depop or Vinted.  

The moral of the story? Your current customers could shop elsewhere tomorrow. The fashion industry serves dozens, if not hundreds of customer groups in which consumers fall. It’s crucial to get to know them as well as you can, to keep them interested for long enough.

Reason 3: The market is highly competitive. 

There are too many brands and stores to count, but together they make up for a value of $3,000 billion (3 trillion dollars!), which is 2 percent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

It’s not uncommon for busy shopping streets to have multiple stores of the same brand, a stone’s throw away from the next one all within seconds’ walking distance from each other. If that doesn’t tell you everything about how highly competitive the market is, we don’t know what will.

Add the e-commerce part of the industry to that, in which brands can almost pop up and go as they please, and you find yourself in one of the most competitive industries on the globe.

Reason 4: It’ll help you bond with your target group

Last but not least: market research can be a sneaky yet smart way to connect with your target group. 

Especially when done on a large scale, for instance by online surveys that are rewarded with some sort of discount code, brands can reap extra benefits from asking their customers some quick questions. You can ask them about styles and certain products, but also test out if they’ve seen your recent ads and what they thought of it.

With the fashion industry being so big both offline and online, it can be hard to find data that really represents the part of the market that’s relevant to you. A fashion business that focuses on sustainability is less interested in what’s happening in market segments such as luxury brands and designer apparel, but in the big picture, all fashion data is often thrown in together. 

If you want your research to remain relevant, you’ll have to collect reliable data by combining both primary and secondary research. 

Let’s look at some sources you can gather information from that will help you make confident decisions. 

Primary sources

Information that comes straight off the rack comes directly from consumers, or even from store owners, depending on what you need. Here are some ways you can perform primary market research in the fashion industry:

• Online surveys: the more you know, the better. Online surveys are great for that, but you’ll want to ask the right people. You can use it to test out campaign ideas, make more accurate consumer profiles, track your brand health or analyse the trends in the industry.
• Focus groups: whether it’s with designers, buyers, suppliers, independent store managers or anyone else in the industry—sometimes the most valuable information comes out of a conversation between peers, rather than from market research reports. Determine what your topic is, and let the focus groups brainstorm—you never know what you’ll learn. 
• Interviews: this could be interesting to do, for instance when you’re looking into a new customer segment. Sit some of your potential customers down and find out how you can convince them to buy from you. 
• Test marketing: with a/b testing, brands can easily test out if certain campaigns—or even certain products—will be in demand. Create a mock-up campaign and launch it. Does it get a lot of traffic? Then it could be worth pursuing!

Get insights from 125m people in 58 countries

Learn what compels your customers to buy and predict the next big trends with Attest consumer research

Secondary sources

If you’re looking for numbers like annual spend, market size, growth numbers and price developments, dive into secondary research. There are countless government statistics out there, and even other fashion brands who will make it easier by publishing their own reports. 

Like any type of market analysis , fashion research should always be tailored—pun intended!—to the goal you’re trying to achieve. We’ll quickly walk you through the steps of conducting market research effectively.

Step one: Define your objective

On one hand, you could just dive into all the secondary research you can find to see if there’s something worth focusing on. But that could be disappointing, not to mention incredibly time-consuming—think needles and haystacks. 

Instead, flip it around. What is the goal your company has? What are you curious about, specifically? Then, work backwards and find the information you need to achieve that goal or answer that question.

Step two: Find the right sources and tools

Like we mentioned earlier, informed decisions are often made on a mix of information. Determine how you’ll gain insights and what sources you will gather information from, before you frantically start looking.

Also, when working with a survey or anything like that for the primary research part, make sure you have it ready and checked by everyone involved before launch, so you don’t get the results back and realise you missed an important question. 

With Attest you can launch your first survey for free .

Step three: Analyse your insights

Start off this step by organising all the data you’ve gathered. You want to draw conclusions from the big picture, not from something that coincidentally was highlighted along the way. 

Step four: Implement!

Market research should be done to not just gain insights, but to take action. If you use it to formulate a marketing plan, make sure it gets implemented. If you use it to get more insights about consumer behaviour, ask sales and marketing how they plan to use this information.

Step five: Keep checking in

Depending on the type and length of the research, make sure to follow up with both the results and the way it was implemented. 

If you’re looking for a reliable way to reach a lot of people at the same time, who fit your target group specifics to a T—use Attest. 

Whether you’re an established brand looking to track your brand health or a fashion start up still creating a consumer profile, we’ve got you covered: you get access to 125 million people across 58 countries and can use our filters and quotas to make it as niche as you need.

Fashion market research looks into consumer behavior and market trends in the fashion industry. It’s used to inform decisions about anything that matters to a fashion brand: from the next collection to the next commercial.  Attest is here to make fashion market research easy.

Who shouldn’t? Everyone working in the fashion industry who is involved in growing a brand, is helped by doing research: designers, brand managers, influencers and store owners.

Online surveys are a great way to reach a big pool of people and ask them highly specific questions in a way that enables them to answer honestly. With our Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) template , gathering real consumer insights has never been easier.

Fashion insights directly from consumers

Launch your fashion consumer research with Attest

Nikos Nikolaidis

Senior Customer Research Manager 

Nikos joined Attest in 2019, with a strong background in psychology and market research. As part of Customer Research Team, Nikos focuses on helping brands uncover insights to achieve their objectives and open new opportunities for growth.

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Fashion Market Research: Specifics, Challenges, and Tips

• by Alice Ananian
• May 2, 2024

In the fashion industry, being on top of trends and consumer preferences is the key between launching a hit product and facing an inventory full of unsold merch. Market research is the compass that guides fashion entrepreneurs, retail analysts, and marketing professionals in the right direction, helping them to stay ahead of the game.

Understanding the specifics of fashion market research, overcoming industry-specific challenges, and utilizing the right tools and resources are essential for any player in the fashion industry who wants to thrive. This comprehensive guide equips you with the knowledge and techniques necessary to excel in fashion market research.

Market Research for the Fashion Industry

Market research within the fashion industry is not merely about spotting trends; it’s about understanding the complex web of factors that influence buying decisions. From cultural shifts to economic indicators, a multitude of elements influence what we wear and why. Brands that translate this data into innovative products and marketing strategies are the ones that capture market share.

The fashion industry, notorious for its rapid shifts and turnovers, demands a heightened emphasis on timeliness and accuracy in market research. What was “in” last season might be long-forgotten by the time the next collection hits the shelves. Therefore, the methodology and tools must be as dynamic and trend-responsive as the industry itself.

Fashion market research typically encompasses four key components:

Consumer Behavior and Trends

Studying consumer behavior involves collecting data on shopping habits, brand loyalty, and demographics. To predict upcoming trends, fashion researchers need to be one step ahead, analyzing emerging micro-trends that reflect a changing social landscape.

Competitive Analysis

Understanding your competitors is crucial in the saturated fashion market. This includes identifying key players, benchmarking performance, and keeping an eye on their moves in terms of products, pricing, and promotions.

Product Research and Development

Researching products involves exploring concepts, materials, and designs that resonate with consumers. Feedback loops from surveys, focus groups, and prototype testing can be invaluable in refining products prior to launch.

Marketing and Branding

Effective marketing and branding research involves evaluating the impact of advertisements, the effectiveness of branding statements, and the resonance of the brand’s image with the intended audience.

How to do Fashion Market Research [Step-by-Step Guide]

Fashion is a dynamic industry fueled by trends and consumer preferences. Conducting thorough market research is crucial for any fashion business, from established brands to aspiring designers. Here’s a step-by-step guide to navigate the process:

Step 1: Define Your Objectives

What do you want to learn? Are you trying to validate a new product idea, understand your target audience better, or analyze competitor strategies?

Clearly defined goals will guide your research methods and ensure you gather relevant information.

Example:   A handbag designer wants to launch a line of eco-friendly totes. Their research objective might be to understand consumer preferences for sustainable materials in handbags and their willingness to pay a premium.

Step 2: Find the Right Sources and Tools

There are two main types of research sources: primary and secondary.

Primary Research: Data you collect directly from your target audience. This can involve:

Surveys: Online questionnaires to gather a large pool of data on demographics, preferences, and buying habits. (e.g., Google Forms , SurveyMonkey )

Focus Groups: In-depth discussions with a smaller group to gain qualitative insights into attitudes and motivations.

Interviews: One-on-one conversations for detailed feedback from potential customers.

Pre-launching: This is a goldmine for market research in the fashion industry. By creating a landing page with your concept and gauging customer response, you gain real-time insights into demand, iterate on your design based on feedback, and avoid investing heavily in an idea that might flop. This direct interaction with potential customers makes pre-launching a powerful primary research tool.

Secondary Research: Existing data collected by others. Look for:

Industry Reports: Market research firms publish reports on fashion trends, consumer spending, and market size. 

Here’s where to look:

• Euromonitor International : Provides comprehensive reports on various fashion segments like apparel, footwear, and accessories, with a global perspective. 
• LWD (Leather Working Group) : Focuses on the leather industry, offering reports on sustainability practices, sourcing trends, and market analysis. 
• Nielsen : Offers reports on consumer spending habits and demographics, including insights relevant to the fashion industry. 

Fashion Publications: Trade publications and online fashion magazines often feature trend forecasts and consumer analysis. 

• The Business of Fashion (BoF) : Publishes insightful reports on various fashion industry topics, including market analysis, trend forecasts, and business strategies. 
• Vogue Business : Offers in-depth reports on luxury fashion trends, consumer preferences, and the business landscape within the high-end segment. 
• WWD (Women’s Wear Daily) : Provides regular reports on fashion trends, retail analysis, and industry news, often with a focus on the US market. 

Step 3: Analyze Your Insights

Once you have collected data, it’s time to make sense of it. Analyze survey responses and identify trends in demographics, preferences, and buying habits.

Look for common themes emerging from focus groups and interviews. Summarize key takeaways from industry reports and publications.

Step 4: Develop Buyer Personas

Use your research findings to create detailed profiles of your ideal customers. These buyer personas should include:

• Demographics (age, gender, income)
• Lifestyle and interests
• Fashion preferences and needs
• Shopping habits and preferred channels

Example: Based on your research, you discover a significant demand for eco-friendly totes among millennial women who prioritize sustainability and ethical manufacturing. This informs your buyer persona.

Pro tip: Make sure to leverage the power of online communities like those on Reddit . Use platforms like this to examine your target audiences threads and not what topics they discuss. 

Step 5:  Understand Your Competitors

Start by identifying your main competitors in the market and conduct a thorough analysis of their products, pricing strategies, marketing channels, and brand image. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of their offerings and how they position themselves in the industry.

Next, scrutinize the market to identify any gaps or unmet needs that your competitors are overlooking. This is your opportunity to carve out a niche for your brand. Think about what unique value proposition your brand can offer to fill these gaps and differentiate itself from the competition. Consider how your products or services can solve problems or meet needs that are currently being neglected.

By focusing on these areas, you can develop a strategic approach that leverages your brand’s unique strengths, setting you apart in a crowded marketplace and positioning you for success

Pro tip: To circumvent all the hassle of a detailed competitor analysis use tools such as the AI Market Research Assistant by Prelaunch.com. This tool allows you to analyze thousands of reviews and feedback to discover top customer praises and complaints simply by entering your competitor’s links.

Step 6:  Summarize Your Findings and Take Action

Create a clear and concise report summarizing your research findings.

Use this information to make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and pricing.

Step 7:  Keep Checking In

Fashion trends and consumer preferences are constantly evolving.  Monitor industry publications, conduct surveys periodically, and stay updated on competitor strategies.

Here’s a list of major fashion industry publications:

• Harper’s Bazaar
• WWD (Women’s Wear Daily)
• The Business of Fashion (BoF)
• Another Man (menswear)
• GQ (Gentlemen’s Quarterly) (menswear)
• Numéro (considered more avant-garde than mainstream publications)

By following these steps and continuously refining your research, you can gain valuable insights that will give your fashion business a competitive edge.

Tools and Resources for Fashion Market Research

Fashion market research equips you with valuable customer insights to design successful clothing lines, marketing campaigns, and pricing strategies. Here’s a breakdown of tools and resources categorized by primary and secondary research methods:

Primary Research

SurveyMonkey and Google Forms : Create online surveys to gather a large pool of data on demographics, preferences, and buying habits from your target audience. These tools offer user-friendly interfaces for designing questionnaires, distributing them electronically, and analyzing the collected data.

UserTesting : Conduct remote usability testing to see how potential customers interact with your clothing line prototypes or website. This online platform allows you to recruit participants, moderate testing sessions, and gain valuable insights into user experience.

Focus Group Discussion Platforms: Platforms like Lookback and User Interviews enable you to conduct online focus groups where you can moderate discussions with a smaller group to gain qualitative insights into attitudes and motivations.

Pro tip: Instead of scattering around to compile a combination of different primary research sources, get all your data in one place with Prelaunch.com . The idea validation platform lets you quickly create a landing page and share it with your friends and wider community to start generating first-hand feedback on your latest apparel concept.

Secondary Research

Industry Reports: Market research firms like Euromonitor International , LWD (Leather Working Group) , and Nielsen publish comprehensive reports on fashion trends, consumer spending, and market size. These reports provide valuable data-driven insights into the industry landscape. Fashion Publications: Stay updated on current trends and consumer analysis through trade publications like Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) and online fashion magazines like The Business of Fashion (BoF) and Vogue Business .

Social Media Listening Tools: Brandwatch and Sprout Social are social media listening tools that allow you to track brand mentions, analyze online conversations, and understand consumer sentiment about fashion trends and brands.

E-commerce Trend Reports: Platforms like Etsy and Trendalytics offer trend reports based on their sales data, giving you insights into what’s popular with online shoppers.

Additional Resources:

Fashion Trend Forecasting Services: WGSN and NellyRodi are fashion trend forecasting services that offer insights into upcoming trends, color palettes, and materials. Subscription fees apply, but these services can be invaluable for staying ahead of the curve.

By leveraging this comprehensive toolkit, you can conduct thorough market research that empowers you to make informed decisions and achieve success in the ever-evolving fashion industry.

Case Study [Start-up brand]: Reformation – Sustainable Style Takes Root

Brand: Reformation

Challenge: Reformation, a sustainable fashion brand launched in 2009, aimed to disrupt the industry with eco-friendly clothing but needed to validate their concept and target market.

Market Research Strategy: Reformation utilized a combination of online and offline methods:

• Social Media Engagement: Reformation actively engaged with their target audience on social media platforms like Instagram, conducting polls and surveys to understand their preferences for sustainable clothing.
• Trend Analysis: The company closely monitored fashion trend reports and social media conversations to identify styles and silhouettes in high demand.
• Customer Reviews: Reformation analyzed customer reviews of their existing products to understand what resonated with their audience and identify areas for improvement.

Key Insights:   The research revealed a strong consumer interest in sustainable fashion, particularly among millennials and Gen Z.  They identified a demand for trendy yet timeless pieces made with eco-friendly materials.

Action Taken:

• Focused on using recycled and sustainable materials like organic cotton and Tencel.
• Developed a core collection of versatile pieces that aligned with current trends but offered longevity.
• Utilized social media to showcase their commitment to sustainability and connect with environmentally conscious consumers.

Results:   Reformation’s market research ensured their products catered directly to their target audience’s desires.  Their focus on sustainability and trendy styles propelled their growth, establishing them as a leader in the sustainable fashion movement.

These case studies illustrate how established and start-up brands can leverage market research to gain valuable customer insights, adapt their offerings, and achieve success in the dynamic fashion industry.

Overcoming Challenges in Fashion Industry

The fast-paced and ever-evolving nature of the fashion industry presents unique challenges for market researchers. Here are some common roadblocks and how to navigate them:

Fickle Consumer Tastes: Trends shift quickly, making it difficult to predict what will be popular next season.

Social Media Influence:   Viral trends and influencer marketing can significantly impact buying decisions, adding a layer of complexity.

Data Saturation & Inaccuracy:   Consumers may not accurately report their preferences or be swayed by marketing messages in surveys.

Reaching Target Audiences:   Identifying and engaging with specific demographics across diverse online and offline channels can be tricky.

Fast Response Times:   Fashion cycles are short, requiring research to be agile and deliver insights quickly.

Embrace Trend Forecasting: Utilize trend forecasting services and analyze historical data to identify emerging trends with long-term potential.

Monitor Social Media Conversations: Track social media buzz, analyze influencer endorsements, and engage with online communities to understand real-time trends.

Employ Qualitative Research Methods: Conduct focus groups or in-depth interviews to gain deeper insights into consumer motivations and purchase decisions.

This is easier said than done. So a more realistic alternative is to set up a landing page on using the Prelaunch concept validaiton tool to start gaining real insights into purchase intent, as well as what could be improved. 

(e.g. You might offer a garment in certain colors and not others. Based on feedback that is conveniently complied into a single Dashboard you’ll be able to learn what iteration is most popular with your target audience, who they are both demographically/psychographically and and even the optimal price point to set.)

Utilize Diverse Research Methods: Combine quantitative surveys with qualitative methods like focus groups to get a more holistic picture of consumer preferences.

Partner with Social Listening Platforms: Track brand mentions, sentiment analysis, and competitor activity to gain real-time market intelligence.

Rapid Prototyping & A/B Testing:   Create low-fidelity prototypes of designs or marketing campaigns and conduct A/B testing to gather quick feedback and iterate quickly.

Market research is the backbone of success in the fashion industry. By meticulously studying consumer behavior, keeping a finger on the pulse of trends, and analyzing the strategies of competitors, fashion professionals can craft a robust business model. Utilizing the right tools, case studies, and overcoming challenges, your path to informed decision-making is set.

In a realm where yesterday’s fad is tomorrow’s old news, thorough market research ensures you’re always on the cusp of what’s next in fashion. It’s the secret to crafting not just great products, but legacies.

What is fashion market research?

Fashion market research is the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of data that pertains to the market’s preferences, economic indicators, and various other factors that contribute to the behavior of fashion consumers. This research helps brands and retailers understand what products to create, how to promote them, and at what price point.

Who should be conducting fashion market research?

Anyone involved in the lifecycle of a fashion product should be involved in market research to some degree. This includes designers, manufacturers, retailers, marketers, and any other professionals with a vested interest in the success of a product in the market.

What types of market research are most appropriate for the fashion industry?

A mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods are most appropriate for the fashion industry. This includes surveys, focus groups, trend analysis, and consumer panel studies, among others. These methods help capture both broad market trends and individual consumer preferences.

Alice Ananian

Alice has over 8 years experience as a strong communicator and creative thinker. She enjoys helping companies refine their branding, deepen their values, and reach their intended audiences through language.

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How to Conduct Fashion Market Research Like a Pro

Fashion market research provides business owners and entrepreneurs with valuable insights so they can make confident, informed decisions to guide the development or evolution of their fashion business. 

Valued at an impressive 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars in 2020 , the global fashion/apparel industry is a behemoth industry covering a wide variety of garments and accessories.

While this sector has traditionally experienced consistent growth, the past year has been turbulent and challenging. Whether you are considering a new fashion venture or are looking for innovative ways to recover from an unprecedented year, market research is an effective way to guide your efforts.

This article covers how to conduct a combination of primary and secondary research o to power your fashion market research campaign. 

Fashion Market Research Overview 

Fashion market research is the process of gathering and analyzing information to  gain insights into the fashion industry, which includes its top players, your competitors and mainly, your target market. Whether you own an existing apparel business or are considering an entry into the world of fashion, market research can ensure effective use of your marketing expenditure and increase the likelihood of business success.

Fashion market research is used to achieve the following:

• Understand how customers relate to your brand or a competitor’s brand.
• Identify areas for growth, new markets, and customer segments.
• Understand how existing customers would like to see your brand evolve.
• Gain insight into consumer spending when it comes to fashion needs and wants.
• Collect information about consumer opinions and interactions with various fashion segments (e.g. fast fashion vs. luxury brands).
• Understand how fashion marketing campaigns influence consumers’ opinions and behavior.

Undertaking a market research campaign project can provide you with the confidence you need to succeed in a highly competitive industry. The end-goal of fashion market research is to gain sufficient information to make informed decisions about your business so that it can thrive. 

The Makeup of Fashion Market Research

Fashion market research is made up of two sources of information, referred to as primary and secondary research. By using both primary and secondary sources of information, you can determine several key factors about your target market and its various segments. These include:

• Annual spend on fashion in your niche
• A comparison of shopping experience frequencies, in-store vs. online
• Wardrobe share of certain brands and/or apparel categories
• Where and how your target market discovers your brand
• Shopping triggers
• Spending forecasts
• Marketing channels
• Product diversity 
• How in-demand your products or brand are

To reap the most insights, you should plan to incorporate both primary and secondary sources to drive your fashion market research towards success.

Primary Research for the Fashion Industry

Primary market research refers to the unique data that is gathered from first-hand sources. While it is more labor-intensive to gather primary information, you are rewarded with data that is particularly relevant to your particular business and customer base. It also puts you in control in terms of the data you collect and then leverage. 

The most valuable sources of primary information for fashion market research are:

• Online survey tools about existing or prospective customers, i.e., those in your target market that have not yet bought from you.
• Phone, in-person, and mall intercept interviews
•  In contrast to one-on-one interviews, a focus group allows for moderated discussion among participants. This provides the opportunity for the group to share ideas and discuss a topic or trend, which is particularly useful when conducting fashion market 
• This gives marketers an opportunity to observe and understand how customers behave in a natural setting. When it comes to fashion market research, field research provides valuable information about how customers browse and shop, both in-store (through natural observation) and online (via session replay tools). 
•  Often used to test out new design concepts, user testing gauges customer interest and reception. It is also used to test out in-store shopping experiences and changes to fashion websites. 
• Consumer research panels

Secondary Research for the Fashion Industry 

Secondary research is performed by sourcing data from existing, published sources, i.e., data that you don’t need to amass yourself, as it has already been conducted. You should then parse through and organize the secondary data to prepare it for analysis.  A strong analysis involves comparing the secondary resources against each other, along with their primary source counterparts.

Good sources of secondary information for the fashion industry include:

• Market and industry research reports and white papers
• Fashion industry websites 
• SEO, keyword, and trends research
• Governments statistics
• Your competitors’ websites and other digital properties such as apps, mobile sites, ads, etc.

Secondary Research Sources for Fashion Market Research

To give your fashion market research a jumpstart, we have gathered some of the most relevant sources of secondary information for the fashion industry. 

• Marketresearch.com Market Research Reports & Industry Analysis : A veritable font of information about the fashion and apparel industry, this site lets you search and filter to find general industry reports and more specific reports that pertain to your niche or sub-sector. 
• McKinsey’s State of Fashion Annual Report : A trusted global consulting group, McKinsey publishes a free annual report on the fashion industry that contains insights on the global economy, consumer spending and behavior and the fashion industry as a whole. The recently published report on fashion in 2021 pays special attention to the impact that COVID-19 has had and will continue to have on the industry in the coming year.
• Statista.com Global Apparel Market – Statistics and Facts : Statista offers a wealth of information and statistics on the fashion market. You can access a variety of charts and reports for free, or purchase more comprehensive reports, such as Apparel Market Worldwide dossier . 
• NPD Fashion Trend Tracker : The global consulting group NPD has created a subscription-based trend tracker that provides the latest information on changing fashion trends. Use this to track change and identify areas of growth in your vertical. 
• NPD website : In addition to paid sources of information, the NPD Group is also an excellent source of free information about the fashion and apparel industry, published as articles and blog posts on their website. 
• The Business of Fashion : This online magazine collates insights gathered by journalists in over 125 countries. Subscription-based memberships are available for those who want to gain insights from a leading source of fashion industry news and information. 
• KPMG Sustainable Fashion report : Published by KPMG, this free report focuses on consumer perception of sustainable fashion. The group interviewed over 1,000 individuals in the world’s largest cities to understand how consumers relate to sustainable fashion and responsible buying behavior. 
• CommonObjective.co : For anyone with an eye on sustainability as it pertains to fashion, Common Objective is a valuable source of both free and paid information about trends, sourcing, marketing, consumer behavior, and more.

Confront New Challenges with Market Research 

Fashion businesses have more challenges to consider than ever before. If your business is struggling to recover from the global pandemic, market research can help you identify new areas of growth. With a tightened budget, market research is vital to ensure your marketing and advertising spend is used wisely.

Or perhaps you are looking to evolve your business in response to the concerns of “woke” consumers , who demand a higher level of environment and social responsibility from fashion brands. Market research can help you meet these demands and shape your targeted messaging. 

Even without new challenges, every fashion business fights the constant battle to remain relevant and stylish in an ever-changing landscape. Consumers on the hunt for something unique and new will continue to push fashion brands to evolve their style to satisfy their customers’ demands. 

Fortunately, this demand comes with more direct access to your customers via social media. You can benefit from an engaged audience by regularly deploying online surveys to gather insights about their needs and desires, no matter how often they change.

Regardless of your motivations, fashion market research can provide you with valuable insights to help you make confident decisions in the months and years to come. 

Frequently asked questions

What is fashion market research.

Fashion market research involves collecting and analyzing data in order to gain a better understanding of how an apparel business is positioned in the competitive landscape.

Who can benefit from fashion market research?

Fashion market research is beneficial for a wide variety of businesses that operate within the fashion industry. This includes established brands, fashion startups, brick-and-mortar stores, apparel chains, and artisan fashion producers.

What are some of the reasons for conducting fashion market research?

Fashion market research can help a business identify new target markets, understand how existing customers feel about their brand, gain insights into fashion spending, and explore how marketing campaigns can affect buying behavior.

How is fashion market research conducted?

After identifying the goals of the fashion market research project, the team will conduct primary and secondary research to gather information from the appropriate sources. Then, this information will be compiled into a report that contains findings and recommendations.

What types of primary research are most appropriate for fashion market research?

The most useful types of primary research for the fashion industry include surveys, interviews, focus groups, field research, mall intercepts, and user testing.

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The fashion market is always changing, and if you want your business to be as successful as possible, it’s important to stay on top of what is happening at home and across the world. It could be your products that change or the way you work. Maybe new technology will come along to improve how things are done. Whatever it is, it’s essential that you are able to keep up to date with the market and remain relevant.

This is why market research is important, continue for few tips from DESIGN SCENE magazine team.

Gain New Customers

The more customers you get, the more successful your business will be, and obtaining new customers is a huge part of how to become bigger and better. You need to be able to aim your marketing to the right people, and this is why fashion market research should be an integral part of any marketing plan that you have, such as print media, online press release distribution, direct marketing, etc. You can never simply assume that everyone is going to be interested in your product; there will be certain people who will want and need it more than others, and your market research will show you who they are so that you can create a marketing campaign around them. In our recent interview wit with  ANDRES SOSA , Executive Vice President for Sales, Marketing & Creative at the renowned fashion store THEOUTNET, talking about customers he shared: “ The customers are very different in every market. How a customer puts a look together in Germany can be totally different to other customers in France. We try to reel in as much knowledge we have of the market, our buying teams are constantly traveling to ensure that we respond to the consumers esthetics. Monitoring our social media responses, emails and our very own app.”

Gain Insight

As we’ve mentioned, market research is useful in gaining new customers, but it can also be used to determine why current customers enjoy using your services (as well as what they would change to make things better). This kind of feedback can give you some amazing insights into what people think of your business, and that can help you move in the right direction. It’s also a good way to find out whether any future plans are going to be met with approval. In every market research, there should be a panel sample proving that the products are studied and have reliable data.

Set Targets

When you carry out good fashion market research, you can also more easily set targets for yourself and your business. Having targets means you have a path to follow that will lead you to success; that won’t require any sort of unsecured funding without this success may be harder to find, as you won’t know which way to go to get there. Having the right data to hand about your customers and your products can help you to determine where success lies and therefore set targets and realistic goals, making your business grow more easily. Remember that it is realistic goals that will help you get further than the big ideas which, although they may well come to fruition, will take a long time to reach.

Market research will also help you to develop new ideas. Simply asking your customers what they think will give you a chance to find out what they really want from you, and even if it wasn’t something you had considered before, whatever they say may actually be exactly what your business needs to take the next step to success.

Listening to your customers also has the added benefit of letting them know you care about what they think. Even if you don’t implement all of their ideas, the fact that you want to listen says a lot about your company and will encourage brand loyalty.

All images from behind the scenes of H&M Balmain campaign shoot – discover more . 

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Navigating the Fashion Industry and Market Research

Navigating the fashion industry.

Navigating the fashion industry is a dynamic and fast-paced world where trends constantly shift. Understanding how the industry operates is crucial for anyone looking to succeed in this field. Fashion is not just about clothes; it’s a blend of art, culture, and business intricately woven together. Designers and brands work tirelessly to create appealing products that resonate with consumers. In this blog, we will delve into the various aspects of the fashion industry, from design and production to marketing and retailing.

What is Market Research in Fashion?

Market research in fashion involves gathering and analyzing information about the fashion industry to understand trends, consumer preferences, and competition. It helps fashion businesses make informed decisions on product development, pricing, and marketing strategies. Key elements of fashion market research include studying consumer behavior, identifying market gaps, and assessing the demand for specific products. This informs designers on what styles are popular, what colors are trending, and what materials are in-demand. Market research in fashion is crucial for staying competitive and meeting the ever-changing needs of the market.

Importance of Market Research for Fashion Success

Market research plays a crucial role in helping fashion businesses succeed. By conducting market research, fashion professionals gain insights into consumer preferences, trends, and competitive landscape. This information guides decisions on product development, marketing strategies, and staying ahead of the curve in the fast-paced fashion industry. Market research helps in:

• Understanding customer needs and desires
• Identifying market trends
• Analyzing competitors’ strategies
• Developing products and services that meet consumer demands.

Types of Market Research in the Fashion Industry

Market research in the fashion industry comes in different forms to help businesses understand consumer behavior and market trends. Here are the types of market research commonly used in the fashion industry:

• Consumer Surveys : Gathering feedback directly from customers about their preferences and shopping habits.
• Trend Analysis : Studying fashion trends and predicting future styles to stay ahead in the market.
• Competitor Analysis : Evaluating the strategies and products of rival brands to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Focus Groups : Bringing together a small group of individuals to discuss products and provide insights.
• Social Media Listening : Monitoring social media platforms to gauge public opinion and sentiment towards brands and products.

By utilizing these different types of market research, fashion businesses can make informed decisions to improve their success in the competitive industry.

Conducting Market Research in Fashion

Market research in fashion is crucial for your success in the industry. It helps you understand the current trends, what customers want, and what your competitors are doing. By conducting market research, you can gather valuable insights that will guide your decisions and help you stay ahead in the fast-paced world of fashion. Key reasons to conduct market research in fashion include:

• Understanding the latest trends and styles
• Identifying the preferences of your target audience
• Analyzing the strategies of your competitors

Remember, staying informed and proactive through market research can give you a competitive edge in the dynamic world of fashion.

Analyzing Market Research Data

Market research data provides valuable insights into consumer preferences, trends, and demands in the fashion industry. By studying this data, you can understand what styles, colors, or fabrics are popular among customers. It also helps you identify emerging trends and predict future fashion directions. Analyzing market research data allows you to make informed decisions about your products, pricing strategies, and marketing campaigns. Remember , the fashion industry is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of trends can give you a competitive edge.

Implementing Findings into Fashion Strategies

When you implement findings from market research into your fashion strategies, you can create designs that better meet the customer demands. By using data to understand trends and consumer preferences, you can tailor your collections to appeal to your target audience. This approach can help you stay ahead in the fast-paced fashion industry and increase the likelihood of your success.

Challenges in Fashion Market Research

Market research in the fashion industry can be challenging due to constantly changing trends and consumer preferences. Some common challenges include keeping up with fast-fashion cycles , interpreting fickle consumer behavior , and anticipating shifts in market demand . To succeed, fashion professionals must be proactive in gathering and analyzing data to stay ahead of the curve.

Future Trends in Fashion Market Research

Wondering what the future holds for fashion market research? It’s important to stay ahead of the game by predicting upcoming trends. Market research in the fashion industry is evolving rapidly. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

• Technology plays a crucial role in shaping upcoming trends.
• Sustainable fashion is becoming more prominent.
• Consumer behavior and preferences are constantly changing.
• Globalization and social media influence fashion research.

Leveraging Market Research for Success

While Market Research may sound fancy, it’s actually just understanding your audience and competition better. By diving into what your customers want and what your competitors are up to, you gain valuable insights that can lead to success in the fashion world. Here are the key takeaways on leveraging Market Research for your fashion business:

• Market Research helps you identify trends and gaps in the market.
• It allows you to tailor your products and marketing strategies to meet customer needs.
• Understanding your competitors helps you differentiate yourself in the market.
• By staying informed, you can make informed business decisions that increase your chances of success.

Written by Sarah Shaw

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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

• Open access
• Published: 25 December 2022

Evaluation and trend of fashion design research: visualization analysis based on CiteSpace

• Yixin Zou   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1880-6382 1 ,
• Sarawuth Pintong 2 ,
• Tao Shen 3 &
• Ding-Bang Luh 1  

Fashion and Textiles volume  9 , Article number:  45 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

11k Accesses

5 Citations

Metrics details

Fashion or apparel refers to a topic discussed publicly as an indispensable discipline on a day-to-day basis, which has aroused rising attention from academic sessions over the past two decades. However, since the topic of fashion design covers knowledge in extensive ranges and considerable information, scholars have not fully grasped the research field of fashion design, and the research lacks directional guidance. To gain more insights into the existing research status and fronts in the fashion design field, this study conducts a quantitative literature analysis. The research of this study is conducted by employing CiteSpace technology to visualize and analyze 1388 articles regarding “fashion design” in the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection. To be specific, the visualization and the analysis concentrate on the annual number of articles, author collaboration, institutional collaboration, literature citations, keywords clustering, and research trend evolution of the mentioned articles. As highlighted by this study, the effect of the US and the UK on academic research in fashion design is relatively stronger and extensive. Sustainable fashion refers to the research topic having aroused more attention since 2010, while new research topics over the past few years consist of “wearable fashion”, “transgender fashion” and “medical fashion”. The overall research trend of fashion design is developing as interdisciplinary cross research. This study systematically reviews the relevant literature, classifies the existing research status, research hotspots and frontier trends in the academic field of “fashion design”, and presents the knowledge map and information of literature for researchers in relevant fields.

Introduction

In academic research and writing, researchers should constantly search relevant literature to gain systematic insights into the subject area (e.g., the major research questions in the field, the seminal studies, the landmark studies, the most critical theories, methods and techniques, as well as the most serious current challenges). The process to answer the mentioned questions refers to an abstract process, which requires constant analysis, deduction and generalization. Any literature emerging over time may be critical, any research perspective may cause novel inspiration, and any detail can be the beginning of the subsequent research. However, when literature is being sorted and analyzed, if judgment only complies with personal experience, important literature will be inevitably missed, or the research direction will be lost in the research. For the process of conducting literature analysis, Hoover proposed that the quantitative methods of literature represent elements or features of literary texts numerically, applying effective, accurate and widely accepted mathematical methods to measure, classify and analyze literature quantitatively (Hoover, 2013 ). On this basis, literary data and information are more comprehensively processed. Prof. Chaomei Chen developed CiteSpace to collect, analyze, deliver and visualize literature information by creating images, diagrams or animations, thereby helping develop scientific knowledge maps and data mining of scientific literature. Knowledge visualization primarily aims to detect and monitor the existing state of research and research evolution in a knowledge field. Knowledge visualization has been exploited to explore trends in fields (e.g., medical, management science, biomedicine and biotechnology).

However, the international research situation in fashion design has not been analyzed by scholars thus far. Fashion, a category of discourse, has been arousing scholars’ attention since the late nineteenth century (Kim, 1998 ). In such an era, fashion is recognized by individuals of all classes and cultures, and it is publicly perceived. The field of fashion design is significantly correlated with people's lives (Boodro, 1990 ), and numerous nations and universities have long developed courses regarding fashion design or fashion. Besides, the development of fashion acts as a symbol of the soft power of the country. The discussion on fashion trend, fashion designer, fashion brands, artwork and other topics in the society turns out to be the hotspot discussed on a nearly day-to-day basis, and the discussion in the society even exceeds the academic research. However, the academic research of fashion design refers to a topic that cannot be ignored. The accumulation and achievements of academic research are manifested as precipitation of knowledge for developing the existing fashion field, while significantly guiding future generations. Studying the publishing situation and information in fashion design will help fashion practitioners or researchers classify their knowledge and provide them with novel inspiration or research and literature directions.

This study complies with the method of quantitative literature analysis, and CiteSpace software is adopted to analyze the literature in fashion design. Through searching web of science (WOS) Core Collection, 1388 articles regarding “fashion design” are retained. Co-citation, co-authoring and co-occurrence analysis refer to the major functions of CiteSpace. This study analyzes the articles regarding “fashion design”, and the focus is placed on the annual publication volume, author collaboration, institutional collaboration, national collaboration, literature citations, keyword co-occurrence, keyword clustering, and the research evolution, and visualized the literature and research as figures of these articles. The results here are presented as figures. This study provides the fronts knowledge, the current research status research, the hotspots and trends in fashion design research.

In this study, CiteSpace technology is adopted to analyze all collected literature data. CiteSpace, developed by Professor Chaomei Chen, an internationally renowned expert in information visualization at Drexel University, USA (Wang & Lu, 2020 ), refers to a Java application to visually analyze literature and co-citation networks (Chen, 2004 ). CiteSpace is capable of displaying burst detection, mediated centrality and heterogeneous networks regarding literate information. Visual analysis of the literature by using CiteSpace covers three functions, i.e., to identify the nature of specialized research frontiers, to label and cluster specialized research areas, as well as to identify the research trends and abrupt changes based on the data derived from the analysis. CiteSpace provides a valuable, timely, reproducible and flexible method to track the development of research trends and identify vital evidence (Chen et al., 2012 ).

To analyze the existing status of research and publications on the topic of “fashion design” in academia and different nations, the “Web of Science” (WOS) database is adopted as the data collection source here. Web of Science provides seamless access to existing and multidisciplinary information from approximately 8700 of the most extensively researched, prestigious and high-impact research journals worldwide, covering Science Citation Index (SCI) Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), as well as Arts and Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI) (Wouters 2006 ). Its vital feature is that it covers all article types, e.g., author information, institutional addresses, citations and References (Wouters 2006 ). Research trends and publications in specific industry areas can be effectively analyzed.

To be specific, the “Web of Science Core Collection” database is selected in Web of Science and the indexing range includes SCI, SSCI, A&HCI, CPCI-S, CPCI-SSH, BKCI-S, BKCI-SSH, ESCI databases. This step aims to expand the search scope of journals and search a maximal amount of relevant literature. A “subject search” is adopted, covering the search title, the abstract, the author and the keywords. There have been other areas of research on clothing or textiles (e.g., textile engineering and other scientific research areas). However, in this study, to ensure that the topic of analysis is relevant, the subject search is conducted by entering “fashion design” or “Costume design” clothing design”, or “Apparel design”, and only academic research regarding fashion design is analyzed. To ensure the academic nature of the collected data, the search scope here is the “article” type. The time frame was chosen from 2000 to 2021 to analyze the publications on “fashion design” for past 21 years. After this operation, the results of the search were filtered two times. The search was conducted until September 23, 2021, and 1388 articles were retained on the whole.

All bibliographic information on the pages was exported into text format and subsequently analyzed with CiteSpace software. Retrieved publications were filtered and copies were removed in CiteSpace to ensure that the respective article is unique and unduplicated in the database. 1388 articles filtered down from 2000 to 2021 were analyzed in all time slices of 1 year, and most of the cited or TOP 50 of the respective item were selected from each slice.

Results and Discussion

Publications in the last 21 years.

The publication situation of WOS database with “fashion design” as the theme from 2000 to 2021 shown in Fig.  1 . On the whole, the number of articles published on the theme of “fashion design” is rising from 2000 to 2007, the number of articles published each year is almost identical, and the number of articles published in 2008–2009 is slightly increasing. The second wave of growth is in 2011, with an increase about 60% compared with the number of publications in 2010, and it has been rising year by year. 2017 is the peak year with a high volume of 171 publications. 2018 shows another decline, whereas over 100 publications remain. 2018, 2019 and 2020 show continuous growths again. As of September 2021, the number of publications in 2021 is 77. Although the number of articles declines in 2018, the overall number of articles over the past 2 decades is still rising. The reason for the low number of publications around year of 2000 is that fashion as a category of discourse has aroused the attention of scholars from the late nineteenth century (Kim, 1998 ). The year-on-year increase is explained as research on fashion is arousing rising attention from scholars. The significant increase in research papers regarding “fashion design” in 2016 and 2017 is that around 2016, and the fashion industry has been impacted by technological developments. Moreover, the way in which design and clothing made has incorporated considerable technological tools (e.g., 3D printing and wearable technology).

Total publications and sum of times cited from 2000 to 2021 according to the web of science. Data updated to September 2021

Author co-authorship analysis

The knowledge map of cited authors based on publication references can present information regarding influential research groups and potential collaborators (Liang, Li, Zhao, et al., 2017 ). The function of co-authorship analysis is employed in CiteSpace to detect influential research groups and potential collaborators. Citespace can calculate the most productive authors in related fields. Table 1 shows that the most productive authors, which related with fashion design theme.

The author with the maximal number of publications is Olga Gurova from Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki (Finland). Her research area has focused on consumer nationalism and patriotism, identity politics and fashion, critical approach to sustainability and wearable technology and the future. Sustainable design has been a hotspot over the past decade and continues to be discussed today, and wearable technology has been a research hotpot in recent years. Olga Gurova is in first place, thereby suggesting the attention given to the mentioned topics and studies in society and fashion area. The second ranked author is Marilyn Delong from University of Minnesota (The USA). The research area consists of Aesthetics, Sustainable apparel design, History and Material Culture, Fashion Trends, Cross-cultural Influence on Design, as well as Socio-psychological aspects of Clothing. The author with the identical number of 7 publications is Kirsi Niinimäki from Aalto University (Finland). Her research directions consist of sustainable fashion and textiles, so her focus has been on the connection between design, manufacturing systems, business models and consumption habits.

For Caroline Kipp, her research area includes modern and contemporary textile arts, decorative arts and craft, craftivism, jacquard weaving, French kashmere shawls, as well as color field painting. For Nick Rees-Roberts, his research area includes fashion film, culture and digital media. Veronica Manlow from Brooklyn College in the Koppelman School of Business (USA.) The research field consists of creative process of fashion design, organizational culture and leadership in corporate fashion brands. Kevin Almond has made a contribution to creative Pattern Cutting, Clothing/Fashion Dichotomies, Sculptural Thinking in Fashion, Fashion as Masquerade. Hazel Clark, and his research field covers fashion theory and history, fashion in China, fashion and everyday life, fashion politics and sustainment. As revealed from the organization of the authors' work institutions and nations in the table, most of the nations with the maximal frequency of publications originate from the US, thereby revealing that the US significantly supports fashion design research. In general, the research scope covers fashion design, culture, mass media, craft, marketing, humanities, technology and etc. Based on the statistics of authorship collaboration, this study indicates that scholars from the US and Finland take up the top positions in the authorship publication ranking.

Moreover, Fig.  2 shows the academic collaborations among authors, which are generated by selecting the unit of analysis, setting the appropriate thresholds. The distance between the nodes and the thickness of the links denote the level of cooperation among authors (Chen & Liu, 2020 ). The influential scholars and the most active authors have not yet developed a linear relationship with each other, and collaborative networks have been lacked. It is therefore revealed that the respective researcher forms his or her own establishment in his or her own field, whereas seldom forms collaborative relationships. Thus, this study argues that to improve the breadth and depth of the field of fashion design research, the cooperation and connections between authors should be strengthened (e.g., organizing international collaborative workshops, joint publications and academic conferences) to up-regulate the amount of knowledge output and create more possibilities for fashion research.

Author collaboration network

Institution co-authorship analysis

The number of articles issued by the respective institution and the partnership network are listed in Table 2 .

Figure  3 shows the collaborative relationships among research institutions, while the distance between nodes and the thickness of links represents the level of collaborative institutions. The size of the nodes represents the number of papers published by the institutions, while the distance between the nodes and the thickness of the links indicates the level of cooperation between the institutions.

Co-relationships between nations in “fashion design” research

As indicated from the Table 2 , most of the top ten publishing institutions are from the UK and the US, and two universities in the UK rank first and second with more than 20 publications, and most of the institutions are from the UK, thereby demonstrating that the UK's achievements and effect in the field of fashion are far more than other nations. According to the cooperation network between institutions, there are 5 main cooperation networks. First, London College of Fashion, achieving the most number of articles, and there are 8 institutions cooperating with London College of Fashion, among which the closest cooperation is with Parsons Paris Sch Art & Design in the US, whose more influential areas of articles are consumers behavior, unisex clothing, third gender, communicating sustainability, real installation, Italian fashion system, global market, local culture, knitwear and textile design, international scenario, conventional craft methodologies, innovative potential, as well as 3D software application.

The second network of partnerships concentrates on University Arts London as the central node, with frequent collaborators (e.g., Center St Martins Coll Art & Design, Loughborough University Technology, Hut Grp, Sothebys Inst Art, Project Mobile Ising Sexual Hlth, De Montfort University, University of Southampton, Royal Soc Arts, Royal Coll Art). The more influential areas of publication are: electric corset, future histories, clothing sustainability, south Asian youth culture, textile patterning technique, hybrid functional clothing, UK fashion upcycling businesses, rematerializing crafting understanding, fashion designers apprentice, design ethnography approach, developing apparel design guideline and so on.

The third collaborative network is formed by Aalto University, DongHua University, University Southern Denmark, and other institutions, with more influential publications below: haring clothe; fashion designer; Chinese ethnic minority; design recipe; clothing carbohydrate binge; training design researcher; fashion design; traditional handicraft, etc.

The fourth cooperation network consists of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Ryerson University, Queensland University of Technology, Tsinghua University, York University, Art Comm China Fashion Associate, and other institutions. The influential publications areas are: Zhongshan suit; creative application; clothing design; Chinese male; medical moment; menswear design preference; cross-national study; aesthetic aspect; evaluative criteria; disease prevention.

The fifth network organized by University Minnesota Sch Design, Seoul Natl University, Cornell University, University Calif Davis, University North Carolina Greensboro, Colorado State University and others, with the influential research areas if sustainable apparel design practice, sustainable clothing, female users’ perspective, up-cycling design process; apparel design education; strategic ambiguity effective instructional tool, as well as apparel design.

It is noteworthy that: (1) although the University of Leeds has the maximal number of papers, it has not formed a collaborative network with the University of Leeds in the analysis of collaborative relationships; UK institutions have achieved prominent research results, but in the analysis of the number of author papers, and most of the authors with more papers originate from the US. In brief, British institutions, especially university institutions, generally achieve a high level of research, whereas there are fewer authors with a particularly high number of publications. (2) Asian culture covering South Asian youth culture and Chinese fashion culture appear 3 times in the research network as one of the important research areas that combine fashion and culture. (3) Moreover, the respective sub-network has exchanges and cooperation with universities or institutions from other nations, whereas the distance between the sub-networks is long. It indicates that the self-networks have not yet formed a unified network structure among each other, and are only active within their own groups. The issuing institutions that enter the top ten are nearly universities, which acts as the main power of academic articles punishment, and few other institutions (e.g., companies or social organizations). Accordingly, the cooperation between institutions should be boosted. It is necessary to exploit their strengths and advantages, expand the research field and research scope, and make more contributions to the research on “fashion design” topic.

Country co-authorship analysis

Table 3 lists the studies status on “fashion design” in different nations. The US has the maximal number of publications with 257 articles, followed by the UK with 226 articles.

Figure  4 shows the co-relationships between differently nations. The nodes in the Fig.  4 represent nations, and their sizes indicate the number of articles from different nations. The distance between the nodes and the thickness of the links represents the level of cooperation between nations. The purple rings of the purple nodes indicate high centrality, which means that the mentioned nodes are key points connecting different parts of the network. The thicker the purple ring, the higher the centrality of that node. With the U.S. as the centrality degree, it links France, Lebanon, Scotland, Nigeria, Italy, Ireland, South Korea, Thailand, England, the People’s Republic of China, Sweden, Turkey, Canada, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Australia, 17 nations in total. With the U.S. as the centrality degree, it links France, Italy, Brazil, Scotland, Denmark, Thailand, South Africa, Turkey, Australia, Sweden, Wales, the People’s Republic of China, North Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Egypt, America, a total of 22 nations are linked. Although the previous information on the volume of publications by institutions shows that institutions in the UK nations are dominant. However, the total volume of publications compared, the US is higher than the UK, thereby demonstrating that some other institutions or organizations besides universities also contribute to the volume of publications. Furthermore, as revealed from the degree of crossover of the cooperation network in Fig.  5 , except for the UK and the US, there is but not close cooperation and connection between other nations, the nodes are far away, and the more prominent node centers are the US and the UK. This leads to the conclusion that nations should strengthen the intensity and density of cooperation and enhance their influence in fashion design research.

Linking relationships between nations

Cited references network among the literature

As indicated from the analysis of the previous network of authors, collaborating institutions and collaborating nations, the research results are more superior in the US and the UK. However, given the research statistics issued by WOW Travel in 2019, the top 10 influential nations in the field of fashion consist of the USA, the UK, Italy, France, Japan, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, the People' Republic of China, including Korea. This phenomenon is likely to be attributed to the different language systems of nations other than the UK and the US, and that some of the mentioned nations have their own search databases for articles. For this reason, the publication data are not retrieved. Other nations should actively publish in English or international academic journals to expand their effect on the international research field, not only in fashion trends or arts work creation.

Co-scholar study based on cited references

The literature can be termed a knowledge base, as well as a source of knowledge and ideas. A novel research cannot be outputted without the contribution of knowledge from previous authors, as well as the insights into and mastery of the literature. Co-scholar analysis builds a literature co-citation network by selecting several representative studies as the object of analysis. Vital references in a specific research area can be detected, and a knowledge graph of cited authors by complying with published references can present information regarding influential research field and knowledge. Table 4 shows the most distribution of the references in fashion design theme. Figure  5 is an analysis of the highly cited literature network. Describe and summarize the high-cited literature based on the information in the two charts.

The node density is 0.00313 for cited reference network, thereby illustrating that fewer links and co-citations among the literature. For the citation status of the respective literature, the analysis begins with the work of Fletcher Kate, appearing more frequently in the table, Fletcher Kate’s 2016 book “ Craft of use: post-growth fashion ” pertains to label 0 “fashion system”. The book explores “craft of use”, using ingenious ideas and practices to make garments/fabrics present as an alternative, dynamic, experiential framework for articulating and promoting sustainability in the fashion world (Fletcher, 2016 ). Fletcher, 2012 and Fletcher and Tham, 2014 pertain to the identical cluster 6. Fletcher Kate’s 2012 “ Fashion Sustainability ” counting 12 times, with ranking No.1 in Table 4 . The book’s contents about fashion sustainability in three main parts, i.e., fashion products, fashion system, as well as fashion design practice (Fletcher, 2012 ). According to the graph, Fletcher Kate's book exhibits a high frequency in the citation network and overall citation. The book from Fletcher ( 2008 ) talking about sustainable fashion and clothing, which has the second maximal citation, frequency of 9. The book is primarily concerned with sustainable fashion and sustainable design. Routledge handbook of sustainability and fashion, published in 2014. The major contents focus on sustainability, and fashion recognizes the complexity of aligning fashion with sustainability. It explores fashion and sustainability at the levels of products, processes and paradigms, while employing a truly multi-disciplinary approach to critically question and suggest creative responses to issues, i.e., Fashion in a post-growth society, Fashion, diversity and equity, Fashion, fluidity and balance across natural, social and economic systems, social sciences, arts and humanities interested in sustainability and fashion (Fletcher and Tham, 2014 ). Fletcher Kate made prominent contributions to fashion sustainable design and sustainable development.

The third most frequently cited book is Manzini’s ( 2015 ) book " Design, When Everybody Designs ", with eight citations. It presents Design and social Innovation, Collaborative organizations and encounters, Design ways and Design for novel cultures (Manzini, 2015 ). The ideas of social innovation design and sustainable design are presented.

The journal of “You are what you wear: How plus-size fashion figures in fat identity formation” from Lauren Downing Peters, takes up the third place in terms of frequency of citations. The research regarding fat identities are formed through the intimate practices of self-fashioning and via social channels (e.g., shopping and fashion blogging), thereby bridging the fields of fat studies and fashion studies. It also considers issues of performativity and is reflected as a situated bodily practice. Fashion design is combined with humanistic care (Peters, 2014 ).

The book Fashion and Culture: Cultural Studies, Fashion Studies, from SB Kaiser, 2012 be cited 7 times. The main topic is the integration of fashion, design and culture (Kaiser, 2012 ). Jenss ( 2016 ), Fashion Studies: Research Methods, Sites, and Practices , is cited 6 times. The book explores fashion in wide-ranging contexts by stressing material culture and ethnographic approaches in fashion studies. Ryan ( 2014 ), Garments of Paradise: Wearable Discourse in the Digital Age, research about the wearable fashion based on the new era (Ryan, 2014 ). Fashion design industry impressions of current sustainable practices , 2014, Noël Palomo-Lovinski, the article explores professional fashion designers' understanding and awareness of current sustainable design (Palomo-Lovinski & Hahn, 2014 ).

As revealed from the analysis of the co-cited literature, the literature and research areas arousing more attention in the fashion design area from 2009 to 2016 consist of fashion sustainable design and sustainable development, fashion humanities, fashion design strategies, wearable technology, fashion and culture, and Chinese fashion.

Co-occurrence analysis for the research frontier and trends

Hot research topics.

A research hotspot refers to a research issue or topic explored by a relatively large number of articles that are intrinsically linked within a certain period. The keywords are the authors' high distillation and summary of the core content of the article, reflecting the research value and direction of the article. Keywords achieving high frequency are generally exploited to identify the hot issues in a research field. The noun phrases extracted from the article can also represent the hotspot of research in a particular field to a certain extent. Clustering analysis of keywords is performed by CiteSpace software to generate keyword clustering knowledge graphs (Hu et al., 2019 ). The mentioned clusters reflect the last 21 years of topics in fashion design research (shown in Fig.  6 ).

Co-citation clusters about “fashion design” theme

The silhouette scores of the major cluster that were focused on in the review were sufficiently high. Analyzing the size of clusters by Silhouette and size, and the cluster labels could be defined by log-likelihood ratio (LLR) to explain the term contained in. The top 10 keywords in the respective cluster are summarized in the Table 5 .

As indicated from the analysis of the keywords in the respective cluster, the research content of the respective cluster overlaps with each other. However, international research in the “fashion design” field can be summarized as eight major research fields: “Skill/Tools/Technologies/Material with fashion innovation”, “Wearing class and Art”, “Sustainable fashion”, “fashion design/ fashion designer and arts work”,” Education”, “fashion industry and business”, “fashion with culture”, “Medical fashion”.

(1) Skill/ Technologies/Materials with fashion design innovation. The common label that appears are: Wearable new materialism; technological innovation, wearable technologies, future mode, digital exploration, digital design, technological innovation, smart material systems. Promoted by the rapid development of society and science and technology, interdisciplinary learning and research has also emerged in the fashion industry. Innovative design, fabric innovation or innovative display combined with high-tech, novel materials and virtual or digital industries turns out to be a novel topic of great interest in the fashion industry (Barati, Karana, & Hekkert, 2019 ; Burns, 2022 ; Bower & Sturman, 2015 ; Chuah, Rauschnabel, Krey, et al., 2016 ; Feng, 2020 ; Ferrara, 2019 ; Huang, Tang, Liu, et al., 2018 ; Juhlin, 2015 ; Rocamora, 2017 ; Smelik, 2018 ; Smelik et al., 2016 ; Ünay & Zehir, 2012 ).

(2) Wearing culture and Arts. The common labels consist of dressing strategies, transgender fashion, men fashion, human right, accessorizing bodyscape, popular art, applied art. It focuses on different types of people, human rights and humanistic concerns, including unisex fashion. The collection is designed and worn with a mix of different arts, cultures and trends, as well as regional dress cultures, such as Chinese. The collection is inclusive of fashion and highly integrated with art (Chance, Camilleri, Winstone, et al., 2016 ; Geczy & Karaminas, 2011 ; Hancock, Johnson-Woods, & Karaminas, 2013 ; Martin, 1999 ; Mocenco, Olaru, Popescu, et al., 2016 ; Nelson & Hwang, 2019 ; Sabine Linke, 2013 ; Tullio-Pow, Yaworski, & Kincaid, 2021 ; Vainshtein, 2012 ).

(3) Sustainable fashion. Including the labels of sustainability knowledge, sustainable fashion, sustainable practice, communicating sustainability, sustainability knowledge, sustainable consumption, etc. Sustainable development and sustainability are a hotspot of discussion in academia. Sustainable fashion, i.e., Eco-fashion, refers to part of a growing design philosophy and sustainable design trend aiming to create a sustainable system capable of supporting environmental, socially responsible and sociocultural aspects (Aakko & Koskennurmi-Sivonen, 2013 ; De Brito, Carbone, & Blanquart, 2008 ; Fletcher, 2013 ; Gordon & Hill, 2015 ; Gwilt, 2020 ; Henninger, Alevizou, & Oates, 2016 ; Lundblad & Davies, 2016 ; Mukendi, Davies, Glozer, & McDonagh, 2020 ; Niinimäki, 2013 ; Shen, 2014 ; Wang & Lu, 2020 ).

(4) Fashion design, fashion designer and arts work. As the fundamental topic in fashion design field, the labels consist of design strategies, young fashion designer, costume design, South Korean contemporary fashion design, China fashion design, etc. Is the research about the characteristics of fashion in different historical stages, region, area, culture and style study (Bugg, 2009 ; Chang & Lee, 2021 ; Creigh-Tyte, 2005 ; Kawamura, 2004 ; Kim & Farrell-Beck, 2005 ; Larner & Molloy, 2009 ; Ling et al., 2016 ; Millspaugh & Kent, 2016 ; Park, 1993 ; Sterlacci, 2019 ).

(5) Education. Responsible fashion business education, teaching system, fashion design course, interactive teaching, fashion entrepreneurship education, etc. Educational methods have constantly been a vital topic required to be discussed, and teaching methods and concepts have been reformed and innovated to respond to social and economic development, as well as to the constant innovation of knowledge, skills and cultural heritage (Armstrong & LeHew, 2013 ; Faerm, 2012 ; Fletcher, 2013 ; Lee & Sohn, 2011 ; Stensaker, 2007 ).

(6) Fashion industry and business. In modern commodity society, the concept of fashion is more than a way of life and an inner state of mind. People's pursuit of fashion will change the existing mode of life and behavior, thereby constantly creating new demands. Accordingly, the emergence of new products is promoted, as well as the development of novel industries. Fashion products are not only characterized by commercial products, but also help create a fashion industry chain and huge economic benefits for its high added value, easy dissemination and wide circulation (Guercini & Runfola, 2010 ; Pal & Gander, 2018 ; Pedersen, Gwozdz, & Hvass, 2018 ; Şen, 2008 ; Shamsuzzoha, Kankaanpaa, Carneiro, et al., 2013 ; Todeschini, Cortimiglia, Callegaro-de-Menezes, & Ghezzi, 2017 ).

(7) Fashion with culture. The labels include cultural heritage, traditional craft methodologies, new vision, cultural identity, cultural knowledge, etc. Understanding the effect of culture on the fashion industry and design creation gives insight into the style of fashion people want. For the identical reason, fashion impacts the way we live. Fashion is impacted by changes in culture (e.g., modernization, art, and even innovative technology). It is noteworthy that fashion is created by people living in different cultures and places. If one wants to understand fashion, one should be aware of the cultures of different places (e.g., traditional cultures, cultural heritage, new cultural contexts, and cross-cultural exchanges) (Fillin-Yeh, 2001 ; Jansen, 2014 ; Ko & Lee, 2011 ; Roche, 1996 ; Rocamora, 2017 ; Woodside & Ko, 2013 ; Zou and Joneurairatana, 2020a , b ).

(8) Medical fashion, the labels (e.g., mask making, world view, disease prevention, wearable development and fashioning masks). The medical area fashion is listed as a separate field because of the specificity and timing of this field. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020, the concern for health and disease worldwide has become an essential topic, and almost every research area has a connection with medical care, as impacted by such a general trend and environment, led to developments in the field of “medical care fashion” (e.g., the development of new materials, masks and protective fashion). In addition, due to the development of “human centred design” thinking, the current fashion industry not only pays attention to the creation of artistic works, but also pays more attention to humanistic care. The needs of special groups have also attracted the attention of the fashion industry, such as disabled people, etc. (Kim, et al., 2021 ; Koenig & Carnes, 1999 ; Li & Yim, 2021 ).

Keywords with the strongest citation bursts

Keywords with the strongest citation Bursts can be exploited to reflect the main research content of a research topic over time, and also to reflect the research trends in a certain time period. The tracking and identification of research trends can offer researchers information regarding the changes in research hotspots in the field of specialization, and can provide relevant inspiration and information for researchers in the field. Research frontiers are emerging theoretical trends and new topics that can be synthesized and judged in CiteSpace based on analysis of keywords with the strongest citation bursts (Li & Wang, 2018 ).

After running the CiteSpace software, 13 keywords with maximal citation bursts were obtained (shown in Fig.  7 ).

Top 13 keywords with the strongest citation bursts in “fashion design” area

In this study, the research scope is selected from 2000 to 2021, and the strongest citation bursts are concentrated after 2010. The mentioned consist of identity, culture, fashion trend, popular culture, design process, education, design practice, craft, etc. Moreover, the analysis of the strongest citation bursts complies with the following noteworthy points:

The topic of sustainable fashion has burst on the scene three times over the last decade, i.e., in 2015 for “sustainable design”, in 2015 for “sustainability”, as well as in 2018 for “sustainable fashion”. The evolution of sustainable fashion can be identified in the shift from “sustainable production” to “sustainable fashion” concepts. In the wake of the world's biggest ever garment industry disaster, the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh, having caused death of over 1100 people (Rahman, 2014 ) the fashion movement by complying with the concept of “sustainability” is fading massively, which reveals an increased interest in sustainable fashion and ethical practices in the fashion industry (Westervelt, 2015 ). As sustainability turns out to be a “megatrend” (Mittelstaedt, Shultz, Kilbourne, et al., 2014 ), the fashion field has changed dramatically in accordance with the concept of “sustainable fashion” (e.g., sustainable design, fabrics, production and consumption) (Watson & Yan, 2013 ; Mora et al., 2014 ). Moreover, today sustainable fashion refers to a movement and process facilitating the transformation of fashion products and fashion systems towards greater ecological integrity and social justice. Sustainable fashion is not only concerned with fashion textiles or products, but concerned with the dependent social, cultural, ecological and financial systems correlated with people.

Research rends and frontier on fashion design

The identification and tracking of research frontiers present researchers with the latest developments in the disciplinary research evolution, predicts the trends in the research field, and identifies issues required to be explored more specifically. Research frontier topics are novel topics of interest in the field, indicating the social environment and research context. In brief, it can be referenced for relevant researchers in this field.

After CiteSpace is run, keyword timing profiles are generated by time segment based on Cluster co-occurrence analysis (shown in Fig.  8 ).

Time zone view in fashion design research

From the time zone view, the research in fashion design can fall into four phrases. The first phrase is that the research situation before 2004 did not form a cluster, thereby indicating that the research on fashion design was scattered before 2004. The second phrase is from 2004 to 2010, thereby revealing that the term of “international modernism” appeared twice. It can be explained by the frequent cross-cultural exchange activities between nations. The research emphasis shifts from fashion research in the traditional sense (e.g., apparel characteristics, designer and design styles) to cross-cultural and regionally fashion culture research (e.g., China, Europe, and the US). The third phase is from 2011 to 2017, more clusters appear in this time period, thereby demonstrating a higher volume of articles published. The research topics in fashion design show a diversity of clusters keywords and a wider range of research directions (e.g., culture, regional fashion, traditional apparel, humanities, education, design approaches and techniques). The fourth stage is from 2017 to the present, the keywords of clusters are more obvious, especially the label around 2017: “wearable technologies”. The mentioned keywords include wearable technology, wearable devices, fashion technology, smart wear, and technology socks. This novel technology is “skin electronics” or “fashion electronics”, which are intelligent electronic devices worn near or on the skin surface to detect, analyze and transmit information regarding the body information, body signals, vital signs or environmental data and others; in several cases, the information can be delivered to the wearer (Chuah, Rauschnabel, Krey, et al., 2016 ; Çiçek, 2015 ; Farrington, 2016 ). The second label is “Transgender Fashion”, unisex fashion, embodies the humanistic nature of fashion. Moreover, the label in 2021 is concerned with “Medical Moment”. With the global outbreak of Covid-19, how to against the virus is the daily topic be concerned by global. Protective clothing, mask has become a necessity in people's lives. Based on this context, the fashion industry has also been affected. The fashion industry think more about the care and needs of the human body, “Medical fashion” has become a popular topic of research. As indicated from the academic view, the research direction of fashion design is closer to the society hot trends and interdisciplinary research. Caring for people's physical, physiological and psychological aspects, fashion research tends to be more human centred design.

Conclusions

By analyzing the frontiers and trends of fashion design research, this study reveals that at the beginning of the research period, the topics of academic research were biased towards research in the humanities (e.g., fashion design, designers, culture, humanistic care, locality, as well as arts work). The direction of research over the past few years has been impacted by the overall global dynamics as well as technological and economic development, thereby demonstrating that the trend of interdisciplinary and cross-border cooperation has entered a stage of development in recent years. The data collection and analysis time of this article is at the end of 2021, but with the development of time and science and technology, such as Digital fashion, Virtual fashion, AI design, Inclusive design, etc. have also become hot topics at the moment. The researcher believe it will produce more academic research in fashion design in the future time.

On the whole, research on the topic of fashion design still has a considerable scope for research. Scholars, designers and practitioners in the fashion field still face huge task. Accordingly, the researcher proposed several suggestions for how to strengthen the process and results of academic research. From a horizontal perspective, (1) the international academic community and researchers should enhance the interact, discuss and conduct collaborative research with each other to provide sustainable vitality and motivation for the research; (2) transnational, cross-unit and cross-border academic exchange and cooperation should be enhanced to create more possibilities for academic research; (3) additional, multilingual journal platforms should be offered for fashion or art fields. From vertical perspective: Combining or contrasting history with modernity. For instance, using new technologies to redesign or study historical apparel, etc. By combining traditional culture with modern technology, the scope of the time-line of fashion design research can be extended.

This study uses quantitative literature analysis to convey information from the literature by creating images, diagrams and information description. The existing state of research in fashion design is reviewed, and provide the knowledge base, the existing state of research, as well as research hot-spots and publication trends in fashion design research. This study can provide existing literature, knowledge map, new inspirations, and research directions to fashion practitioners, researchers, and research institutions. Based on this paper, scholars can efficiently familiarize the field knowledge and facilitate strategic adjustments by relevant institutions.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets supporting the research process and conclusions of this article are included within the additional files. For databases and research results, which is available and has no restrictions to its use by academics or non-academics.

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The authors are thankful to the Design Science and Art Research Center from Guangdong University of Technology, for providing the research facilities and environment for this study.

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YZ: Postdoctor, School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510062, China.

SP: Lecturer and Ph.D., Ph.D in Culture-based Design Arts Program, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn Univeristy, Bangkok 10170, Thailand.

TS: Postdoctor, College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.

D-BL: Professor and Ph.D., School of Art and Design, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510062, China.

This research was received financial support from “Science and Technology Program of Guangdong Province: Overseas Famous Master Project” Guangdong province, China. The Project No. is 2020A1414010314.

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YXZ conceived the ideas, experimental design, data analization, interpretation of the results, and drafted the manuscript of the analysis. SP and ST gave technical guidance and provided continuous support to perform the experiment successfully,and gave the suggestions about the writing. DBL contributed to the interpretation of the results and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Zou, Y., Pintong, S., Shen, T. et al. Evaluation and trend of fashion design research: visualization analysis based on CiteSpace. Fash Text 9 , 45 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-022-00316-6

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Trend Studies are still going through their consolidation process as an academic approach. In contrast, trend research as a professional area is more consolidated and represents an essential link in the fashion chain, as they are helpful for the strategic planning of companies in the sector. The researcher's professional practice is constantly changing, as is the phenomenon of fashion, and follows changes in the technological, social, artistic, and cultural spheres that impact societies. Therefore, this paper is part of an exploratory research, with a qualitative approach, developed during an ongoing doctorate in fashion design. Through the methodologies of literature review and in-depth interviews, we present an overview of themes/subjects that have contributed to the redirection of the practices in trend analysis (especially those directed to the fashion sector) developed by the trend researcher as a professional.

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Practices such as advanced design, design fiction, speculative design, e design activism are cited [3, p.2].

The authors adopt the designation given by Gomes et al. [ 30 ], where Trends Studies correspond to the academic approach of the field and trends research corresponds to the professional or commercial approach.

Gomes et al. [ 30 ] state that the definition of cool is complex, but it must be outlined within the research context to be developed.

The author understands that theoretical and critical discussions about the relationship between art and fashion are relevant from the perspective of the trend researcher's work, and thus presents four theses: the first, where fashion and art are irreconcilable and separate; the second, which considers fashion as constituted by artistic and functional elements; the third, to assume that fashion has a high cultural and symbolic value, similar to art; and the fourth, where fashion is seen as an art subject to restrictions, repeatable and ambivalent [13, p.422].

It is important to emphasize that accessing trends through trend books or trend reports developed by agencies corresponds to a financial investment to companies [24; 7], which is not always possible.

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de Brito Mendes, L., Broega, A.C., Gomes, N.P. (2023). Trends in the Fashion Sector: An Analysis of Their Use and Paths for the Researcher Profession. In: Raposo, D., Neves, J., Silva, R., Correia Castilho, L., Dias, R. (eds) Advances in Design, Music and Arts II. EIMAD 2022. Springer Series in Design and Innovation , vol 25. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09659-4_23

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Why Fashion Needs to Be More Sustainable

The pandemic slowed fast fashion to a standstill. Now as the world opens up and we are socializing and going places, we want to dress up again. But after living a confined and simpler life during COVID, this is a good time to take stock of the implications of how we dress. Fashion, and especially fast fashion, has enormous environmental impacts on our planet, as well as social ones.

Since the 2000s, fashion production has doubled and it will likely triple by 2050, according to the American Chemical Society. The production of polyester, used for much cheap fast fashion, as well as athleisure wear, has increased nine-fold in the last 50 years. Because clothing has gotten so cheap, it is easily discarded after being worn only a few times. One survey found that 20 percent of clothing in the US is never worn; in the UK, it is 50 percent. Online shopping, available day and night, has made impulse buying and returning items easier.

According to McKinsey, average consumers buy 60 percent more than they did in 2000, and keep it half as long. And in 2017, it was estimated that 41 percent of young women felt the need to wear something different whenever they left the house. In response, there are companies that send consumers a box of new clothes every month.

Fashion’s environmental impacts

Fashion is responsible for 10 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and 20 percent of global wastewater, and uses more energy than the aviation and shipping sectors combined.

Impacts on water

Global fashion also consumes 93 billion metric tons of clean water each year, about half of what Americans drink annually.

Cotton is an especially thirsty crop. For example, one kilogram of cotton used to produce a pair of jeans can consume 7,500 to 10,000 liters of water—the amount a person would drink over 10 years. Cotton production also requires pesticides and insecticides, which pollute the soil; runoff from fertilized cotton fields carry the excess nutrients to water bodies, causing eutrophication and algal blooms.

The dyeing process for fabrics, which uses toxic chemicals, is responsible for 17 to 20 percent of global industrial water pollution.

Seventy-two toxic chemicals have been found in the water used in textile dyeing.

Contributions to climate change

To feed the fashion industry’s need for wood pulp to make fabrics like rayon, viscose and other fabrics, 70 million tons of trees are cut down each year. That number is expected to double by 2034, speeding deforestation in some of the world’s endangered forests.

The fashion industry produces 1.2 million metric tons of CO2 each year, according to a  MacArthur Foundation study.  In 2018, it resulted in more greenhouse gas emissions than the carbon produced by France, Germany and the UK all together. Polyester, which is actually plastic made from fossil fuels, is used for about 65 percent of all clothing, and consumes 70 million barrels of oil each year. In addition, the fashion industry uses large amounts of fossil fuel-based plastic for packaging and hangers.

Less than one percent of clothing is recycled to make new clothes. The fibers in clothing are polymers, long chains of chemically linked molecules. Washing and wearing clothing shorten and weaken these polymers, so by the time a garment is discarded, the polymers are too short to turn into a strong new fabric. In addition, most of today’s textile-to-textile recycling technologies cannot separate out dyes, contaminants, or even a combination of fabrics such as polyester and cotton.

As a result, 53 million metric tons of discarded clothing are incinerated or go to landfills each year. In 2017, Burberry burned $37 million worth of unsold bags, clothes and perfume. If sent to a landfill, clothes made from natural fabrics like cotton and linen may degrade in weeks to months, but synthetic fabrics can take up to 200 years to break down. And as they do, they produce methane, a powerful global warming greenhouse gas.

Microplastic pollution

Many people have lived solely in athleisure wear during the pandemic, but the problem with this is that the stretch and breathability in most athleisure comes from the use of synthetic plastic fibers like polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex and others, which are made of plastic.

When clothes made from synthetics are washed, microplastics  from their fibers are shed into the wastewater. Some of it is filtered out at wastewater treatment plants along with human waste and the resulting sludge is used as fertilizer for agriculture. Microplastics then enter the soil and become part of the food chain. The microplastics that elude the treatment plant end up in rivers and oceans, and in the atmosphere when seawater droplets carry them into the air. It’s estimated that 35 percent of the microplastics in the ocean come from the fashion industry. While some brands use “recycled polyester” from PET bottles, which emits 50 to 25 percent fewer emissions than virgin polyester, effective polyester recycling is limited, so after use, these garments still usually end up in the landfill where they can shed microfibers.

Microplastics harm marine life, as well as birds and turtles. They have already been found in our food, water and air—one study found that Americans eat 74,000 microplastic particles each year. And while there is growing concern about this, the risks to human health are still not well understood.

Fashion’s social impacts

Because it must be cheap, fast fashion is dependent on the exploited labor force in developing countries where regulations are lax. Workers are underpaid, overworked, and exposed to dangerous conditions or health hazards; many are underage.

Of the 75 million factory workers around the world, it’s estimated that only two percent earn a living wage. To keep brands from moving to another country or region with lower costs, factories limit wages and are disinclined to spend money to improve working conditions. Moreover, workers often live in areas with waterways polluted by the chemicals from textile dyeing.

How can fashion be more sustainable?

As opposed to our current linear model of fashion production with environmental impacts at every stage, where resources are consumed, turned into a product, then discarded, sustainable fashion minimizes its environmental impact, and even aims to benefit the environment. The goal is a circular fashion industry where waste and pollution are eliminated, and materials are used for as long as possible, then reused for new products to avoid the need to exploit virgin resources.

Many designers, brands, and scientists — including students in Columbia University’s Environmental Science and Policy program — are exploring ways to make fashion more sustainable and circular.

Since 80 to 90 percent of the sustainability of a clothing item is determined by decisions made during its design stage, new strategies can do away with waste from the get-go.

To eliminate the 15 percent of a fabric that usually ends up on the cutting room floor in the making of a garment, zero waste pattern cutting is used to arrange pattern pieces on fabric like a Tetris puzzle.

Designer YeohLee  is known as a zero waste pioneer, employing geometric concepts in order to use every inch of fabric; she also creates garments with the leftovers of other pieces. Draping and knitting are also methods of designing without waste.

3D virtual sampling can eliminate the need for physical samples of material. A finished garment can sometimes require up to 20 samples. The Fabricant , a digital fashion house, replaces actual garments with digital samples in the design and development stage and claims this can reduce a brand’s carbon footprint by 30 percent.

Some clothing can be designed to be taken apart at the end of its life; designing for disassembly makes it easier for the parts to be recycled or upcycled into another garment. To be multifunctional, other garments are reversible, or designed so that parts can be subtracted or added. London-based brand Petit Pli makes children’s clothing from a single recycled fabric, making it easier to recycle; and the garments incorporate pleats that stretch so that kids can continue to wear them as they grow.

3D printing can be used to work out details digitally before production, minimizing trial and error; and because it can produce custom-fit garments on demand, it reduces waste. In addition, recycled materials such as plastic and metal can be 3D printed.

Sustainable designer Iris Ven Herpen is known for her fabulous 3D printed creations, some using upcycled marine debris; she is also currently working with scientists to develop sustainable textiles.

DyeCoo , a Dutch company, has developed a dyeing technique that uses waste CO2 in place of water and chemicals. The technology pressurizes CO2 so that it becomes supercritical and allows dye to readily dissolve, so it can enter easily into fabrics. Since the process uses no water, it produces no wastewater, and requires no drying time because the dyed fabric comes out dry. Ninety-five percent of the CO2 is recaptured and reused, so the process is a closed-loop system.

Heuritech , a French startup, is using artificial intelligence to analyze product images from Instagram and Weibo and predict trends. Adidas, Lee, Wrangler and other brands have used it to anticipate future demand and plan their production accordingly to reduce waste.

Mobile body scanning  can help brands produce garments that fit a variety of body types instead of using standard sizes. 3D technology is also being used for virtual dressing, which will enable consumers to see how a garment looks on them before they purchase it. These innovations could lead to fewer returns of clothing.

Another way to reduce waste is to eliminate inventory. On-demand product fulfillment companies like Printful  enable designers to sync their custom designs to the company’s clothing products. Garments are not created until an order comes in.

For Days,  a closed-loop system, gives swap credits for every article of clothing you buy; customers can use swap credits to get new clothing items, all made from organic cotton or recycled materials. The swap credits encourage consumers to send in unwanted For Days clothes, keep them out of the landfill, and allow them to be made into new materials. Customers can also earn swap credits by filling one of the company’s Take Back bags with any old clothes, in any condition, and sending it in; these are then resold if salvageable or recycled as rags.

But perhaps the least wasteful strategy enables consumers not to buy any clothes at all. If they are mainly concerned about their image on social media, they can use digital clothing that is superimposed over their image. The Fabricant , which creates these digital garments,  aims to make “self expression through digital clothing a sustainable way to explore personal identity.”

Better materials

Many brands are using textiles made from natural materials such as hemp, ramie or bamboo instead of cotton. Bamboo has been touted as a sustainable fabric because it is fast-growing and doesn’t require much water or pesticides; however, some old growth forests are being cut down to make way for bamboo plantations. Moreover, to make most bamboo fabrics soft, they are subjected to chemical processing whose toxins can harm the environment and human health.

Because of this processing, the Global Organic Textile Standard says that almost all bamboo fiber can “not be considered as natural or even organic fibre, even if the bamboo plant was certified organic on the field.”

Some designers are turning to organic cotton, which is grown without toxic chemicals. But because organic cotton yields are 30 percent less than conventional cotton, they need 30 percent more water and land to produce the same amount as conventional cotton. Other brands, such as North Face and Patagonia, are creating clothing made from regenerative cotton—cotton grown without pesticides, fertilizers, weed pulling or tilling, and with cover crops and diverse plants to enhance the soil.

Textiles are also being made with fibers from agriculture waste, such as leaves and rinds. Orange Fiber, an Italian company, is using nanotechnology to make a sustainable silky material by processing the cellulose of oranges. H&M is using cupro, a material made from cotton waste. Flocus makes fully biodegradable and recyclable yarns and fabrics from the fibers of kapok tree pods through a process that doesn’t harm the trees. Kapok trees can grow in poor soils without much need for water or pesticides.

In 2016, Theanne Schiros, a principal investigator at Columbia University’s Materials Research Science and Engineering Center  and assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), mentored a group of FIT students who created a bio-design award-winning material from algae. Kelp, its main ingredient, is fast growing, absorbs CO2 and nitrogen from agricultural runoff, and helps increase biodiversity. With the help of Columbia University’s Helen Lu, a biomedical engineer, the team created a bio-yarn they called AlgiKnit . Having received over $2 million in initial seed funding, the start-up, based in Brooklyn, is scaling up for market entry.

Schiros and Lu also developed a microbial bioleather. The compostable material consists of a nanocellulose mesh made through a fermentation process using a culture of bacteria and yeast. Schiros explained that these bacteria produce cellulose nanofibers as part of their metabolism; the bacteria were used in the fermentation of kombucha as early as 220 BC in what was Manchuria and in vinegar fermentation as early as 5,000 BC in Egypt. Biofabrication of the material is 10,000 times less toxic to humans than chrome-tanned leather, with an 88 to 97 percent smaller carbon footprint than synthetic (polyurethane) leather or other plastic-based leather alternatives. The fabrication process also drew on ancient textile techniques for tanning and dyeing. Schiros worked with the designers of Public School NY  on Slow Factory’s   One x One Conscious Design Initiative  challenge to create zero-waste, naturally dyed sneakers from the material.

Schiros is also co-founder and CEO of the startup Werewool , another collaboration with Lu, and with Allie Obermeyer of Columbia University Chemical Engineering. Werewool, which was recognized by the 2020 Global Change Award, creates biodegradable textiles with color and other attributes found in nature using synthetic biology . “Nature has evolved a genetic code to make proteins that do things like have bright color, stretch, moisture management, wicking, UV protection—all the things that you really want for performance textiles, but that currently come at a really high environmental cost,” said Schiros. “But nature accomplishes all this and that’s attributed to microscopic protein structures.”

Werewool engineers proteins inspired by those found in coral, jellyfish, oysters, and cow milk that result in color, moisture management or stretch. The DNA code for those proteins is inserted into bacteria, which ferment and mass-produce the protein that then becomes the basis for a fiber. The company will eventually provide its technology and fibers to other companies throughout the supply chain and will likely begin with limited edition designer brands.

Better working conditions

There are companies now intent on improving working conditions for textile workers. Dorsu  in Cambodia creates clothing from fabric discarded by garment factories. Workers are paid a living wage, have contracts, are given breaks, and also get bonuses, overtime pay, insurance and paid leave for sickness and holidays.

Mayamiko  is a 100 percent PETA-certified vegan brand that advocates for labor rights and created the Mayamiko Trust to train disadvantaged women.

Workers who make Ethcs ’ PETA-certified vegan garments are protected under the Fair Wear Foundation , which ensures a fair living wage, safe working conditions and legal labor contracts for workers. The Fair Wear Foundation website lists 128 brands it works with.

Beyond sustainability

Schiros maintains that making materials in collaboration with traditional artisans and Indigenous communities can produce results that address environmental, social and economic facets of sustainability. She led a series of natural dye workshops with women tie dyers in Kindia, Guinea, and artisans in Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, and collaborated with New York designers to make a zero-waste collection from the fabrics created. The project   connected FIT faculty and students to over 300 artisans in West Africa to create models for inclusive, sustainable development through textile arts, education, and entrepreneurship.

Partnering with frontline communities that are protecting, for example, the Amazon rainforest, does more than simply sustain—it protects biodiversity and areas that are sequestering carbon. “So with high value products that incorporate fair trade and clear partnerships into the supply chain, you not only have natural, biodegradable materials, but you have the added bonus of all that biodiversity that those communities are protecting,” she said. “Indigenous communities are five percent of the global population, and they’re protecting 80 percent of the biodiversity in the world…Integrating how we make our materials, our systems and the communities that are sequestering carbon while protecting biodiversity is critically important.”

The need for transparency

In order to ensure fashion’s sustainability and achieve a circular fashion industry, it must be possible to track all the elements of a product from the materials used, chemicals added, production practices, and product use, to the end of life, as well as the social and environmental conditions under which it was made.

Blockchain technology can do this by recording each phase of a garment’s life in a decentralized tamper-proof common ledger. Designer Martine Jarlgaard partnered with blockchain tech company Provenance to create QR codes that, when scanned, show the garment’s whole history. The software platform Eon has also developed a way to give each garment its own digital fingerprint called Circular ID. It uses a digital identifier embedded in the clothing that enables it to be traced for its whole lifecycle.

Transparency is also important because it enables consumers to identify greenwashing when they encounter it. Greenwashing is when companies intentionally deceive consumers or oversell their efforts to be sustainable.

Amendi , a sustainable fashion brand focusing on transparency and traceability, co-founded by Columbia University alumnus Corey Spencer, has begun a campaign to get the Federal Trade Commission to update its Green Guides, which outline the principles for the use of green claims. When the most recent versions of the Green Guides were released in 2012, they did not scrutinize the use of “sustainability” and “organic” in marketing. The use of these terms has exploded since then and unless regulated, could become meaningless or misleading.

What consumers can do

The key to making fashion sustainable is the consumer. If we want the fashion industry to adopt more sustainable practices, then as shoppers, we need to care about how clothing is made and where it comes from, and demonstrate these concerns through what we buy. The market will then respond.

We can also reduce waste through how we care for our clothing and how we discard it.

Here are some tips on how to be a responsible consumer:

• Buy only what you need
• Look for sustainable certification from the Fairtrade Foundation , Global Organic Textiles Standard , Soil Association , and Fair Wear Foundation  
• Check the Fashion Transparency Index to see how a company ranks in transparency.
• Learn how to shop for quality and invest in higher-quality clothing
• Choose natural fibers and single fiber garments
• Wear clothing for longer
• Take care of clothing: wash items less often, repair them so they last. Patagonia operates Worn Wear , a recycling and repair program.
• Upcycle your unwanted clothes into something new
• Buy secondhand or vintage; sell your old clothes at Thred Up, Poshmark, or the Real Real.
• When discarding, pass clothing on to someone who will wear it, or to a thrift shop
• Rent clothing from Rent the Runway , Armoire or Nuuly

“I think the best piece of clothing is the one that already exists. The best fabric is the fabric that already exists,” said Schiros. “Keeping things in the supply chain in as many loops and cycles as you can is really, really important.”

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I’ve been buying second hand and or making my own clothes my whole life and I’m 72. It makes sense, it’s cost effective and that way you can buy more clothes or fabric. Win win.

So r u saying it is more cheap this way?

yes it does im the youngest of 7 so i get hand me downs it way more ecofrindly to

This is an excellent article! I am writing a paper on sustainable fashion and find this article to be an informative and eloquent resource in my research! Thank you!

What has Fast Fashion done to the labor practices, working conditions and wages of workers in Asian countries and what can be done to promote more sustainable and fair practices in the industry?

Making your own garments from natural, and ideally organic, fabrics is one of the best ways to both love your wardrobe (because the color, fit and design is something that works for you, specifically) and you can incorporate Construction techniques that prolong the life of the seams and the garment overall. just make sure you shrink it first!

Fabric scraps can be saved and repurposed, as solid pieces or patch worked together. A scrunchie. A cloth bag. Menstrual pads. Potholders. Tiny cloth plant pots. Little travel bags to protect shoes, hairdryer, toiletries, to separate socks and underwear. There are high end men’s shirts that incorporate interesting prints inside the collar and cuffs, for example. Then there is the ministry of making quilts. Quilts can be sent to refugees who Use them for warmth at night and for walls by day. they don’t have to be elaborate or elegant, but using a little bit of love and creativity, you can create something attractive. Torn sheets and worn out clothes can be repurposed and using them as fabric to instruct young sewers And how to handle different types of fabric is another worthy use. Imperfect attempts could be useful if the learner turns out a dog bed cover, or little sweaters for those dogs that get cold all the time. Animal shelters are usually very happy to receive these kinds of things.

Sewers can meet together for fabric swaps in the same way that people sometimes get together to do wardrobe swaps. That might be that someone else is done with the exact fabric that would be awesome to mix with something that you have left over.

very interesting. please share with us

Best post. Good to see content like this.

your information is very helpfull.

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Why Fashion Research is Important for Fashion Designer?

• May 23, 2019

It is often assumed that Fashion designing is a creative process and thus does not need much mental work or research. This notion is completely false. Creativity is incomplete without research. Research is that component which makes any brand successful. The fashion industry is a research intensive industry where innovation and experimentation are combined with research to craft the best design. Research, in the fashion industry is needed for many purposes. The broadest research is required for the in depth knowledge of market. Understanding the business environment is critical to make well thought through predictions of future trends. Any fashion entity can only survive in the industry if he/she can understand and study the market and its demands.

A brand which can predict future demand through statistics and logical deduction stays ahead in the competition. Another part of this to be informed about fashion standards and benchmarks, both national and international. Quality products can only be produced if national and international standards are adhered to. Quality and comfort are coming into priority and limelight for most of the customers. It can also keep one at par with all the international fashionistas which is the best way to find inspiration and your own unique style of design. Exploring through research has been made easy through the advent of technology and widespread use of the internet and social media. The strategic use of social media is also a part of the research and designers who know how to use this tool have a command over the industry. Well researched and informed media marketing decisions can make designs global sensations. Our horizon is widened as a designer when we explore all these diverse styles and themes.

Understanding other designer’s sense of style is not only a learning experience but also inspirational. Once you have dived into the worlds of various designers, you can evolve your own style. Seeking and experimenting with themes for fashion exhibitions and shows is also necessary. Themes like Vintage, retro, ethnic, contemporary etc can be delved into in detail with the help of thorough research. Themes can play a pivotal role in making a strong impact on global audiences. Causes such as women empowerment or racism can be used to use fashion for a cause. Many great designers have made history using this technique. Research is incorporated in every process of design. Right from the beginning to the very end, at every stage, technical processes must be researched and cross referred. Secondary research is as important as primary research. Sharpening and polishing technique is also done through research. A cutting edge technique can be developed and reached which is inclusive of the most advanced techniques in the entire industry. Below are the process of which research is an integral part of;

1. The first step is make a rough draft of the design which pens down the raw idea. This has all the ingredients that a customer demands. Also a customer profile is maintained to evolve the style in a customized manner.

2. The second step is to conduct a research for the brief which consists of the primary research. Elements of fabric, print, and fit is taken into account.

3. With this researched matter, a comprehensive theme is developed. The theme corresponds to the requirements and demands.

4. Then comes the stage of the secondary research. This stage is for enhancements, modifications and improvisations.

5. The end result is finally made with finishing touching and elements that make a design a bestselling product.

Thus, a Fashion designing is a blend of research and creativity. If one element is missing, the other cannot sustain. Fashion research is important for a skillful fashion designer and one can become expert in this by joining fashion designer courses from a reputed fashion designing college or institute just like Indian Institute of fashion and design – IIFD .

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Fashion Industry: A Resource Guide

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Business Reference : Ask a Librarian

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Author: Ellen Terrell, Business Librarian, Science & Business Reading Room

Created: 2012

Last Updated: November 2023

Get connected to the Library’s large and diverse collections related to science, technology, and business through our Inside Adams Blog. This blog also features upcoming events and collection displays, classes and orientations, new research guides, and more.

This guide represents a selection of the many resources in the Library of Congress that may be useful for the study of the business aspects of fashion (or FTAR for fiber, textile, apparel, and retail). It includes all aspects of fashion - clothes, shoes, bags, accessories. It also includes suggested subject headings which interested researchers may select to link directly to our online catalog in order to search for additional materials on this topic.

Also, since keeping up with the fast pace of change is an ongoing process in the "here today, gone tomorrow" fashion industry, we have have included a number of related external resources. Using traditional trade literature and web portals, as well as reports from research groups is essential as a way to find the more general articles and reports but it may be even more important to find reports and articles that look at a particular segment, niche market, situation, or trend so we have included a few links to various web sites that may also be of interest.

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Part of the Science & Business Reading Room  at the Library of Congress, the Business Section is the starting point for conducting research at the Library of Congress in the subject areas of business and economics. Here, reference specialists in specific subject areas of business assist patrons in formulating search strategies and gaining access to the information and materials contained in the Library's rich collections of business and economics materials.

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What radical transparency could mean for the fashion industry

Fashion companies must come to terms with the fact that a more distrusting consumer expects full transparency across the value chain. Given the need to regain that trust, fashion players cannot afford not to examine long-standing practices across their businesses.

The fashion industry suffers from a rising trust deficit. Recent high-profile data breaches at a number of online fashion companies and in other industries have left consumers wondering whether they should share information with brands and retailers. As a result, they are demanding to know much more about a range of issues, from where and how items are made to the design provenance and the item’s quality. This increased scrutiny has made “radical transparency” a trend for the fashion industry to watch in 2019, as highlighted in our latest State of Fashion report , written in partnership with the Business of Fashion (BoF) .

As Mike Smith, chief operating officer of Stitch Fix, asserts, “If you don’t have trust, you don't win the customer over time.” Yet surveys suggest that trust in businesses fell in 40 percent of countries in 2017, with more than two in five consumers saying they didn’t know which brands to trust. It makes sense that as trust has eroded, consumers have become more active in scrutinizing the brands they do business with.

Millennials are at the vanguard, with 52 percent agreeing that they always research for background information before buying, compared with 45 percent of Gen Z consumers and 41 percent of baby boomers. Reviews and articles are common sources of information. “Social media has enabled a certain transparency,” says Farfetch chief strategy officer Stephanie Phair. “You can no longer control your luxury messaging within borders.” We expect the critical dimensions in which fashion players will be most scrutinized include creative integrity, sustainable supply chains , value for money, treatment of workers, data protection , and authenticity.

From a creative standpoint, brands need to show they bring something to the table that is based on their own intellectual property. Copycats are increasingly called out on social media. For example, DietPrada, an Instagram account that boldly names brands that have lifted styles from other designers, had more than 830,000 followers when our report was written. Cases of cultural appropriation—described by the Economist as instances where a “‘dominant culture’ wearing or using things from a ‘minority culture’ is inherently disrespectful because the objects are taken out of their native context”—have gained instant notoriety on social media. Consumers are increasingly demanding that the products produced by fashion brands are original, reflecting their own desire for their fashion choices to be reflections of their sense of style, self-image, and values.

The State of Fashion 2019: A year of awakening

Transparency has become an important issue further upstream in the supply chain, with consumers increasingly concerned about issues including fair labor, sustainable resourcing, and the environment. Consumers want to support brands that are doing good in the world, with 66 percent willing to pay more for sustainable goods. Some 42 percent of millennials say they want to know what goes into products and how they are made before they buy, compared with 37 percent of Gen Z.

In response, several brands have already moved toward radical transparency in manufacturing, hoping to regain the trust of disillusioned customers. This might include information about product origins or the environmental impact of manufacturing. One mass-market player example is H&M-owned Arket, which lists where each product is made, showing pictures from the manufacturing floor. Designer Martine Jarlgaard, meanwhile, has launched a pilot to track clothing from raw material to consumer using blockchain . The retailer Reformation applies its RefScale methodology to measure the environmental impact of every garment it sells, and it discloses the results to customers. RefScale tracks pounds of carbon dioxide and gallons of water used in production. Other supply-chain-tracking technologies include analyzing dust samples and using artificial intelligence to trace the geographic history of a product.

Another increasing concern among consumers is value for money. This reflects increased product saturation, proliferation of product information and reviews, and the rising ability to compare prices. Brands are responding by trying to become more transparent, in many cases specifying costs of materials, labor, transport, duties, and markup. San Francisco apparel company Everlane offers its customers insight into all these costs, alongside information on the factory that produced the products.

Given consumer demands for greater transparency through the value chain, we see three key dynamics in the coming period. First, players will rigorously audit their business practices to identify potential areas that may erode consumer trust. The lens for this analysis could be, “What would my customers think if this was on the front page of a newspaper?” Brands will invest to address any problem areas. As a result, more players will highlight their best practices to create a competitive edge. Some will use new technologies such as blockchain, in which each node of the network sees the whole history of transactions, to boost transparency in the supply chain. We also expect more rigorous reporting of social and environmental impact. Finally, brands are likely to be more transparent in the event of a crisis. They will respond more quickly, admit when they are at fault more often, and be willing to apologize.

For more on all ten trends that will define the fashion agenda in 2019, see  The State of Fashion 2019: A year of awakening .

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Anita Balchandani is a partner in McKinsey’s London office, where Marco Beltrami  is a consultant; Achim Berg is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office, Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office, and Felix Rölkens is an associate partner in the Berlin office; Imran Amed is the founder, editor in chief, and CEO of the Business of Fashion .

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Starting at the source: Sustainability in supply chains

Fashion Communication Research. A Way Ahead

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Fashion Communication Research. A way ahead

“FACTUM19—Fashion Communication: between tradition and future digital developments”

Monte Verità, Ascona (Switzerland), 21-26 July 2019

Abstract This document, designed and written during the conference FACTUM19 , has two main goals: to help consolidate Fashion Communication as an academic field, and to support an international and interdisciplinary network of scholars in the area, whose collaboration may lead to a larger body of research and, in turn, to further academic recognition. To do so, it outlines main research topics, approaches and challenges, as well as related industry issues and learning dimensions.

Keywords:  Fashion Communication, Fashion, Digital Fashion, Communication Research

Fashion is a dynamic field in constant evolution. It impacts people and businesses, but also culture, art, and the whole ecosystem, embracing beauty, gastronomy, decoration, home wear, music and tourism… In a word – lifestyles. Fashion is (also) communication: the way we dress is a major channel through which we express ourselves and communicate our identity to others. Moreover, Fashion Communication gathers many communication professionals and fields, e.g.: journalism, corporate communication, internal communication, external communication and marketing, public relations, crisis communication, social media, and many others. The digital transformation is deeply impacting fashion and its communication – Fashion media logic – as it is impacting the way we live, think, and collaborate. Digital fashion is pushing fashion brands to become also media companies, hence to further stress their communication role. However, research on Fashion Communication has not received major attention by communication scholars and institutions, and those studying it do not form yet a fully recognizable research community…

1. How this document has been designed and developed In the framework of “ FACTUM19 — Fashion Communication Conference” , an ad-hoc workshop has been held and organized as follows. A first meeting took place on July 22 nd , 2019. Ideas have been crowdsourced from all participants (about twenty-five) on four main dimensions: (a) research topics; (b) research methods and limitations; (c) collaborations with the industry; and (d) teaching/learning activities. Later on, groups were set-up and worked to organize the proposed ideas, and to ensure consistency and completeness of the resulting landscape. Every group had a rapporteur, in charge of leading the conversation and of documenting its results. On July 25 th , a second meeting was held. Rapporteurs presented their group a first draft document, and improved it thanks to group feedback. Their activity leveraged also on a preparatory work, which analyzed papers on the topic presented at relevant events or in dedicated journal issues tackling Fashion Communication. The FACTUM19 Conference Proceedings have been also analyzed: most frequent keywords were studied to ensure a wide coverage of current studies and research trends. The document has been further improved and refined by rapporteurs. Finally, participants have been sent the final version and invited to sign it.

2. Results Hereafter the results, organized according to the four above-listed main areas.

2.1 Key research topics and emerging trends Due to the complexity of the studied object – the concerned human experiences and industry practices – the topics studied in Fashion Communication involve many disciplines. The following tracks are suggested as crucial to be covered by the Fashion Communication research community. Essentials in communication and media. Among them: communication practices and strategies concerning information sharing, the relationships with all involved stakeholders, with different generations and cultures. Regarding communication channels, it is still necessary to analyze their differences and relationships, and how they are being re-negotiated under the digital transformation. It is also interesting to focus on: media power, media education, media hybridization and the role of fashion journalism within journalism at large. Further focus should be on the characteristics of the fashion language, which involves all our senses, using textual elements as well as images, videos, sounds. These multimedia practices have been allowed and promoted by the emergence of digital communication. Digital Fashion Communication. In the digital age, communication and marketing have become even more interrelated. Therefore, this track analyzes both aspects. It is important to underline that the digital fashion ecosystem is in constant evolution, and multi/cross/omni channel processes are to be analyzed. Social media platforms have been established as major channels to connect the different fashion stakeholders. From a communication perspective, it is needed to understand message creation, community and network dynamics, the power of electronic word-of-mouth, relation and impact of traditional and emerging actors – such as celebrities, opinion leaders, bloggers and digital influencers. Online communication is also a way to develop digital marketing strategies, involving advertising, analytics, artificial intelligence, mobile apps, instore and eCommerce technologies, personalization and localization practices, chatbots, augmented and virtual reality, recommending technologies and many others. Also, human-computer interactions studies are needed here, when it comes to fashion-related applications, focused on user experiences and usage practices. Fashion users/consumers. Fashion Communication constantly influences and impacts on fashion users and consumers. In this way, research concerning perception and self-perception, motivation, attitude, behavior, satisfaction, and loyalty are still needed, keeping into account the digital transformation. To analyze the messages and communication exchanges that occur during a customer’s journey is also crucial, because it has an impact on the buying behavior and on brands – equity, experience, identification, relationship. Fashion brands. The way each brand communicates its identity, values and purpose is a key issue for researchers as well as for practitioners. Many fashion brands aim to communicate their heritage either intangible or tangible, as it helps to consolidate their reputation and prestige. The path companies choose to increase and engage their audience is often pursued through an attractive storytelling and the promotion of new perspectives and imaginaries, which need to be carefully studied. New developments in this field are having more and more importance, as brands are creating their own communication products like fashion shows, fashion films, brand magazines, etc. In the same way, fashion brands also communicate through their product, packaging and visual merchandising. The co-creation of brand identity by fashion companies and user-generated contents is a major topic of research, which pushes also to address the issues of sustainability and ethics, which are more and more at the center of fashion-related discourses. Sustainability and ethics. Fashion Communication is being affected by a revolution related to sustainability and ethical issues, whose communication deserves a major research attention, also for its direct impact on brand reputation. Ethical behaviors include the need to consider environmental aspects, such as climate change, and social aspects – morality, exploitation, cultural appropriation, globalization… In fact, several times the (problematic) relations between fashion and sustainability and ethics emerge in crises – indicating that crisis communication has to be taken particularly into consideration by researchers. In addition, studying legal aspects, privacy and copyright issues that influence Fashion Communication is essential. Culture and Identity. Fashion Communication is directly impacted by many cultural and identity aspects. The emerging interest about fashion by museums and other main cultural players is a further incentive for Fashion Communication researchers to understand the importance of their studied domain not only on the ephemeral market of everyday marketing and communication messages, but also on the major long-term symbolic exchanges that shape cultures and societies. Among the main issues to be researched: intercultural communications, territory as inspiration for fashion industry, fashion and cultural heritage, cultural appropriation, culture in the use of social media, identity of marginalized people. Additionally, more research attention is needed when it comes to the Global South and less affluent societies and communities.

2.2 Research methods and their limitations As stressed in the Foreword, methodology in the Fashion Communication field should promote interdisciplinarity, through theoretical and empirical works. Research cannot be limited to a fashion object, brand, or discourse: it should aim to deal with complex and evolving systems through contextual analysis. Case studies are crucial to understand the dynamics of Fashion Communication, to ground and validate theoretical frameworks, to allow for comparisons at different levels: local/global, personal/collective, short/long term. Case study analysis needs to be based on a clear methodology and fundamental references to collect and analyze data. Qualitative methods – e.g.: interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research, passive and active observations, textual and semiotic analysis – do constantly interact with quantitative methods – e.g.: questionnaires, statistical analyses, digital analytics. These methods should take into consideration the new findings in each field, e.g.: automatic image recognition, eye tracking and other biometrical data, automatic language processing, sentiment and argumentation analysis, neurosciences, and so on. Research processes need to be supported by consistent publications on distinct academic publication outlets, sometimes still missing in this domain. The sharing, ideally using open content licenses, of research outcomes and data is crucial to improve the research in this field and to promote wider collaborations and understanding of research results. Innovation in research might rise from the creation of labs, physical or virtual, gathering together thought leaders from academy, industry, public institutions, culture, science, as well as from other domains. Finally, research in Fashion Communication from the definition of research hypothesis, through the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, till the dissemination of its results, should be built on and follow clear and explicit ethical principles.

2.3 Collaborations between research and industry Scholars in Fashion Communication interested in collaborating with the industry – fashion firms and media – face a number of issues, underscored by what might be a fundamental misunderstanding between both parties. To address those issues, it seems necessary to (i) further define an industry/field in constant change; (ii) clarify the role of communication at different levels in the fashion domain; (iii) “help” companies understand the importance of academic research; (vi) identify companies and organizations interested in such research; and (v) facilitate the negotiation of (less restrictive) Non-Disclosure Agreements. Collaboration in Fashion Communication research should entail a mutually beneficial strategy: academia should seek to further embed itself into the industry as well as to draw practitioners into its world. This strategy should be implemented via research and development activities, industry-relevant educational programs, and cross-disciplinary initiatives. It is to be stressed that ethical issues should be constantly considered. Among them, research freedom, privacy and authorization by involved studied persons, careful treatment of data sources, and so on.

2.4 Research and learning/teaching practices While developing teaching and learning activities in Fashion Communication, the use of critical and reflective methodologies is recommended, as well as a long-term approach, which situates the current digital communication environment within the history of Fashion Communication, its practices and its media. Higher education requires a medium- or long-term approach, hence it is not enough to follow current industry needs, we need to even anticipate them: to do so, extensive and advanced research is a necessary pre-requisite for adequate curriculum and course planning. In order to be able to communicate fashion, learners should take into consideration every stakeholder: we need to “walk the talk” and be able to listen and to recognize all professional roles in their authenticity. It is important to create and develop communities for Fashion Communication teachers and learners, also through digital social networks, so to help them networking and learning from each other. While teaching relevant topics, it is necessary to promote soft skills, which students need to have in order to enter and successfully remain in the job market. Those are creative and critical thinking, writing skills, public speaking, visual literacy, as well as (inter)cultural sensitivity and competency. When it comes to the modality of teaching and learning, collaborative and creative exercises are recommended, along with group projects, which might help learners to enhance their critical thinking abilities as well as to improve their communication skills. Moreover, projects that involve, together with learners of fashion communication, learners of other related domains (e.g.: fashion design, journalism, management, IT, etc.) can be useful to make them better understand the reasoning of other professionals and the approach by different involved disciplines. Finally, learning and teaching Fashion Communication can benefit from emerging technological solutions, from blended learning to the use of online tutorials and augmented reality applications, up to the creation of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) on the topics related to Fashion Communication, which might benefit higher education students as well as professionals already in the field.

3. Conclusions This document, quasi a Monte Verità Manifesto on Fashion Communication Research , is the product of the fruitful cooperation among colleagues from different research and cultural backgrounds, yet sharing common ideas and beliefs on the current state and challenges to further establish a research community on Fashion Communication. Its contents are incomplete and require constant refinement and updates, as needed by such an evolving and exciting research area. It is not intended to indicate limits or to draw boundaries. Rather, it aims to mark a step, as we believe, in the right direction in order to support an international and interdisciplinary network of scholars in this field, and to get further academic visibility.

Monte Verità (Ascona, Switzerland), July 2019

Rapporteurs (in alphabetical order): Lorenzo Cantoni (USI – Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland), Francesca Cominelli (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France), Nadzeya Kalbaska (USI), Michela Ornati (USI), Teresa Sádaba (ISEM Fashion Business School, Madrid, Spain), Patricia SanMiguel (ISEM)

Other signatories who participated in FACTUM19 (in alphabetical order): Stefano Airoldi (STA Scuola Tecnici Abbigliamento, Lugano, Switzerland), Romana Andò (Sapienza University, Rome, Italy),  Dimple Bahl (National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, India), Silvia Blas Riesgo (University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain), Dorrit Bøilerehauge (Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark),  Elisa Borboni (Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy), Simonetta Buffo (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy), Daniela Candeloro (Sapienza University, Rome, Italy), Zhimin Chen (Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK), Kyung-Hee Choi (Hansung University, Seoul, South Korea), Raluca Creangă (University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania), Tiago de Sousa Araújo (Hongik University, Seoul, South Korea), Rossana Gaddi (Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy), David Hall (Hongik University, Seoul, South Korea), Hilde Heim (Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia), Girija Jha (National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, India), Olga Karamalak (National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia), Katrien Laenen (KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium), Myles Ethan Lascity (Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA), Lisa D. Lenoir (University of Missouri, Columbia, USA), Caroline Lloyd (University of Northampton, Northampton, UK), Anna Fabienne Makhoul (Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany), Manish Nangia (National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, India), Veronica Neri (Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy), Tekila Harley Nobile (USI, Lugano, Switzerland), Alice Noris (USI, Lugano, Switzerland), Puspita Ayu Permatasari (USI, Lugano, Switzerland), Katharina Sand (Parsons Paris / The New School, Paris, France), Friedemann Schaber (University of Northampton, Northampton, UK), Thomaï Serdari (Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, USA), Jochen Strähle (Reutlingen University, Reutlingen, Germany), Cecilia Winterhalter (Accademia Costume & Moda, Roma, Italia)