The fashion product and accessories categories in market competition are identical to the well-known brands of the designers who created them. Such high-end fashion products have certain distribution and marketing for the high-end target market. High-end fashion consumers have habits and behaviours in consuming products by using social media to interact with others or even showing off their fashion product collections to the public on Instagram. The aims of this research are: (1) to analyse the community of luxury brand enthusiasts, building their self-identity and interacting symbolically within the group as a subculture; (2) to analyse luxury brand fans building cohesiveness and solidarity in consumption behaviour and (3) to analyse the community of luxury brand enthusiasts to build urban woman culture as a lifestyle for modern women. The research methodology uses a phenomenological approach, using direct individual experience to explore the experiences of individuals from the upper middle class as consumers in their communities. In-depth interviews, Instagram document analysis and field observations were the data sources in this research. This research found consumer engagement in a community loyal to luxury brands, especially fashion and accessories. Relationships between individuals in the community have a strong bond in the interactivity of experience-sharing, which maintains long-term relationships by sharing values. Loyalty is built towards not only luxury fashion and accessories brands but also to community members. Urban women have space for interactivity and self-existence in showing their achievements, appearance and leadership in business and society.

The purpose of this research was to examine identities of female motorcycle riders who have purchased or acquired Harley-Davidson (H-D) apparel or accessories, their relationship to the H-D subculture of consumption (HDSOC) and use of H-D products such as apparel within and outside the SOC. An inductive, qualitative, grounded theory approach was employed. Purposive and snowball sampling resulted in a sample of 23 female riders who owned H-D branded apparel items. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted, which consisted of open-ended questions to facilitate discussion. The data provided insights into a segment of the current HDSOC and women’s identities as motorcycle riders. Three key themes emerged: (1) communitas, (2) performativity and appearance labour and (3) self-esteem and efficacy. The symbolic consumption of material artefacts was a bodily practice that resulted in simultaneous performativity of female gender and biker roles. The participants wanted to be a part of the H-D community, while consciously attempting to soften old stereotypes held by the public about bikers as outlaws. Their visible display of riding behaviours and wearing of H-D branded apparel was, in part, an effort to change meanings of rider identity.

In our research, we prioritize the voices and experiences of Black Second World War soldiers and their experiences while in uniform. We specifically focused on Black men from the Midwest to examine their unique experiences with the South and Jim Crow laws and drew upon all ten oral history transcripts from the University of Kansas’s ‘World War II: The African American Experience’ project. These included individuals such as John H. Adams, a Tuskegee Airmen pilot who did not see combat, and William Tarlton, a member of the famous all-Black 92nd Army Division. Our analysis involved the constant comparative process using open, axial and selective coding, and we applied concepts from critical race theory to unpack the racial injustices embedded in their experiences. Individual accounts reveal the discriminatory treatment endured by Black soldiers in the United States, highlighting derogatory attitudes and forced relocations. While rank hierarchy occasionally superseded prejudices, the experiences demonstrate the persistent racism faced by Black soldiers despite their significant contributions while in uniform. These stories challenge the glorification of Second World War soldiers and shed light on the complex dynamics of racial interactions, emphasizing the need for awareness and dialogue about enduring disparities.

Hip hop fashion has transitioned from a grassroots, subcultural phenomenon into a multibillion-dollar industry intertwined with mainstream and luxury fashion. Partnerships between fashion brands and rappers financially benefit both parties and imbue each with legitimacy within global hip hop cultural values. This article explores these dynamics amongst contemporary rappers based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, in Aotearoa New Zealand, a locale underserved by current literature on hip hop fashion and commercialization. The artists promote locally resonant anti-hegemonic positions – specifically, anti-colonial and anti-racist positions – from within hip hop’s ambivalent relationship to capitalist industry. These artists strive to find a balance between self-promotion and lucrative partnerships with international fashion brands, and subsequently negotiating that increased attention and industry position to empower their communities and the local hip hop fashion industry, authentically expressing their creativity, values, politics and identities. Additionally, they perform ambivalent class positions through their curation of second-hand, mainstream and upmarket and designer hip hop fashion garments, blurring boundaries of marginality and prosperity, which highlights continued issues of class and racial marginality in their communities. This article ultimately suggests that anti-hegemonic messaging and oppositional voices expressed in Aotearoa’s hip hop culture are not necessarily thwarted by capitalist industry and may even be enhanced in their force and reach through such relationships.

Spotlighting the Egyptian context, this article uses a mixed-methods, comparative case study approach to explore one of our global ancient cultures and examine how four modern-day Egyptian designers and brands are bridging the ancient and the modern by incorporating ancient Pharaonic motifs within their product design, visual merchandising and branding. Through document and artefact analysis, interviews with the selected brands and a consumer survey, this study examines how these brands’ incorporation of ancient motifs may impact consumers’ levels of brand engagement and perceptions of product beauty, while simultaneously connecting modern-day travellers and modern-day Egyptians to Egypt’s ancient past. The commodification of cultural motifs is explored from a consumer’s perspective, and best practices are identified for other brands interested in using cultural branding techniques within their own brand strategies.

Fashion or necessity? Trendy device or assistive technology? Throughout history, eyewear has played various roles in human civilization. It can be a reflection of personality, a symbol of social class, an indication of a medical condition, a bellwether of trending cultural and political phenomenon or a wearable technology that intrigues the mass consumers. Eyewear as a product category is embedded in fashion, while also far beyond fashion. In this article, we explore the multifaceted relationship between eyewear fashion and its influence on society by examining a series of projects developed by the author over a decade-long career in the eyewear design industry. These case studies include a collaboration with a fashion house and a celebrity, investigating human facial ergonomics and eyewear fitting, utilizing advanced manufacturing platforms and materials, and reviewing the latest technology and smart eyewear offerings. Drawing on insider knowledge of the eyewear industry, the author guides you through the impact of fashion as a design element on the eyewear development process, and conversely, how eyewear as a product imposes constraints on the fluidity of fashion.

This article discusses the politics of cheating via sportswear and amateur running footwear, where boundaries and synergies exist between the body and apparel that enhance sport performance. In 2017, Nike introduced a revolution in running shoe design, launching its Vaporfly 4% running shoes. The claims used in advertising for the shoe stated a possible increase in performance of up to 4 per cent. The design of the shoe was aesthetically distinguished by its thick foam sole, which contains carbon plating. There has been a significant drop in times for elite running races since professional athletes adopted such advanced footwear and as a result, tighter regulations have been developed by World Athletics (2020), who have banned certain editions. Other footwear designers have followed Nike and are looking to new technology to advance performance, such as the Adidas Futurecraft running shoe, a 3D printed shoe designed to work with the athlete’s foot shape using foot-scanning technology, perhaps paving the way for a move to ‘bespoke’ footwear design based on personal data. The ethics of performance-enhancing design for running shoes are contextualized through a wider consideration of specialist garments for specific sport and leisure activities worn to enhance ease of movement and increased activity. There is a gap in research related to performance-enhancing design for running shoes for amateur runners; therefore, this study makes an important and original contribution to literature.

Review of: Jews in Suits: Men’s Dress in Vienna, 1890–1938, Jonathan C. Kaplan-Wajselbaum (2023)

London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 278 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35024-420-7, h/bk, $103.50

ISBN 978-1-35024-421-4, p/bk, $39.95

ISBN 978-1-35024-423-8, e-book, $35.95

Review of: Fashion and Motherhood: Image, Material, Identity, Laura Snelgrove (ed.) (2024)

London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 241 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35027-669-7, h/bk, $103.50

Review of: The Intersection of Fashion and Disability: A Historical Analysis, Kate Annett-Hitchcock (2023)

London: Bloomsbury, 227 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-35014-311-1, p/bk, $26.95