FASHION TRENDS: HOW POLITICAL HAPPENINGS INFLUENCE CONSUMERS’ MINDSETS By Valentina Marques da Rosa A Major Research Paper presented to Ryerson University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Program of Fashion Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2019 ©(Valentina Marques da Rosa) 2019 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF A MRP I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this Major Research Paper (MRP). This is a true copy of the MRP, including any required final revisions. I authorize Ryerson University to lend this MRP to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this MRP by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I understand that my MRP may be made electronically available to the public. ii FASHION TRENDS: HOW POLITICAL HAPPENINGS INFLUENCE CONSUMERS’ MINDSETS Valentina Marques da Rosa Master of Arts 2019 Fashion Studies Ryerson University Abstract This paper focuses on how fashion products have the capacity of translating social, political and cultural happenings, influencing preferences in dress style and precipitating trends. Based on four case studies, this research explores how cultural and societal developments influence the consumption of dress styles. This includes understanding how garments and accessories associated with social causes are received by consumers. Such knowledge is useful in accurately predicting the likelihood of a trend’s adoption. The data collected from the case studies was sifted via a content analysis methodology. Study findings support that consumers’ identification with the social cause linked to a fashion product significantly increases their adoption as a trend. Furthermore, the study also demonstrates that the presence of a number of actors is needed in order for trends to achieve inception and their subsequent dissemination. iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor, Henry Navarro Delgado, for his support, advice and guidance throughout this process. I am also grateful to my 2nd reader, Sandra Tullio-Pow, for her feedback, which has been instrumental. I appreciate the time they both took to read my paper a number of times in order to help me improve it. iv Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vii Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 Chapter Two: Vejlgaard’s Trend Theory Framework ..................................................................... 3 Chapter Three: Literature Review ................................................................................................... 5 How Consumers Interact with Advertisings in Fashion ...................................................... 5 How Cultural, Social and Political Aspects Influence Dress Style ................................... 12 Chapter Four: Methodology .......................................................................................................... 15 Research Design ................................................................................................................ 15 Research Setting and Sample ............................................................................................ 17 Data Collection and Analysis ............................................................................................ 21 Chapter Five: Research Findings ................................................................................................... 26 White Polos and Khaki Pants: American White Supremacists ......................................... 27 White Bandanas: #Tiedtogether ........................................................................................ 28 Lacoste X Save our Species .............................................................................................. 32 H&M Conscious Collection .............................................................................................. 33 Charts with the Major Findings for Each Movement ........................................................ 35 Chapter Six: Discussion ................................................................................................................ 38 Chapter Seven: Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 44 References ..................................................................................................................................... 47 v List of Figures Figure Page 1. John Galliano collection inspired by the homeless in Paris ...................................................... 13 2. A flowchart for the typical process of content analysis ............................................................. 17 3. Men wearing polo shirts and khakis when attending the white supremacist movement in Charlottesville ................................................................................................................................ 18 4. White Bandana being Worn in Support. .................................................................................... 19 5. Polo Shirts with the Endangered Species. ................................................................................. 20 6. H&M Conscious Collection ...................................................................................................... 21 7. Diagram of the steps followed ................................................................................................... 22 8. Example of the tables that were created. ................................................................................... 23 9. Example of the highlighting of the information ........................................................................ 24 10. Tommy Hilfiger runway models wearing the white bandana ................................................. 29 11. Donatella Versace wearing a white bandana ........................................................................... 30 12. White bandana being worn by a guest at a fashion show ........................................................ 30 13. Zayn Malik wearing a white bandana on his wrist .................................................................. 31 14. The 10 threatened species and the Lacoste logo ...................................................................... 32 15. One of the clothes available in the collection .......................................................................... 34 16. Men from the Ku Klux Klan dressed in masks and hoods ...................................................... 41 17. Nazi uniforms manufactured by Hugo Boss. .......................................................................... 41 vi List of Tables Table Page 1: Information from the Categories Found in the Content Analysis ............................................. 36 2: Presence of the Movements in The Press, in Social Media Outlets and in Scholarly Mentions ....................................................................................................................................................... 37 vii Chapter One: Introduction A fashion trend is a tendency of the next fashion. The trends are influenced by a number of factors (e.g. social, political, economical and cultural), as well as the consumer’s point of view or emotions (Cho & Lee, 2005). As to the term “trending”, it is usually used when we see something being bought by several individuals. When this happens, it is common knowledge that a large amount of people has agreed on liking the said artefact, making it important for others to acquire one as well. This process happens with a range of objects, but the term trend is usually used the most when referring to fashion items. In fashion, every season brings with it new trending items, which are seen in runways, worn by celebrities as well as by regular people. Trends come and go, with people adhering to them or not. A trend may stay current for one or more seasons and being discussed by in the fashion industry and on the streets. As described by Vejlgaard (2007), the word trend refers to an abrupt change in taste, such as the shift experienced when consumers become very interested in a specific item of clothing. In this sense, it seems important to fashion practitioners to understand why some dress choices are simply forgotten, while others are embraced by people, developing into a popular fashion trend. In the present research, the wearing of clothes is understood as dress, which can then become fashion if those items of dress are embraced by society at large for a set period of time (Navarro Delgado, 2018, par. 11). This is significant because social groups and brands have been using dress as a platform to bring attention to specific social issues