Women’s Fashion Consumption in Saudi Arabia Elham Abu Nab A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy First supervisor: Dr Emily Baines Second supervisor: Dr Elizabeth Lambourn Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities De Montfort University, Leicester 2013–2019 Abstract This study investigates the influence of the sociocultural factors affecting the fashion and clothing consumption of Saudi women. It is a multidisciplinary study that combines fashion and consumer behaviour approaches in order to define and explain the collective sociocultural norms that underlie the patterns of women’s fashion and clothing consumption in Saudi Arabia. It applies a mixed-method approach as a strategy for data collection, with primary data gathered through observation, a face-to-face questionnaire completed by 654 respondents and interviews with local retailers and experts in the fashion market. The analysis of the empirical data revealed significant findings related to consumption patterns and the characteristics of the local market. It identified that there are two main systems that define fashion consumption in female Saudi society. Each system operates in a different social setting (public and female-only social settings) that requires communicating or establishing a specific value or a set of values to meet social expectations. The research findings also indicate the structure of the market and its operational system used to respond to consumer demands. In the light of these findings, theoretical models were developed to define the particularities of fashion consumption in Saudi Arabia as outcomes of this study. This study could have a substantial influence in academia as it provides a broader insight into fashion consumption behaviour in Saudi Arabia compared to that available in the existing literature. It could also help retailers and investors to understand the particularities of Saudi women’s fashion consumption in more depth. This understanding could be applied to develop strategies to meet Saudi women’s fashion demands. I Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to my first supervisor Dr Emily Baines for her patience, intensive support and insightful supervision. I would also like to thank Dr Elizabeth Lambourn for the encouraging feedback that made me feel proud of myself for conducting this unique research. To my grandmother who keeps praying for me to succeed. To my husband Sultan who has always been supportive and encouraging. To my little angels Juri, Joud and Sahar who always cheer me up and show that they are proud of me as their mum. Without this support, my PhD journey would not been possible. Declaration The material included in this thesis represents the researcher’s own study and it has never been submitted for any other qualifications. II Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................................... I Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................. II Declaration .............................................................................................................................................................. II Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Problem .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Research Motivations ................................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Research Questions, Aim and Objectives ............................................................................................. 4 1.5 Saudi Arabian Cultural Context ................................................................................................................ 5 1.5.1 Religious Ideology in Saudi Arabia: Islam and Lifestyle ............................................................ 6 1.5.2 The Social Fabric of the Saudi Society: the Dominance of Tribal Identity ....................... 11 1.5.3 Regional Diversity ................................................................................................................................... 13 1.5.4 What’s New in Saudi Arabia: Vision 2030 ..................................................................................... 16 1.6 Historiographic Positioning .................................................................................................................... 17 1.7 Research Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 20 1.8 Thesis Structure and Overview of the Chapters ............................................................................. 22 1.9 Summary of the Chapter .......................................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 2: The Socio-Psychological and Social Context of Clothing .................................... 26 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 26 2.2 An Overview of the Field of Clothing and Fashion ........................................................................ 26 2.3 The Socio-Psychological Context of Clothing and Fashion ........................................................ 29 2.3.1 Self-Image and Clothing Style ............................................................................................................. 35 2.3.2 Self-Image and Clothing Colour ......................................................................................................... 36 2.3.3 Establishing the Self through Fashion in the Context of Saudi Arabia .............................. 39 2.4 The Social Context of Clothing and Fashion ..................................................................................... 40 2.4.1 Class, Status and Fashion ..................................................................................................................... 41 2.4.1.1 Conspicuous Consumption .............................................................................................................. 46 2.4.1.2 The Consumption of Uniqueness .................................................................................................. 47 2.4.1.3 Saudi Women as Consumers of Luxury Fashion ..................................................................... 49 2.4.2 Fashion and Social Conformity .......................................................................................................... 52 2.4.2.1 The Influence of the Reference Group ........................................................................................ 54 2.4.2.1.1 Normative Reference Group ........................................................................................................ 54 2.4.2.1.2 Comparative Reference Group ................................................................................................... 55 2.4.2.1.3 Indirect or Inspirational Reference Group ............................................................................ 56 III 2.5 Cultural Influence on Consumption: General Overview ............................................................. 57 2.5.1 Globalisation and Local Culture ........................................................................................................ 63 2.6 Summary of the Chapter .......................................................................................................................... 66 Chapter 3: The Cultural Context of Clothing ..................................................................................... 68 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 68 3.2 Revealing and Attraction vs. Modesty and Decency ..................................................................... 68 3.3 Islamic Definitions of Women’s Modest Dress ............................................................................... 71 3.4 Historiography of Muslim Fashion and Modesty ........................................................................... 75 3.5 Veiling in Contemporary Saudi Society ............................................................................................. 84 3.6 Saudi Women’s Regional Dress ............................................................................................................. 96 3.7 Economic Context of Fashion: Fashion as a Market and the Consumer as a Target .....102 3.7.1 The Process of Consumption Behaviour ......................................................................................103 3.7.2 Qualities that Influence Consumer Behaviour ..........................................................................112 3.7.2.1 Extrinsic Quality Factors ................................................................................................................114