Fashion as a societal phenomenon has fascinated scholars in different disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and marketing often from an interdisciplinary perspective. Fashion mirrors societal changes, cultural norms, and values over time. It can be interpreted as mundane everyday practices, constructions of identity and status as well as being associated with the art world. In this book, the focus lies on marketing and the role of marketers when fashion permeates society in deliberate and subtle ways.

This edited collection critically reflects upon the power of fashion in contemporary society and the role marketing and marketers play in the process of defining, creating, and preserving fashion, but also in divesting fashion that is no longer up to date. It expands on existing knowledge to better understand the role marketers play as cultural agents in determining fashion and its markets. Contributors to the book are international, advanced scholars from a variety of disciplines such as anthropology, marketing, psychology and sociology, who challenge traditional ways of thinking about marketing. In a society where problems with overproduction and excessive consumption represent major challenges, the critical perspective of the role fashion plays in contemporary society and what influence marketing has for shaping fashion are not merely relevant, but necessary.

This cutting-edge, interdisciplinary book will appeal to scholars across a broad range of fields including fashion marketing, fashion studies, and consumer culture research. It will also be valuable for students in advanced courses of study in a variety of disciplines besides marketing.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Karin M. Ekström

Part I

Fashion and Marketing in Society

1. Fashion, Self, and Identity

Colin Campbell

2. Fashion Police to Fast Fashion: "Slow Down and Pull Over!"

Russell Belk

3. Fashioning Marketing and its Consequences

A. Fuat Firat, Deniz Atik, and Zeynep Ozdamar Ertekin

Part II

Social Change and Marketing

4. Embracing Diversity and Body Positivity: The Role of Marketing in Fashion Markets

and Culture

Stefano Prestini, Stefania Borghini, and Antonella Carù

5. From Sanitary to Fashionable Masks: Lessons from Crisis Marketing

Franck Cochoy, Anaïs Daniau, and Alexandre Mallard

6. Marketing Gun Identities Through Firearm Fashions

Terrence H. Witkowski

Part III

Fashion and Brands

7. A Social Practice Perspective on Fashion Branding

Marcus Gianneschi and Johanna Moisander

8.Museums as Channels for Marketing Fashion: Reflections on Marketization and

Artification

Karin M. Ekström

9. A Community in Love: The Relationship and Dynamic between Odd Molly and

its Community

Hanna Wittrock

Part IV

Fashion, Waste, Sustainability and Ethics

10. Consumption of Clothes and the Problems of Waste in Affluent Societies – Understanding the Driving Forces of Consumption and Waste

Karin M. Ekström

11. Sustainable Fashion Marketing: Green or Greenwash?

Elaine L. Ritch

12. ‘Ethical Fashion’ is a Fiction

Efrat Tseëlon

Afterword - Growing Demands of Ethics and Aesthetics

Francesco Morace

/

Fashion as a societal phenomenon has fascinated scholars in different disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and marketing often from an interdisciplinary perspective. Fashion mirrors societal changes, cultural norms and values over time. It can be interpreted as mundane everyday practices, constructions of identity and status as well as being associated with the art world. In this book, the focus lies on marketing and the role of marketers when fashion permeates society in deliberate and subtle ways. This edited collection critically reflects upon the power of fashion in contemporary society and the role marketing and marketers have in the process of defining, creating and preserving fashion, but also for divesting fashion that is no longer up to date. It expands on existing knowledge to better understand the role marketers play as cultural agents in determining fashion and its markets. Contributors to the book are international, advanced scholars in marketing and sociology challenging traditional ways of thinking. In a society where problems with overproduction and overconsumption represent major challenges, the critical perspective of the role fashion plays in contemporary society and what influence marketing has for shaping fashion is not merely relevant, but necessary. This cutting edge, interdisciplinary book will appeal to scholars across a broad range of fields including fashion marketing, fashion studies, consumer culture and research, as well as sociology and anthropology. It will also be valuable for students in advanced courses of study in a variety of disciplines besides marketing.