Fashion research proposal Visual & Performing Arts Research Proposal

Interested topic

-          The rise of social influencer

-          The impact of fashion bloggers on the society

-          Lives of social media influencers

-          The future of fashion bloggers/influencer

Perceived problem

-          How influencers have changed the fashion community both positively and negatively

-          Are they fostering a healthy community?

(fast fashion consumption/impulse buy/fake advertisement/scam)

Why important?

-          Important for social platform users/audience like us to be informed about what we are looking at on there

-          Many people unfamiliar with the current fashion market aimlessly want to be a part of it, they need to be more prepared and acquainted

-          The younger generation are obsessed with internet celebs (“cool youtuber”)

Who benefits?

-          Fashionistas

-          People who want to become a social influencer

-          Anybody who pays attention to the fashion community

Research question

-          What are the ways influencers make money, which is most profitable for them?

-          How does the rise of social influencer change the fashion industry?

-          What does it take to become a fashion influencer?

-          (self-discipline/creativity/personality/support system/public image/editing skills)

-          Is fashion influencer an ideal job for fashion enthusiasts trying to start a career

-          Does the emergent of fashion influencers better the fashion community?

-          How have fashion influencers changed over the years compare to when they first appeared?

• Is social media influencer as a job profitable and sustainable in the long run and is it a fit choice for fashion graduates who wants to start careers in the fashion industry?

As social media influence is still a relatively newer research topic, most of what I could find are not research paper but articles or news pieces. So, I collect 5 papers on the topic of fashion & social media to write my annotated bibliography and another 2 articles on fashion influencers to add insight.

Themes and how they relate to my RQ

Common themes among the 5 papers are: social media as a powerful and influential tool, the convenience and benefits social media brings to us, and how efficient and accessible social media is. The first paper talked about how private labels are able to gain exposure and recognition when presented with more established and well-known brands. Social media platforms (SMP) plays vital role in spreading these products and company names to the public which ties into how important and influential social media can be for new influencers. The second paper focused on 3 brands advancement with the aid of social media. Consequently, influencers are able to take SMP’s full advantage and progress their careers. The third paper explained ways luxury brands could operate their social platforms to better customers relationships. Similarly, influencers should learn how to best manage their internet accounts to get more followers and likes. The fourth paper talked about how social media motivates desires to purchase and that people’s buying decisions are often influenced by SMP. Knowing how powerful social media can be makes influencers jobs easier, with excellent contents and friendly personas, crowd are guaranteed to follow. The last paper dove into the negative sentiments SMP can help foster. On the other hand, influencers need to have clear goals before stepping into the industry. They need to be very careful of the content they put up on the internet, beware of scams, and be prepared to accept constructive criticism.

1. 1.      Hsiao, S., Wang, Y., Wang, T., & Kao, T. (2019). How social media shapes the fashion industry: The spillover effects between private labels and national brands. Industrial Marketing Management, 

doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.02.022

Social media has become a popular and effective marketing tool for many enterprises. Managed properly, social media marketing can create strong branding effect and enhance brand image. This paper explores the interactions between private and national brands in fashion industry and analyze how private label sales are influenced by these interactions. All information gathered for the study is from Lookbook.nu, the largest online fashion community within a one-year period. It is a global website where content creators post pictures and tag the brand names. This allows the joint presence of both private and national brands. Furthermore, this quantitative study collected from 1395 content creators ranging from 15 to 65 years old from 40 countries. The result of the study found that the presence of private and national brands together increased private label owner’s post popularity and enhanced private label sales greatly. Therefore, the presence of large national brand positively impacts private labels in the fashion market and this result reinforced our understanding of brand competition of business-to-business social media marketing.

1. 2.      Kontu, H., & Vecchi, A. (2014). Why all that noise - assessing the strategic value of social media for fashion brands. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 5(3), 235-250. doi:10.1080/20932685.2014.912443

Fashion brands have been coping with new challenges brought forth by the rise of social media. Unlike before when many are still reluctant to develop new strategy to engage social platforms, digital and media are changing the entire fashion system in today’s society. This paper provides critical evaluation of the use of social media among three fashion brands to identify their marketing strategies: Burberry, Calvin Klein, and DKNY. The study utilized comparative case study to assess the companies’ social media performances. Information are mostly from secondary sources like company reports and statistics. Burberry was the first fashion brand to broadcast its catwalk show live in 2010 and received substantial feedback. Its online project “The Art of the Trench” was prized for digital innovation. CK rejuvenated itself by approaching the younger generation via social media. Its blogger collaboration with model Mustaparta in 2012 demonstrated how CK identified popular celebrity and engaged her to advocate for the brand. Lastly, DKNY used social platforms to create genuine conversations rather than company promotions. The anonymous twitter persona DKNY PR girl created by the brand won the best twitter award fourth year in a row. This is an example of how fashion brand leveraged social platforms to increase popularity and loyalty.

1. 3.      Kim, A. J., & Ko, E. (2010). Impacts of luxury fashion Brand’s social media marketing on customer relationship and purchase intention. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 1(3), 164-171. doi:10.1080/20932685.2010.10593068

Luxury fashion brands are always looking for new ways to boost up popularity, increase sales and secure reputation. To keep up with current market needs, luxury brands have turned to social media which has been evaluated to be an effective take-off tool for many businesses. Using social platforms, brands are able to strengthen relationship with its customers, introduce products and interact causally with large audiences. This paper examines the impact social media marketing (SSM) has on luxury fashion brand’s customer relationship and purchase intention. The research adopted quantitative method using survey questionnaire (150 participants) and an additional fifteen preliminary test participants to draw a starter sample from.  The finding for the study indicated five properties: entertainment, customization, interaction, word of mouth, and trend which all had significant impact on customer relationship improvement and purchase intentions enhancement. The use of social media focusing on these five properties will build friendly affections and stimulate interests and desires from potential customers.

1. 4.      Nash, J. (2019). Exploring how social media platforms influence fashion consumer decisions in the UK retail sector. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 23(1), 82-103. doi:10.1108/JFMM-01-2018-0012

The presence of web 2.0 and internet have activated the development of social media and online shopping in today’s society. To keep up with rapid technology advancement, traditional retail stores have to adapt and rethink their communication and marketing strategies to make them digital friendly. This paper explores how social media platforms influence consumer decision making process specifically for generation X and Y in the retail environment. The study utilized an exploratory approach by conducting a qualitative research including eight face-to-face interviews and two focus groups to gain knowledge into participants’ opinion, motivation, and ideas. The result explained that a variety of internal and external factors could influence how consumers make their decisions and many of which are facilitated by the use of social media. However, social media was not the only source of motivation. Furthermore, with the increasing number of social media users, these platforms will continue to have more impact on consumer decision making. Participants admitted using social platforms for inspiration and ideas, but their purchasing decision were not as heavily influenced by them as researchers have expected.

1. 5.      Cooper, T., Stavros, C., & Dobele, A. R. (2019). Domains of influence: Exploring negative sentiment in social media. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 28(5), 684-699. doi:10.1108/JPBM-03-2018-1820

As consumer progressively turn to social media to express their opinion about brands, companies become vulnerable to harsh commentaries delivered via the internet. These negative online feedbacks often create severe consequences and damage customer relationship for the companies. This paper examines how fashion retail companies manage and deal with negative comments in social medias. A qualitative mythology was used by conducting six case studies over an eight months period. They are face-to-face interviews with open-ended questions meant to uncover explicit and implicit actins firms take to mediate social media interactions. Finding of the study focused on explaining five interconnected themes emerged from data collection: company philosophies, company operations, customer relationships, internal relationships, and other stakeholder relationship. It is important for firms to have strong beliefs in its philosophy, manage the complexity and sophistication of its operation, care for its stakeholders, understand customer relationship, maintain great internal organizational relationship and learn how to best satisfy its target market.

 Additional Articles

1. 6.      Luvaas, B. (2017). What does a fashion influencer look like? portraits of the instafamous. Fashion, Style & Popular Culture, 4(3), 341-363. doi:10.1386/fspc.4.3.341_7

Author Brent Luvaas as a street style photographer has been taking photos of fashion influencers and models during fashion week for the past five years. He expressed concerns about the evolution of fashion bloggers to influencers. He talked about influencer as the “microcelebrity” and how many forges a media persona to achieve lucrative careers. Brands loan or gift clothes to influencers so that they can be photographed wearing them when they attend shows. In addition, brands only focus on the number of followers and demographic when choosing who to “collaborate and partner” with. Because of that, influencers have become a career where people can earn thousands with a single sponsored post if they have a large follower. Luvaas also talked about instagram surpassing other social platforms like Tumblr or Facebook in terms of spreading fashion influences because it emphasizes visuality more than textuality. The act of people who dress up for selfies is identified as “glamour labor” and if the post goes viral, they become instafamous. The online fame is directly transferred to real word income. The author ended the article with questions on the market value behind influencers and what will determine success in this Instagram craze. He argues that inequality hinders many to become popular influencers and that blonde European, heteronormative are overrepresented by media.

1. 7.      TREBAY, G. (2016). Luka sabbat, the 18-year-old fashion influencer. New York: New York Times Company.

The article discusses how Luka Sabbat, 18-year-old teenager brings influence to the fashion industry and the connection between social media and brands. The article talks about Luka’s experience and story with fashion and social media. Luka is a normal New Yorker, like every teenager he loves hip-hop and is really into video games. However, he is involved in something more enthralling, a “fashion influencer”. Social media is playing a major role in the fashion industry nowadays with tons of videos and pictures posted on YouTube and Instagram. Therefore, Brands started to hunt their own image ambassadors from the internet., For instance, an anonymous guy posted a selfie in bubble bath caught the attention of Calvin Klein and a collaboration between them benefited both parties. Influencer like Luka, Mike the Ruler and other teenager fashion fanatics are striving to build a better social platform between consumers and the fashion industry.

Conclusion

As stated above, with social media prevailing, influencer as a job have great chance to flourish if joined for the right reason. In the age of innovation, influencers seem to have countless undiscovered opportunities to mature. The future is uncertain as to where SMP are taking us, but they are definitely powerful enough to have revolutionized the fashion industry.

FSN 707 Research Proposal 2019 FSN 707 – Research Methods, Research Proposal Due December 10 th, 2019 before 1:00 pm (submit on D2L) Value - 25% Fashion professionals must be able to communicate effectively with their clients, potential funding agencies and research ethics boards, thus knowing how to create a research proposal is critical. A proposal is a blueprint PLAN for your research (you are not actually doing the research). Please review Maxwell (2013), Chapter 7, a proposal must “explain and justify” (p.140). Consider possible practical research projects such as McGregor, the menswear mini line or preparation for your 4th year capstone/collection. Include the following in your proposal (8- 10 pages, double spaced, not including the cover page, references and appendices): 1. COVER PAGE  Includes the title of your proposal (make it catchy, it should frame the problem/research question)  Your name, degree, and affiliation  Email address and date of submission  TUTORIAL Instructor  See a template in the APA guide posted in the D2L shell. 2. INTRODUCTION/CONTEXT (2.5) The introduction sets the stage for your study, it should immediately grab the attention of your reader. It provides context. It must clearly state WHAT you intend to do and WHY there is a need for your study. Consider using evidence (statistics or other facts, figures, research done by other authors). Prove your topic is relevant/feasible. Background of the study  The proposal requires an introductory sentence or two. Outline the context surrounding the research topic.  Phrase a problem within your research topic. This is your “compass,” link everything in your proposal back to the research problem. Purpose of the Study  Indicates what the researcher wishes to achieve i.e. what is the goal of the study?  State the research question.  Use this question as a guide to organizing your thinking, research, and writing.  You must be able to reach a reasoned and defensible position (describe, define & defend). Significance of the Study  WHY is your study important?  Researcher’s Background & Approach/Worldview (include a quote and citation about reflexivity).  Reflexivity is part of all research endeavors. Review and revise the research identity memo completed in the tutorial segment. This section summarizes your background, your motivations to approaching this research problem and discusses your worldview (how you see the world), as this influences how design research is conducted. FSN 707 Research Proposal 2019 Conclusion to the Introduction and Overview of the Proposal  Write a concluding sentence (or 2) for the introduction.  Use an advance organizer to outline to the reader the segments of the proposal following the introduction. See https://www(dot)aje(dot)com/en/arc/when-its-best-beexplicit-using-advance-organizers-structure-your/ 2. Literature (7.5)  Incorporate the feedback received from Assignment #1 - annotated bibliography. DO NOT CUT & PASTE the assignment into this section of the proposal.  Write an introductory sentence, include an advance organizer to outline the themes examined in the literature (i.e., This section of the proposal includes pertinent research in the following areas….themes….).  This section must have a minimum of 5 scholarly sources, (an additional 2 may be government or professional reports and magazines/newspapers or blogs). Incorporate the feedback provided on assignment #1 from your tutorial instructor.  Create a chart (in APA format), 1 page maximum. Follow the literature review exercise we did in the tutorial class. o Summarize the research question, research design (qual/quant/mixed), sample size, methods, and findings. o Link the findings of each source in relation to your research question. o You may paraphrase but do not plagiarize, do not copy direct sentences or phrases of 3 or more words from the abstract.  Write a conclusion at the end of the annotated bibliography, identify the themes in the literature reviewed, summarize their relationship to your research question and discuss the gap your proposed research will fill. 3. METHODOLOGY & METHODS (Use headings and sub headings) (10) This section of the proposal outlines exactly HOW you will approach the research. Review feedback received from Assignment 2. This section should be as detailed as a recipe, in that anyone who reads it would have enough information to duplicate your study. It must outline where your research fits methodologically and why you have chosen this approach, the methods or “tools” will you be using and a diagram to illustrate this. All methods must be cited. Research Design  Begin this section with an introductory sentence or two and to remind the reader of the research problem and restate your research question in a different way (i.e., The aim of the proposed research is to……).  Describe your research design, are you using a qualitative, quantitative or mixed research design? Why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the chosen approach? (cite these). Tie back to your research question. Also describe and cite your methodology and methods (i.e., ethnographic/observation etc.), recap the advantages and disadvantages. Data Collection  Begin this section with an introductory sentence. FSN 707 Research Proposal 2019  Describe your research setting and your sample.  Where will your research be conducted?  How will you recruit and select your participants? Or objects? Define your inclusion criteria and delimitations.  Include a diagram that illustrates your sample (participants or objects) and data collection methods. This should be labeled as FIGURE 1 and include a caption.  What data sources will you be using? (e.g. primary or secondary sources, field notes, photographs, transcripts of interviews, observations, survey data…)  If you are doing observation or a content analysis as one of your methods, a form is required. In the body of your proposal paper, describe generally the information you will be looking for that is included on your form.  Draft up any required forms and include in the Appendices section. Save each form as a jpg and insert a smaller version of it into the body of your paper, label it as a FIGURE 2 etc. and include a caption. See the APA Guide on D2L for format. This aids the reader to see and link what you are discussing on the page rather than flipping to the back of the paper.  If you are doing interviews, elaborate on the questions you will ask. Do not include a list of questions in the body of the proposal paper, phrase questions generally (i.e., Interview questions were semi-structured to provide insight into …….).  Draft up your interview guide (this includes your protocol that is: an intro, actual questions to be included and a wrap up thank you) and include it as an Appendix. Data Analysis  How do you plan on analyzing the results? List your data sources and the guiding questions used when analyzing the data (you could use a Table to further illustrate this, see the APA guide re Table formatting and captioning). What steps you will take to examine and analyze the data (e.g. transcription, coding, sorting, visual analysis etc.)? Please refer to Creswell (2009) pages 185-186. Validity & Research Limitations  Describe how your approach to the research is triangulated.  Recap the disadvantages of your methods and/or methodology.  How do you know what you have learned is true? Is trustworthy?  Acknowledge any influences that are out of your control. Ethical Considerations  It is up to the researcher to ensure that ethical standards are met.  Ethical considerations refer to the protection of the participants’ rights.  How will you obtain informed consent, how will the information you collect confidential and/or anonymous, how will information be stored?  Be sure to write a concluding sentence of two for the methodology section. 4. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES, CONTRIBUTIONS & CONCLUSION, (2.5) • Begin with an introductory sentence that summarizes the proposal (problem, RQ, literature review themes, and methodology/methods) FSN 707 Research Proposal 2019 • With consideration of your research question – what outcomes are possible? What contributions (knowledge, practice) will this research make to other designers, or to other stakeholder groups? To design practice? Also consider, what do you anticipate you know once you have completed the research that you did not know before you started? 5. REFERENCES *  Include a detailed reference list in APA format (the Guide is posted on D2L), include references only for the sources that are cited in your proposal (include those references used in the literature review chart as well as additional sources used in your methods section etc. There is no excuse for sloppy formatting. Use the tools on the library site, use the APA guide as a template. *For each citation that is not correctly referenced in APA format, a 1 point deduction will be made from your final research proposal grade up to a MAXIMUM deduction of 5 points. Consult the APA guide posted on D2L. 6. APPENDICES (2.5)  Include any forms that will be included in your data collection (i.e., observation form, content analysis form)  Include your interview guide.  Note - A draft of your consent form is NOT required in this proposal.