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Fashion and Culture Dissertation Topics

Published by Owen Ingram at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On October 5, 2023

Introduction

The fashion trends reflect culture.  The influence of culture on major styles and trends of the past can’t be understated. This is predominantly true in the world of  women’s fashion . As the 20 th century kicked off, women started to fight for equal rights, reflected in their fashion trends.

Thus, early in the 20 th  century, women were first seen wearing jeans. Fast forwarding, women of today’s world are now accustomed to smoking, which was previously seen as a strictly male habit. Cultures throughout the globe make use of clothing to make fashion statements.

Fashion trends further reflect the hierarchies, personal relationships, and social power structures within communities. Finding a good fashion dissertation topic can be a very daunting task, primarily because it should be intriguing and manageable in the given timeframe.

According to  Diverse World Fashion  (2014),  “ Culture is a largely inclusive concept, and the fact of fashion reflecting culture implies some consideration of some major cultural changes. Technological advances— such as the Internet— have been immensely transformative in culture. ”

To help you get started with brainstorming for your fashion and culture topic ideas, we have developed a list of the latest topics that can be used for writing your fashion and culture dissertation.

PhD qualified writers of our team have developed these topics, so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the problem,  research question , aim and objectives,  literature review ,  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  example dissertation  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

You can review step by step guide on how to write your dissertation  here.

2022 Fashion and Culture D issertation Topics

Topic 1: an investigation into the impact of fashion choices on the cultural values of the consumers..

Research Aim: The research aims to conduct an investigation into the impact of fashion choices on impacting cultural values of the consumers.

Objectives:

• To evaluate the factors impacting the fashion trends.
• To analyse the relationship between fashion choices and the perceptions of the consumers.
• To investigate how the fashion choices of the consumers impact their cultural values and social identity.

Topic 2: An investigation into the relevance of culture on social accountability and natural fabric selection by fashion consumers.

Research Aim: The research aims to investigate the relevance of culture on social accountability and natural fabric selection by fashion consumers.

• To analyse the influence of culture on the fashion choices of the customers.
• To evaluate the impact of social accountability in the fashion industry.
• To investigate how social accountability and natural fabric selection are influenced by culture.

Topic 3: An assessment of the impact of global culture on the UK fashion trends.

Research Aim: The research aims to analyse the impact of global culture on UK fashion trends.

• To analyse the impact of global culture on fashion and the perception of the consumers.
• To determine the effect of culture on fashion trends and emerging choices of silhouettes.
• To examine the ways in which the global culture has impacted the fashion trends in the UK.

Topic 4: The relationship of religion with the fashion choices of the consumers in the UK.

Research Aim: To analyse the relationship of religion with the fashion choices of the consumers in the UK.

• To analyse the influence of religion on the choice of clothing and fashion sense of the consumers.
• To evaluate the impact of religion on reinforcing tradition through fashion.
• To investigate the impact of religion on the individuality and fashion choices of consumers in the UK.

Topic 5: An assessment of the evolution of the fashion trends and colour choices in the UK.

Research Aim: The research aims to conduct an assessment of the evolution of the fashion trends and colour choices in the UK

• To analyse the evolution of fashion in the UK since the 1900s.
• To understand the factors impacting the colour choices of apparel in the UK
• To abases the factors impacting the evolution of fashion trends and colour choices in the UK.

Covid-19 Fashion and Culture Research Topics

Impacts of covid-19 on the fashion industry.

Research Aim: This study will highlight the impacts of coronavirus on the fashion industry

The role of the fashion industry during the Coronavirus pandemic

Research Aim: Covid-19 has disrupted all industries, including the fashion industry. All textile and luxury brands were paused during the global lockdown. This study will investigate how the fashion industry has contributed to combating the coronavirus pandemic.

Impacts of COVID-19 on people and their culture

Research Aim: The lockdown situation during the crisis of COVID-19 has affected the people and their culture. This study will address those issues and the role of the public in maintaining a safe environment.

Coronavirus and creative sector

Research Aim: This study will highlight the impacts of coronavirus on the creative sector, the planning, and innovations to overcome the consequences of COVID-19.

The future of fashion, cultural and creative sector after COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will predict the future of the fashion, cultural, and creative sectors after COVID-19 by highlighting the challenges, various methods to overcome those challenges.

Fashion and Culture Dissertation Topics for 2021

Topic 1: wool vs. synthetic wool.

Research Aim: This research aims to identify the difference between wool and synthetic wool

Topic 2: The growing popularity of natural fabrics

Research Aim: This research aims to address the growing popularity of the natural fabric

Topic 3: Fashion designing in demand

Research Aim: This research aims to evaluate the demand for fashion designing

Topic 4: Occasion Shopping Vs. Obsession with shopping

Research Aim: This research aims to evaluate occasion shopping and obsession with shopping

Topic 1: Analysing the role of fashion in re-shaping the western-cultural values: A case study of any western country.

Research Aim: Fashion has always played a significant role in everyone’s life. The research aims to analyse the role and importance of fashion in re-shaping and mould Western cultural values.

Topic 2: How modern fashion of the 21st century represents the political and cultural ideals of the current era

Research Aim: Since the last few decades, the fashion industry has played a prominent role in influencing cultural values. However, this research will be focusing on how the modern fashion of the 21st century represents the political and cultural ideals of the current era.

Topic 3: How has western culture influenced the living standards and preferences of Asian Consumers: A case study of Pakistan and India

Research Aim: The main aim of the research is to analyse and find out how western culture has influenced the living standards and buying preferences of Asian consumers. It is a well-researched argument that The Western world and its culture influence Asian consumers. Therefore, this research will be focusing on consumers of Pakistan and India and how their buy decisions might be affected by western culture.

Topic 4: Assessing the fashion trends of royal families around the world: Comparative analysis of the UK and Saudi Arabia

Research Aim: Royal families have always been subjected to classy fashion trends, creating an intense impression on the general public. The main focus of the research is to assess the fashion trends of royal families around the world with a specific focus on the UK and Saudi Arabia.

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Iconography Dissertation Topics

For centuries fashion has remained connected to the world of celebrities and music, reflecting ever-changing cultural trends. Iconography based dissertations may discuss the role of icons in fashion and art from a historical perspective.

The iconography subject primarily provides an insight into the celebrity culture to understand how they are used and portrayed to promote a certain fashion trend. Some interesting fashion and culture dissertation titles under this field of study are listed below:

• The involvement of affluent female consumers in the fashion industry
• Cultural modernity and fashion journalism in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai
• Alexander McQueen and the perception of fashion – A case study of the five fashion shows
• The impact of fashion journalism on the current fashion industry
• Mad for Madonna: The high and low fashions of Eighties pop culture
• Lady Gaga : Glamorous fashions of the music industry
• Selena Gomez : The teenage style icon for casual fashion
• Eminently Eminem: Fashions of the rapping culture
• James Dean and the Café Culture
• Beyond the Pink: (Post) Youth Iconography in Cinema
• Investigating the impact of celebrity culture on the fashion industry with a particular focus on females’ fashion clothing consumption
• Do celebrity-endorsed advertisements in fashion magazines influence the purchase intentions of generation Y?

Also Read: Psychology Dissertation Topics for 2021

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service , which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service !

History of Fashion Dissertation Topics

Charles Frederick Worth is the first known fashion designer who sewed his label into the garments, laying the foundation for the modern fashion industry, including individual designers, fashion houses and firms. Fashion history dissertations typically use pictorial analysis to draw specific comparisons between the fashion trends of different ages. There is a wide array of research topics to choose from in this very interesting and entertaining field of fashion and culture. Some fashion history dissertation topics are listed below to get you started without any further delays.

• Fashion and Technology: Major fashion trends of the 21st century
• The material culture of women’s accessories – Feminine display, race formation and middle-class performance (1825-1925)
• Investigating American fashion trends through the decades: 1950-2010
• Investigating British fashion trends through the decades: 1910-2010
• Cultural transformation: Feminism in the American fashion industry between 1930 and 1980
• Studying men’s fashion in Britain since 1800y
• How English wedding dresses have evolved over the years – The history and origins
• The impact of ethnic clothing on fashion trends in the UK
• Fools and jesters through the ages
• Women’s shoe fashion trends from 1700 to 2000
• Fifties fashions on the streets today
• Entering the era of liberalism: A closer look at the fashion trends of the 1920s

Fashion Design Dissertation Topics

Fashion designing can be described as the application of aesthetics and design to apparel and accessories. Both social and cultural factors influence fashion design which changes with place and time. In general, fashion designers’ responsibilities include but are not limited to designing apparel and accessories and anticipating varying consumer trends before the product is brought onto the market.

The primary aim of fashion designers is to design clothes that are functional and pleasing to the eye. Fashion design dissertations include research studies on the use of illegal material such as fur, regional styles and traditions, and the relationship between fashion design and leisure activities such as sports and theatre. Some interesting fashion design research questions can be explored in the following subjects:

• How the ball gown has evolved over the decades
• Fashion and Sports: The evolution of swimwear from early to modern
• The influence of Shetland’s textile culture on fashion design
• The modish Victorian challenge to design a bodice
• The eta of manmade dress material: 1900-2000
• Clothing of importance: The tuxedo and the suit since 1800
• Investigating the history and evolution of the hat
• Exploring the differences between UK urban and rural fashion design over the last two decades
• Historical importance of fur with respect to clothing
• Use of alternative materials for clothing

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Children’s Apparel Dissertation Topics

Any form of clothing designed specifically for children can be categorized as children’s apparel. It should be noted that children’s clothing is almost always more sensual and funky than adult clothing. In recent times, gender-based children’s clothing has attracted substantial attention in the world of fashion.

Nonetheless, children’s fashion is an extremely diverse and imaginative market that presents attractive business opportunities. Children’s fashion incorporates emblematic and symbolic imagery – especially relating to the fairytale, folk-lore, and hero-worship, more than any other type of Western clothing. Below are listed some key debates, ideas and discussions which would make enjoyable and  challenging research topics :

• Modern sociology of children and consumption
• Investigating the clothing needs of children with disabilities
• A qualitative study about fashion trends in Western children clothing
• Moral Failure: How media portrays teen girls as a symbol of sex
• School uniforms designs – Society’s attitudes and perceptions
• Embracing ambiguity in the historiography of children’s dress
• Sweet girls and cool boys – A qualitative study to understand the relationship between children’s clothing and gender
• The origin of the motif
• Chains, T-Shirts, and baggy trousers: The meaning of skateboard culture
• Halloween: Fashion and the children’s imagination
• Superheroes: Symbolism and representation in fantastic fashions

Fashion Entrepreneurship Dissertation Topics

A person who owns and possesses a fashion idea, venture or enterprise is a fashion entrepreneur. The activities of a fashion entrepreneur are confined within the boundaries of the fashion industry.

Creating knowledge-sharing platforms and addressing structural and social issues are some of the most important fashion entrepreneurship elements. Starting a new fashion business can be extremely daunting, especially if the economic climate is not suitable. There is a wide array of dissertation topics available under this particular field of study:

• Analyzing fashion design entrepreneurship – Challenges and Opportunities
• Factors affecting the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK fashion and culture industry – A case study of any five enterprises
• The impact of digital marketing on the performance of small and medium scale fashion business organisations in the UK
• Studying iconic women entrepreneurs engaged in the fashion industry
• Fashion enterprise and entrepreneurship education – Guidance for potential fashion entrepreneurs
• Developing a viable business plan for a fashion brand
• The making of the female entrepreneur in the world of fashion
• To study the failure and success factors affecting apparel businesses.
• The importance of the role of trade fairs in the international fashion business
• Social media marketing for luxury fashion brands
• Contemporary issues in fashion marketing

Important Notes:

As a fashion and culture student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing fashion and culture theories – i.e., to add value and interest in your research topic.

Fashion and culture are vast and interrelated to many other academic disciplines like civil engineering ,  construction ,  law , and even  healthcare . That is why it is imperative to create a fashion and culture dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic based on your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in  writing your dissertation , as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best fashion and culture dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample fashion and culture dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your Fashion and Culture Dissertation

A well-structured   dissertation can help students   to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can  also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review :  This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analyzing published and unpublished literature on the chosen research topic to address  research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths while identifying research gaps. Break down the topic and key terms that can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology: The  data collection  and  analysis  methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes  research design,  research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods and  data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis: Findings of the research are analyzed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include  graphs ,  charts  and  tables  in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and Conclusion:  The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is establishing the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References:  Make sure to complete this by your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices: Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to  complete the dissertation  but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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How to find fashion and culture dissertation topic.

To discover a fashion and culture dissertation topic:

• Analyze cultural influences on fashion.
• Explore historical and contemporary trends.
• Consider cultural appropriation debates.
• Investigate sustainability in fashion.
• Examine fashion’s role in identity.
• Select a topic resonating with your passion and research scope.

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Fashion Dissertation Topics: 25+ Ideas and Examples

by  Antony W

April 21, 2022

Culture and fashion intersect to a great degree, and this is a great area to study and write a dissertation on. So if you’re interested in examining the relationship between culture and fashion and the role the two play in the human life, you should explore the best fashion dissertation topics, identify the topic idea that interests you, and present your research in your dissertation project.

The most important rule when choosing a dissertation topic in culture and fashion is to focus on a subject that reflects your concerns and interest. It also helps to ensure that the topic you choose merges well into the current trends and focuses on key areas.  

It’s important to note that the link between fashion and culture is complex and dynamic. Given that diversity, you will need to implement sociological and psychological research.

In this dissertation topics series, we look at some examples of topics that are worth looking at in the culture-fashion field.

Fashion Dissertation Topics

We’ve divided the following sections into categories to make it easy for you to identify the area you would find interesting to explore in your work.

Iconography Topics for Dissertation Research

• Trying to keep up with the Kardashians: The Kardashians’ effect on the fashion industry is being tracked
• Imagining Monroe: A look back at one of the world’s most stylish ladies
• Fashioning the Elite: What Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn’s lifelong friendship contributed to the fashion industry
• ‘Pride and Prejudice’: how Austen continues to captivate designers’ minds today.
• What Elvis gave to the fashion world: glitz, glam, and an increasing girth.
• Gender fluidity: Investigating the importance of androgynous fashion icons
• If appearances could kill: Kylie Minogue and the pop princess image.

Co-creation in the Fashion Industry

• To what degree has digital technology aided in the global fashion industry’s co-creation?
• Is the ‘culture of co-creation’ in the fashion industry the way of the future?
• ‘None of us are as strong as all of us,’ says the fashion industry on co-creation.
• Co-creation via social media: A fashion industry case study
• What is the function of co-creators’ culture in SME fashion brands?

History of Fashion Dissertation Topics

• A discussion of 1970s fashion icons and what they contributed to the fashion industry
• How fashion in the 1980s reflected political and cultural beliefs of the period.
• Royal attire and the many identities of rulers across the world
• Material marriages: The origins and evolution of the English wedding gown
• The effect of vintage clothes on today’s fashion business is discussed in this article.

Fashion Topics on Clothing, Leisure and Place

• Shakespearean theatre and the aesthetic image: how Shakespearean plays influence current fashion trends
• Changing Times: The closure of the rural-urban fashion divide during the previous century
• The uniform: the history and transformation of school uniforms in the United Kingdom during the last century
• Celebrity fashion influence: an examination of celebrity-endorsed design lines
• What is the function of the heel? A look back at the history of high-heeled shoes in fashion

Children’s Clothing Fashion Dissertation Topics

• Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and the trendy imagination are the essence of the fairy tale.
• A critical examination of the controversies around promiscuity and children’s clothes
• T-shirts, chains, and baggy pants: In children’s fashion, the meaning of skateboard culture
• Is children’s dress representative of current societal values? Children’s clothes from the Victorian era to the current day is being studied.
• Return to nature: The incorporation of natural-world emblems and symbols into modern fashion.
• “If everyone else can do it, why can’t we?” An examination of the impact of fashion advertisement on children

Dissertation Topics on Sex, Body, and Presentation in Fashion

• Adoration and adornment: A critical examination of the significance of body art and piercing in Western civilizations
• Fashion and religion: An investigation into the issues about appropriate dress
• The real and the subversive: Mannequins and models have been used since the 1960s.
• Dressing monks and nuns through the centuries is a lifelong practice.
• To what extent is modern fashion concerned with appearing nice naked?
• Have transgender models had an impact on mainstream fashion design?

Material and Designs Fashion Dissertation Topics

• The impact of health and safety, as well as the expansion of gender shifting roles, are all factors to consider when it comes to public service attire.
• Materials that matter: an examination of the shifting usage of materials during the nineteenth century
• The morality and appeal of natural textiles such as leather and cotton are currently being debated.
• Statements made by accessories: How diverse materials have influenced accessory styles.
• From the 1990s to the present, distressed fashion and damaged garments have been popular.

COVID-19 Impact on Creative Industries

• What role did digital advancements play in assisting the creative sectors throughout the pandemic?
• Examine new crossovers in culture, education, and health resulting from the COVID epidemic.
• Why did COVID have such a detrimental impact on the creative industries compared to many other sectors?
• Investigate students’ perspectives on employment opportunities in the fashion industry following COVID-19.

Fashion Entrepreneurship Dissertation Topics

• Describe the variables influencing the performance of small and medium-sized firms in the cultural and fashion industries in the United Kingdom.
• Discuss the obstacles or concerns that fashion entrepreneurs encounter.
• Fashion design entrepreneurship: Required skills and a solution Starting a business
• Contribution of fashion entrepreneurship on the country’s economic growth
• Education in fashion entrepreneurship: A handbook for aspiring fashion entrepreneurs
• What criteria should you consider before starting a new fashion firm in the United States or the United Kingdom?
• For luxury fashion firms, social media marketing is the most successful method.

Good Fashion Dissertation Topics

• The effect of fashion on the young generation as a result of celebrity lives and movies they watch
• What is the difference between a fashion brand’s brand image and brand identity, and how does it benefit entrepreneurs in today’s market?
• Analysis and examination of the history of the hat and how it has evolved over the ages with new designs
• Since the early 1800s, a chronological examination and study of men and women’s fashion has been conducted
• Nuns’ and monks’ clothes and style during the last few decades
• In today’s society, does luxury apparel necessitate good social media marketing?
• What films, both past and present, have had a significant effect on society in terms of fashion?

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Fashion refers to the popular and distinctive styles, trends, and choices in clothing, accessories, and personal grooming that individuals adopt as a form of self-expression. students must explore the various aspects of the fashion industry, its impact on society, and its intersection with culture and identity while selecting fashion dissertation topics .

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How can you select the best fashion dissertation topic.

Fashion is a popular form of expression of style or clothing that varies in place and time. The fashion industry is an interesting field of study that encompasses the aesthetic sense of different people in different regions of the world. Selecting the best fashion dissertation topic includes a thorough assessment of various aspects to ensure the connection and accuracy of the examination. One strategy is to investigate sustainable fashion disse rtation topics to explore the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Moreover, research topics in fashion and textiles offer opportunities to explore innovative trends and sustainability in fabric development in the fashion industry.

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Guidelines For Writing a Dissertation on Fashion Designing

When writing a dissertation on fashion design, there are many important guidelines to follow. First, you should choose a topic that you are interested in. Also, you should consider the limits of the study area. A dissertation on fashion design can involve research on many different aspects of the field. For example, fashion problems are often connected to broader social and economic issues. You should mention these in your proposal.

Research methods in fashion design

Understanding the research methods involved in fashion design is essential for professionals working in the industry. During the design process, there are three main stages to complete: a research proposal that describes the topic and research methods, the research project itself, and the written research report. The research proposal should include the purpose of the research, working definitions, and a review of the literature. The research project should also document the results, including implications.

Primary research aims to gather unique data about the market, including consumer demand. This method is labour-intensive but rewards a high quality of data. It allows businesses to observe consumers in their natural environments to better understand what they want. In some cases, it can identify areas for growth and new markets. In other cases, it helps identify customer segments.

Research in the fashion industry

Research in the fashion industry includes a variety of subjects, including apparel design, clothing economics, clothing history, and consumer behaviour. Besides studying the needs of consumers, research also helps fashion entities develop marketing plans. This allows them to improve their products and services based on the needs of their consumers.

Creating a research paper title

The first step in writing a fashion dissertation is to come up with a topic. The topic should be something related to your subject area or niche. It should also be something that readers would be interested in reading. Moreover, it should be something that would allow you to present your ideas and arguments, and also allow you to conduct research and analyze data on the topic. A good dissertation topic for fashion designing would have a wide research scope, include a significant amount of references, and be relevant and informative.

Once you’ve come up with a general topic, you’ll need to come up with a specific thesis statement. The thesis statement is crucial in this process, as it guides the direction of your essay. Make sure to think deeply about your topic and come up with a statement that captures the theme of your dissertation.

Choosing a topic for your dissertation on fashion design

Choosing a topic for your dissertation on fashion design depends on how well you understand the subject. How to Write a Dissertation in Fashion Marketing? You should be able to pinpoint the gaps in your research and choose a topic that will communicate your idea effectively. As a rule of thumb, a dissertation title should be catchy, short, and attractive to the reader.

Choosing a topic that suits your interests

When writing a dissertation, it is vital to choose a topic that reflects your interests and needs. It is important to choose a topic that is challenging yet allows you to express your personal opinions. For example, you might choose to write about the ancient history of fashion or the latest trends. However, you must keep in mind the demands of your teacher.

One of the most important rules when writing a dissertation on fashion design is to choose fashion dissertation topics that you are interested in. It can be difficult to write a dissertation about a topic that does not interest you. You can choose to write about trends in the fashion industry or a specific niche of the industry.

Creating a dissertation proposal

A dissertation proposal is a summary of the important aspects of your research. It also outlines the structure of your thesis. It should be specific and define the area of focus for your research. If you are looking to do research in the field of fashion, a dissertation proposal can help you define your topic and direction. Whether you want to investigate student fashion, pets, or men’s neckwear, you’ll need to create a proposal that clearly states your research question.

In writing a dissertation proposal, make sure to be concise and avoid complex language. Remember that your reader is not an expert on the subject; you need to be able to explain your work in a manner that your supervisor can understand. In some cases, your proposal may need to contain additional bits, such as a personal development objective or a structural outline. It’s also a good idea to check the brief for additional requirements.

Jesse Pinkman is a research-based content writer, who works for Cognizantt, a globally recognised  wordpress development agency uk  and Research Prospect, a  Tjenester til at skrive afhandlinger og essays . Jesse Pinkman holds a PhD degree in mass communication. He loves to express his views on a range of issues including education, technology, and more

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100+ Fashion Dissertation Topics and Ideas – 2024

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Your love for designs and passion for stitching brought you to your dream fashion institute. But you had the least expectations that here you may also have to write a dissertation paper. Well, this is the reality, whether you like it or not.

Now, instead of procrastinating, it is better that you start working on the dissertation as soon as possible.

It is understandable if you have questions regarding the same keep reading this blog to the end. It intends to give you an overall idea of doing a fashion dissertation alongside highlighting the core areas of the dissertation and the most relevant topics for you.

So, let’s get started.

Fashion and Its Importance

Although fashion is fleeting and doesn’t significantly contribute to social progress, it does fulfil two essential needs for most people.

The first is the need for “acceptance.” People often make snap judgments about others based on their appearance, including their clothing, hairstyle, footwear, and behaviour in public. Individuals may face rejection if they do not possess desirable qualities that align with societal norms.

The second is “novelty”. Creating a new fashion trend or adopting an established one is always welcomed and valued by society. People with these traits are seen to be progressive, trendy, and up-to-date, whereas society labels others who do not adhere to these trends as orthodox.

This should explain why research is important in fashion.

Significance of Research in the Fashion Industry

The fashion industry might look very glittery afar, but it is not always about the glitz.

As a fashion designer, your primary focus should stay on how to make beautiful fashion trends and live up to modern fashion needs. But alongside, you must also ensure you have the technical knowledge of the market, and only then will you taste real success. So, a fashion dissertation will be the perfect medium of digging deep using data and analysis techniques.

Moreover, the fashion industry is constantly changing and getting better, it is important to constantly evaluate your competition. Therefore, you must constantly be on the lookout for fresh trends.

Your final semester research paper will help you better understand your area of interest by letting you know what you can do and what work has previously been done in the field.

On that note, let’s discuss the scope for fashion dissertations and research.

• Evolution of Fashion

The late 1700s and the early 1800s saw the creation of some of the earliest examples of fashion design. For the French Queen Marie Antoinette, a dressmaker was employed. She ultimately decided to create her own store in Paris, where she sold her work to locals. The French Revolution caused her to flee to London, which jeopardised her fashion career.

The art of fashion involves designing various clothing items such as shirts, dresses, skirts, and trousers and selecting accessories, colour schemes, and materials to create a complete appearance. Fashion designers have different collections, but all follow a similar design philosophy. The ancient Egyptians and Romans were pioneers in perfecting their appearance and designing specialised clothing items to showcase their status, wealth, or profession. For instance, Roman ladies wore Pallas, shawls draped over their heads, while the men wore Togas, circular garments draped over their bodies.

Fashion design is thought to have started in the 19th century with a man named Charles Frederick Worth who sewed his own label sewed into apparel that he designed.

Worth decided on the course that fashion would soon take. Soon, the practice of designing began to grow, with artists creating sketches of garments for potential clients. These sketches are now created by designers who then create clothing samples for interested parties to try on. The affluent clientele ultimately decides if they want the item created based on these sketches.

Here’s a glimpse of the fashion through the years –

• The Social and Cultural Impact of Fashion

Fashion plays a number of roles in society since it has integrated seamlessly into human civilisation. When a farmer is seen wearing skin-tight pants, it is clear that fashion has affected the village’s residents as well as the community at large. On the other side, if celebrities and other Haute couture designers are influenced by the ethnic clothing of a certain region, then society has influenced fashion and vice versa.

According to a recent study, more than 50% of the younger crowd closely follows the most recent fashion trends. They are also the ones that buy first and help a new fashion design become fashionable.

But everything has a positive and negative side. So does fashion. The same is discussed below –

Positive Impacts of Fashion

• The ever-evolving fashion trends foster an environment of healthy competition that motivates the following generation of fashion designers and other related professionals to put in a lot of effort and produce innovative and relevant new ideas.
• It opens up new work prospects for a large number of aspiring fashion students.
• The wearer’s appearance is improved by the modern, fashionable formal attire, which also gives the wearer the assurance needed to perform well, particularly in an interview.
• An average individual might become extraordinary thanks to the latest fashion trend.
• In order to avoid being unrecognised, it provides the wearer with identification.
• Last but not least, it offers a chance to meld many cultures and traditions.

Negative Impacts of Fashion

• Traditional design and accompanying culture are vanishing as a result of an obsessive focus on the latest fashion trends.
• The Western fashion culture has a far greater impact on the younger generations.
• The latest fashion trends, which are largely influenced by Western and Bollywood culture, cause confusion in the minds of the younger generations, leading to a lot of them engaging in antisocial behaviour.
• These new fashion trends also impact younger generations’ psychology; hence, if they do not adopt them, it negatively impacts their minds and increases their likelihood of developing psychological problems.

Ethical and Sustainable Considerations in Fashion

Ethical and sustainable fashion is a method of sourcing, manufacturing, and designing clothing that focuses on providing benefits to the industry and society while minimising environmental harm. Ethical and sustainable fashion begins in cotton fields and ends in the consumer’s wardrobe.

Sustainability is no longer simply a theory; it is a way to conduct business. Ecological and ethical fashion forerunners include companies like NOIR and Stella McCartney. Nowadays, a lot of businesses have adopted and incorporated the idea of sustainability. These businesses are aware that integrating issues related to society and the environment into their operations will benefit them in the long run.

Today, blogs, ethical fashion forums, and fashion shows are all centred on the idea of sustainable fashion. Profits and business are both factors in going green. It’s crucial for companies that promote sustainable and ethical fashion to honour their pledge. By doing so, they may uphold the business’s ethical standards and gain the confidence of the customer.

Explore Our Trendy Dissertation Topics to Write a Fashion Thesis with Flair

Whether you want to craft a flawless paper on the evolution of luxury brands or the cultural importance of streetwear, choosing the right topic is important. To make things easier, you can take a look at our collection to choose fashion dissertation topics that resonate with your passion and scholarly pursuits effectively.

Check This Fashion Dissertation Example

Fashion and Technology

Technological advancements in both design and manufacturing have made it possible to develop new materials and production methods. This has led to innovative fashion designs and the use of more environmentally friendly materials. Social media and online shopping have completely transformed the way consumers find and buy clothing. Virtual try-on technology has changed the way they choose what to buy. High street retail is no longer dominating the shopping process, and this shift may be irreversible. Fashion companies now rely on social media channels to promote their products and engage with customers.

Advancement of technology has brought in the following innovations in the fashion industry –

• Clothing and accessories made using 3D printing now feature detailed and complicated designs that weren’t possible to make with conventional production techniques.
• Thanks to technology, it is now possible to make biodegradable materials, which can be utilised to make more environmentally friendly and long-lasting clothing and accessories.
• With the help of technology, one can now create recycled materials such as recovered polyester and repurposed plastic. These materials can be used to produce eco-friendly clothing and accessories.
• With the ability to make personalised prints on cloth, digital printing enables designers to produce distinctive and striking designs.

Fashion and Globalisation

Globalisation has allowed consumers in Western countries to access a wide range of clothing options from large retailers who can easily update their inventory, negotiate international trade agreements, and easily distribute products worldwide. As a result, consumers tend to be more interested in corporate brands such as Nike, Victoria’s Secret, or Abercrombie & Fitch rather than the actual clothing itself. These brands use extravagant, pervasive, and hyper-visible marketing on high-tech electronic media to spread images of sex appeal, athletic prowess, coolness, or carefree happiness that consumers want to buy. However, the impact of globalisation on fashion creation is not as obvious.

Fashion images spread rapidly across the world through various media channels such as magazines, music videos, movies, the internet, and television, creating a global style that surpasses national and cultural borders. Blue jeans, T-shirts, sports shoes, and baseball caps are now worn by people all over the world, from Manhattan to African villages. The fashion systems of Asia, Africa, and the West all borrow stylistic and textile elements from each other. In rich countries, large malls offer a wide range of these fashion styles to customers of all ages, genders, races, careers, and subcultures, resembling modern global bazaars.

Fashion and Body Positivity

One of the biggest protests against the fashion industry’s lack of diversity and favourable self-images is the body positivity movement. The body positivity movement opposes how society promotes unattainable beauty standards and upholds the notion that all people should have a positive body image. The movement promotes the portrayal of all ethnicities, genders, sizes, and physical abilities.

The majority of models used by the fashion industry to promote new collections in publications, on TV and other media, and on catwalks have been young, female, and of the white, slender, and feminine kind. Sample-sized clothing in the fashion industry is normally between a size 0 and 4, which is not indicative of the regular body type. People began rebelling when studies and numbers began to emerge, demonstrating how people were being adversely affected by all of this.

The movement for body positivity is not the first to call for accepting all body forms. One of the earliest of its kind, the Victorian Dress Reform Movement, which took place between the 1850s and the 1890s, sought to eliminate the practice of forcing women to alter their bodies through the use of corsets. Women also pushed for the right to wear trousers at this time.

But today, the positivity movement is at its peak. Around the globe, models are working in the fashion industry of all shapes, sizes, and colours. Dresses are being made to suit all body types. The idea is to make everybody feel included. The most amazing fact is that today influencers are making a career out of it.

E-commerce and the Fashion Industry

The fashion industry is a major contributor to the global economy and has seen significant growth through eCommerce. With more companies going digital each day, competition in niche sectors is on the rise. This expansion surprises many, as the industry’s growth and sales have been impressive. The retail industry’s top priorities are exploring trends to boost sales and developing lead-generation strategies.

The fashion industry is experiencing major changes due to factors such as globalisation, technological advancements, and shifts in consumer behaviour. This article analyses relevant data and factors that will greatly affect the eCommerce fashion industry in 2022 and beyond to provide insight into its current and future state.

Fashion eCommerce pertains to the buying and selling of clothing and accessories through online platforms. This has provided a means of livelihood and has elevated the fashion industry among sellers, designers, producers, and merchants. The convenience and benefits of eCommerce have made it popular among retailers and consumers, especially during times of lockdown due to the pandemic.

The areas discussed above are the most relevant research areas in the field of fashion. You can also go for something else, like material selection for fashion, but the only advice for you is to make sure whichever area you choose is relevant enough to the industry’s needs.

The Most Relevant Fashion Dissertation Topic.

35 interesting fashion dissertation topics.

• Fashion trends’ development in the 20th and 21st centuries.
• The effect of social media on marketing tactics in the fashion business.
• Influencers and fashion bloggers’ impact on consumer behaviour.
• The relevance of traditional dress in non-western cultures.
• The moral implications of rapid fashion and its environmental effects.
• The origins of haute couture and how it influenced modern fashion.
• How did the fashion scene of the 1990s start?
• What kind of fashion sense was exhibited by the youth of the 1960s?
• Are leather clothes progressively disappearing from the scene?
• What is the evolution of leather jackets’ history?
• Do animals play a significant role in the fashion industry? How far is it acceptable?
• How did ties and bow ties come into being?
• The psychology of cross-dressing: What is causing such high levels of transgender activity in contemporary society?
• During the Cold War, opulent and royal fashions were popular.
• Describe the impact of the media on what individuals dress.
• What connection exists between fine art and expensive clothing?
• What effect is the LGBTQ community having on the modern fashion industry?
• How music has inspired Fenny Beauty’s effective operation is the subject of an icon case study.
• How much of an impact do celebrities have on fashion trends: Beyoncé as a case study
• Exceptional fashion brands’ Effects on prevailing fashion trends
• Looking at whether the entry of designer goods in the fashion market has made them more affordable or if there is a market leak.
• The development of high-ankle boots and leather
• Lady Diana’s dress choice and its impact on society at the time
• How is the modern smartphone influencing young fashion?
• Is Justin Bieber the newest teen superstar and youth fashion icon?
• Which old and new films have had a significant impact on society’s sense of style?
• The impact of haute fashion on street style.
• The psychology of fashion choices made by consumers.
• Celebrity endorsements function in the fashion industry.
• Political events’ effects on fashion trends.
• Nostalgia’s impact on current fashion trends.
• The connection between art and fashion.
• Social movements’ effects on current fashion trends.
• The development of menswear.
• The portrayal of diversity in media and advertising for fashion.
• The part gender plays in the fashion world and how it affects consumer behaviour.

Fashion and Culture Dissertation Topics for 2024 

• How is fashion reshaping western cultural values? Could you share your thoughts on it?
• What is the reason for the increasing demand for natural fabric in 2021?
• Impact of COVID-19 on the fashion industry
• Difference between occasional shopping and obsession with shopping.
• Comparative analysis of the fashion of royal families around the world.
• The role of the fashion industry during coronavirus pandemic
• The strong influence of western culture on political and cultural ideas of the current era
• Influence of traditional wears on a society
• Determine the relationship between culture, fashion and identity
• Influence of western fashion on people across the globe
• Share a significant connection between fashion and religion.
• Crossover trends in the fashion industry
• Influence of celebrations on the fashion industry
• Impact of ethnic clothing on fashion trends in the UK and USA.
• Tracing the social and cultural history of fashion to examine the fashion of modernity n the 21st century
• Analyzing the clothing of reputable fashion writers
• How eastern countries are adopting western fashion trends
• The evolution of fashion trends in Eastern countries
• Influence of western culture on the preferences and living standards of Asian consumers
• Fashion trend introduces by the members of famous brands The Beatles.

Iconography Dissertation Topics 

• Influence of celebrity culture on high street fashion
• The unique look of the Sixties and Beatle Mania
• The rise of the sneaker
• The role of plastic surgery play in the formation of an icon
• List of celebrities as fashion icons
• James Dean and the café culture
• Personal signature looks of iconic fashion models
• Punk, The Sex Pistols and Westwood
• Why Kylie Minogues is known to have the image of the pop princess
• Mad for Madonna: The high and low fashions of eighties pop culture
• Fashion revolution bought by Audrey Hepburn in the society
• Do you find Justin Bieber is the fashion youth for the teenagers
• Evolution of ball gown in the society
• The little black dress of Audrey Hepburn
• Elizabeth Taylor: Queen of diamonds
• Iconic feminine dress of Grace Kelly
• Katherine Hepburn: The first lady of princess
• Laurel Bacall’s seductiveness in pencil skirts, pleated trousers, blazers and silk blouses
• Madonna: Costume culture
• Marilyn Monroe: The Seven year Itch look

Fashion Design Dissertation Topics 

• The historical importance of fur in the fashion industry
• Influence of digital marketing tools on the modern fashion world
• Tuxedo and the suite since 1980
• The evolution of swimwear from early to modern wear
• The evolution of ball gown from the decades
• Use of alternative materials for clothing
• The modish Victorian challenge to design a bodice
• Check Vs. Plaid
• Bright street style trends
• Textile and apparel resting
• The emergence of T-shorts
• Nylon- Most ravishing fashion innovation
• The origin of maxi and mini skirts
• Why do you think leather garments are going out of existence?
• The concept of school dresses and designing
• Evolution of beach-wear
• How do you think Sari came into existence
• Investigate the decline of the tie
• How is formal wear becoming less prevalent in workplaces?
• The origin of the waistcoat

Children’s Apparel Dissertation Topics 

• Twinning or mini-me trends
• Unisex trends
• Floral prints
• Asymmetrical cut dresses
• The role of a smartphone with designing fashion trends among children
• Academic dress in the education arena
• The demand of hair accessories like hair tiaras, hairpins, hair bands for children
• Street style
• Warm looks with embroidery
• Impact of COVID-19 on children’s apparel
• Ocean and sea themes for children’s apparel
• Preference for easy movement, convenience and comfort in children’s apparel
• Down Syndrome Toddlers: New face of UK fashion brand
• Do you think personalised baby clothing is making its way to the forefront in the market?
• Demand for organic clothing for young ones
• Why are people shifting from fast fashion to children’s wear?
• The obsession of trying adult look in children’s fashion wear
• Boho-chic swimming costumes for the summer season
• The origin of the motif

Fashion Entrepreneurship Dissertation Topics

• State the factors affecting the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the culture industry and UK fashion. Explain it with a case study of any five enterprises.
• Analyse iconic women entrepreneurs in the fashion industry
• Developing a viable business plan for a fashion board
• Social media marketing is the most effective tool for luxury fashion brands.
• Fashion marketing and its contemporary issues
• Describe the making of a female entrepreneur in the world of fashion
• Challenges and opportunities of fashion design entrepreneurship
• The role of trade fairs in the international fashion business
• Discuss the challenges or issues faced by entrepreneurs in the fashion industry
• The role of women in today’s fashion trends
• Discuss the success and failure factors that are affecting the apparel business
• Fashion entrepreneurship education: A guide on potential fashion entrepreneurs
• The role of entrepreneurship in the fashion industry
• Fashion design entrepreneurship: Necessary skills and solution for Creating a business
• How clothes are becoming a way of showing the class of a person
• Popular fashion trends followed by top entrepreneurs
• What factors to consider for opening a new fashion business in the US or UK?
• Influence of digital marketing tools on the growth of small businesses
• Entering the era of liberalism: A closer look at the fashion trends of 1920s
• Contribution of fashion entrepreneurship to the economic growth of the country

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Fashion retail supply chain'

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Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Fashion retail supply chain.'

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Fabricio, de Barros Viktor, and Stina Johnson. "A Framework for RFID Compatibility in a Fashion Retail Supply Chain : A Case Study in a Swedish Fashion Retailer." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Företagsekonomi, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-172810.

Panja, Manjusha. "Sustainability Integration in the Fashion Retail Industry." Thesis, KTH, Industriell Management, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-240293.

Raksawong, Boon-arak. "The effects of creolisation on Thai fashion consumers, retailers and their supply chain." Thesis, University of Gloucestershire, 2015. http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/4258/.

Colesky, Yolanda. "Investigating sustainable supply chain practices within the luxury brand market." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14917.

Pooe, Boitumelo. "Development of an effective and sustainable supply-chain-management model for South African fashion designers in the retail clothing industry." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/3119.

GRENMARK, OSKAR, and DANIEL OHLSSON. "Applying a model for lateral transshipments in fast-fashion retail." Thesis, KTH, Industriell Management, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-237236.

Costin-Weiterschan, Saskia, and Chrysoula Matiou. "Value Stream in the Reverse Supply Chain : Case Study of the Second-Hand Concept of a Swedish Multi-Brand Fashion Retailer." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-12584.

GÓMEZ, SANTIAGO, and ALEKSANDRA KOROŚCIK. "Improvement of Store Operations in the fast fashion industry : A case study of how a leading fashion retailer can adapt to transformations coming from growing efficiency requirements and rapidly changing technology." Thesis, KTH, Industriell Management, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-189741.

Vlist, Pieter van der. "Synchronizing the retail supply chain." [Rotterdam] : Rotterdam : Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), Erasmus University Rotterdam ; Erasmus University [Host], 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1765/10418.

Hansson, Maria. "What impact has a fast fashion strategy on fashion companies´ supply chain management?" Thesis, Högskolan i Halmstad, Sektionen för ekonomi och teknik (SET), 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-16570.

Hsu, Stephanie K. (Stephanie Karen) 1976. "Supply chain optimization in a retail environment." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/84354.

Truong, Vincent Xu-Hao, and Yu Zhou. "Supply chain postponement strategy in a SME fashion supply chain : Case study of Unibrands." Thesis, Jönköping University, Jönköping University, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-6776.

Unibrands is a small company that has implemented a postponement strategy without knowing it. However, they have not implemented completely because they do not know the theories behind it. This report is an attempt to understand and analyze the problems of the implementation of postponement in the supply chain of Unibrands, in terms of examining the theoretical succeeds factors of postponement implementation in the case of Unibrands.The purpose is to determine what type of postponement strategy the supply chain use and what factors can hinder the use of postponement strategy in a SME fashion supply chain by applying an qualitative research approach. The collection of empirical data was through the interview guide approach in which we used meetings and telephone interviews with people representing Unibrands and their contact trading company. The results of this research can be concluded in few perspectives. Unibrands is imple-menting postponement in an improper format, with the results of several gaps in the supply chain related to the success factor in postponement. The request for the fully customization in colors and materials, the bottleneck of relationship developing which is caused by factory manager,  complicated procedures for sample testing, and lack of knowledge of different relationships in the supply chain. Postponement is never perfect, but for Unibrands some problems could very well hinder the efficiency in the supply chain. Solutions are proposed to solve the problems in chain. The proposals suggest re-lationship improvement and information sharing. In addition, culture adaptation by in-volving the right people in the right process.

Lee, Daton. "Supply chain relationships in apparel retail product development." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2002. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3131/.

Purvis, Laura. "Agile supply chain management in the UK fashion sector." Thesis, Edinburgh Napier University, 2010. http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3839.

SRINIVASAN, KRISHNA. "DESIGNING AN OPTIMAL SUPPLY CHAIN FOR A FAST GROWING SPECIALTY RETAIL CHAIN." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2001. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin990729979.

Magalhães, Vera Juliana e. Pais de. "Efficiency analysis of a retail stores chain of fashion & accessories." Master's thesis, Universidade de Aveiro, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/21554.

Terblanche, Lee-Anne. "Supply chain planning : processes of a sports retail company." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97148.

Pretorius, S. J. J. "Effective supply chain management in the furniture retail industry." Thesis, Pretoria : [s.n.], 2001. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-01092003-135824.

Jin, Huiping M. Eng Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Brad Gilligan. "SKU segmentation strategy for a global retail supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/92114.

Dalkilic, Veysel Ugur. "A supply chain approach to shelf space allocation." Auburn, Ala., 2007. http://repo.lib.auburn.edu/2007%20Spring%20Theses/DALKILIC_VEYSEL_28.pdf.

Wu, Jianling. "Supply chain management in selected clothing retail businesses / Jianling Wu." Thesis, North-West University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/647.

Sharkey, John P. (John Phillip) 1977. "Customer targeting and micro-marketing in a retail supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/34782.

Arthur, Sherman M. "Sustainable Supply Chain: Maintaining a Competitive Advantage in Retail Organizations." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4123.

Oppong, George. "The role of strategic supply chain management in liquor retail." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/895.

Åkers, Josephine. "Driving fashion with data : A qualitative study of how buying firms in the buyer-driven fashion supply chain can benefit from a digitized supply chain reconfiguration." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-15745.

JOHANSSON, ELEONOR. "Slow fashion : the answer for a sustainable fashion industry?" Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Textilhögskolan, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-20182.

Larsson, Jonas. "Mass customised fashion : development and testing of a responsive supply chain for mass customised fashion garments." Doctoral thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Textilhögskolan, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-3595.

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Almeida, Ricardo Brito. "As diferenças do supply chain de moda entre as coleções tradicionais e o fast fashion: um estudo dos desafios e ações empreendidas pelas empresas têxteis que atuam no início da cadeia produtiva de moda." Universidade de São Paulo, 2016. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/100/100133/tde-14032016-234858/.

García, Castillo Jorge M. Eng Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Effects and mitigation of natural hazards in retail networks." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/117797.

Nendén, Peter, and Avdyl Shala. "Postponement in Retail Supply Chain Management : A systematic data gathering survey." Thesis, Internationella Handelshögskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping, IHH, Centre of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-18815.

Freiheit, Julia. "Smart customers and retail promotions : empirical evidence and supply chain implications /." Wiesbaden : Dt. Univ.-Verl, 2001. http://www.gbv.de/du/services/toc/bs/332841642.

Suryawanshi, Yogeshwar D. (Yogeshwar Dattatraya), and Thomas Hsien. "Multi-echelon inventory management for a fresh produce retail supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/61188.

Jacobs, Ryan (Ryan Lee). "Methods for predicting inventory levels in a segmented retail supply chain." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99028.

Chandrika, Vedurmudi Shruti. "A Simulation Based Inventory Optimization Heuristic for a Retail Supply Chain." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1439309194.

Bowen, Craig Andrew. "The effect of mass retail buying practises on competitiveness in the retail value chain." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/29396.

Andersson, Gabriella, and Eva Jonsson. "Transport Cartons' Impact on Supply Chain Efficiency." Thesis, KTH, Industriell ekonomi och organisation (Inst.), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-261675.

Jordan, Alicja, and Louise Bonde Rasmussen. "The role of blockchain technology for transparency in the fashion supply chain." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23191.

Sajad, Veismoradi. "How Different Parts of the Supply Chain Act in Fashion Industry in Iran." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Textilhögskolan, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-20857.

Drauz, Ralf, and Daniel Handel. "Impacts of RFID on the Information Exchange in a Retail Supply Chain." Thesis, Växjö University, School of Management and Economics, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:vxu:diva-1079.

Tansoy, Dilek, and Yi Linn Teo. "Supply chain network considerations for e-retail of luxury goods in Canada." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/77468.

Hultberg, Emelie. "Upscaling Circular Business Models in Fashion Retail Value Chains." Licentiate thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-26225.

Delvis finansierat av Handelsbankens forskningsstiftelser (Jan Wallander and Tom Hedelius Foundation, Tore Browalds Foundation)

Ollhoff, Barbara Jean. "A study to identify essential management skills needed to manage chain apparel specialty stores in regional shopping centers." Diss., This resource online, 1991. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-07282008-134216/.

Darmon, Audrey. "Optimization of a Supply Chain : Christian Dior Couture." Thesis, KTH, Industriella informations- och styrsystem, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-138565.

Karlsson, Annika. "Communication of sustainable fashion : To communicate sustainable fashion through the label." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-538.

Choudhury, Bhasker, and Titi Holmgren. "Supply Chain Agility towards Global Outsourcing within Fast Fashion industry, a case study at Gina Tricot." Thesis, Högskolan i Jönköping, Internationella Handelshögskolan, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-16076.

LENNEGREN, ANNA-MARIA, and KJELL. "Risks in a fashion supply chain : A case study of CSR in India." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Textilhögskolan, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-18061.

Swartz, Deja Elana. "Knock-offs, fakes, replicas, and reals : a cultural supply chain of counterfeit fashion." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/93049.

Cetin, Hülya, and Valerie Zachee. "Value Creation Process in the Retail Grocery Chain." Thesis, Jönköping University, Jönköping University, Jönköping University, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-9436.

Introduction: The retail market in the 21 st century will be determined on how quickly and efficiently the retailer can respond to shifts in consumer demands. Due to the physical environment of the store (store value) and the interaction with the consumer (shopping trip value), the local retail store has the advantage of generating this tangible and intangible information. It is then of importance that this information will be transferred towards the retailer, who has the opportunity to use this information and generate it into outputs that can be used as negoitables; this value creation process is an unique success indicator for creating a value network within retail supply chain.

Purpose: The aim of this research is to present an understanding on the value creation process in the grocery retail chain.

Methodology: Having an inductive nature, this thesis tried to bring a new understanding on value creation in grocery retail business, by using hermeneutics as a methodology approach. For empirical study, the qualitative approach was used. Data was collected through open-ended interviews with representatives in grocery retail chains.

Conclusion: The main players in the value network were determined in a grocery retail chain as retailer, local retail store and other stores in the chain; and the suppliers. An intensive value exchange between the retail store and the retailer was found and following that, it was concluded that the retailer converts the value input from the local retail store into tangible and intangible value outputs towards suppliers. Combining the conclusions, the research defines that a value network is existing, but on a very low level. But more to the point, the study shows the importance of value creation by the retail chain, and that creating the possibility to share information about products, in-store experience, consumer knowledge, and consumer requirements is one of the biggest advantage the grocery retail chain has to develop this value network further.

Jamil, Kazi Safayat, and Manuel Soares. "Ensuring Supply Chain Resilience in the Food Retail Industry during COVID-19 : The Case for the Food Retail Companies in Sweden using Resource-Based View Theory." Thesis, Jönköping University, IHH, Marketing and Logistics, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-52539.

Donovan, Pamela S. "Joint replenishment and supply chain actions in the retail grocery industry two essays /." College Park, Md. : University of Maryland, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1903/3968.

Sustainable style: How fashion can afford and accelerate decarbonization

Fashion brands, big and small, have made ambitious, public commitments to creating more sustainable apparel by 2030. But keeping pace with their decarbonization commitments has been a challenge across the industry.

About two-thirds of brands, according to a new McKinsey analysis, are behind on their own decarbonization schedules, and 40 percent have seen their emissions output increase since making their sustainability commitments.

Today, the global fashion industry accounts for an estimated 3 to 8 percent of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the industry’s emissions are expected to increase by about 30 percent by 2030 if no further action is taken. 1 For more, see Fashion on climate: How the fashion industry can urgently act to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions , Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey, 2020; and The State of Fashion 2024: Finding pockets of growth as uncertainty reigns , The Business of Fashion and McKinsey, November 29, 2023. There’s a particular sense of urgency for fashion to abate emissions as quickly as possible, since several countries that are likely to experience the greatest devastation from climate change are central to fashion’s value chain. Intense and frequent weather-related events occur in primary manufacturing countries—such as Bangladesh, China, India, and Vietnam—which export an estimated $65 billion worth of apparel. 2 The State of Fashion 2024: Finding pockets of growth as uncertainty reigns , The Business of Fashion and McKinsey, November 29, 2023.

Accelerating abatement without affecting the industry is achievable. In fact, it could be more affordable than fashion executives might think. Our research shows that most fashion brands could reduce their GHG emissions by more than 60 percent for less than 1 to 2 percent of their revenues. (This excludes levers related to reselling, renting, and repairing fashion, which would reduce a brand’s emissions intensity significantly but also be dependent on consumer behavior shifts.)

In the following article, we have identified six challenges that if overcome would see the fashion industry making more progress in reducing its GHG emissions, as well as six cost-effective actions that can help accelerate decarbonization.

Most fashion brands could reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 percent for less than 1 to 2 percent of their revenues.

Progressing toward decarbonization commitments is proving difficult

Methodology.

We assessed the brands and retailers with revenues above $1 billion that are included in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and have publicly available decarbonization targets for 2030. 1 Twenty-five of the companies in our analysis have 2030 targets. Five companies have targets between 2028 and 2032. For simplicity, we refer to all targets as “2030 targets” throughout this piece. The resulting sample represents 30 brands with combined 2022 revenues of more than $300 billion.

We define emissions intensity as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions divided by revenue, as a proxy for emissions per unit of production. Most brands have set absolute emissions targets, but since many of the brands also have ambitions to expand their businesses, their emissions intensity reductions will need to be higher than their absolute reductions. Emissions intensity is preferable to look at as it takes out volume fluctuation effects.

The historical annual reduction in emissions intensity is calculated from the baseline year to the reported year (2022). The baseline year differs for each company and is the year when the company’s emissions target was established.

Future annual reductions in emissions intensity as required to reach targets are estimated from the reporting year (2022) to the target year. Revenues are forecasted until the target year by extrapolating historical growth rates (2017–22). Companies with low historical growth (less than 3 percent) are assumed to achieve the expected industry growth rate of 3 percent, companies with medium growth (less than 7 percent) are assumed to grow at 5 percent, and companies with high growth (greater than 7 percent) are assumed to grow at 7 percent.

We chose to examine progress for Scope 3 GHG emissions to assess fashion businesses’ progress across the value chain, since about 70 percent of emissions come from upstream activities.

For more on this, read our Fashion on climate report .

As expectations from regulators, consumers, investors, and employees have shifted, fashion brands have made public sustainability pledges to reduce their GHG emissions. On average, fashion businesses included in our analysis have committed to reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by about 55 percent and Scope 3 emissions by about 35 percent by 2030. To assess each brand’s progress on Scope 3 emissions, we compared brands’ historical rates of emissions reduction with the pace of change required to reach their emissions targets (see sidebar “Methodology”). Despite ongoing efforts, we find that brands are struggling to keep pace with their decarbonization targets.

Our analysis has found that two in five brands have seen their emissions intensity increase. Only 37 percent are on track to reach their 2030 decarbonization goals, assuming they continue to reduce their emissions intensity at their current paces (Exhibit 1).

Pressure to decarbonize is growing

Regulatory changes and consumer expectations are compelling fashion businesses to accelerate their decarbonization efforts.

Eighty-seven percent of fashion executives surveyed in our 2024 The State of Fashion report said they think sustainability regulations will affect their businesses in the year ahead. The European Union is introducing its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and proposals for a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, a revision to the Waste Framework Directive that includes a mandatory and harmonized Extended Producer Responsibility and a Green Claims Directive. The Green Claims Directive could empower regulators to impose fines of at least 4 percent of a company’s annual revenue for specific infringements. Individual member states in the European Union are also implementing new measures. In France, for example, the Anti-Waste Circular Economy Act requires that all textile products sold in France are labeled with an environmental score.

The United States is also seeing regulatory changes at the state level. New York’s proposed Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, if passed as drafted, would require large fashion companies doing business in New York to map at least 50 percent of their supply chains and disclose their environmental impact. In addition, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has implemented rules that are meant to provide investors with reliable and comparable data on climate risk and obligate companies to disclose climate-related information. Meanwhile, there is similar evidence from grocery retail that consumers increasingly care about sustainability and shift their spending accordingly. In a joint study from McKinsey and NielsenIQ (examining US grocery sales data from 2017 to 2022), we found that products across food and nonfood categories (such as household and personal care) with two or more sustainability claims grew twice as fast as those with only one . 1 “ Consumers care about sustainability—and back it up with their wallets ,” McKinsey and NielsenIQ, February 6, 2023.

Because the fashion industry does not require the same certification standards that are seen in grocery retail, it’s more difficult to quantify consumer demand for sustainable products in fashion. This lack of common sustainability certifications can make it challenging for consumers to navigate and make educated purchase choices. In addition, a McKinsey analysis of European fashion brands concludes that consumers perceive few fashion brands to be sustainable, meaning it may be difficult for consumers to find sustainable fashion products on the market.

The remaining 63 percent of brands in our analysis will need to accelerate their abatement action if they are to reach their 2030 targets. Twenty-three percent will need to increase their abatement progress by up to ten percentage points a year. The other 40 percent need to increase their abatement progress by more than ten percentage points a year to reach their 2030 targets, which represents a major acceleration in their progress. The need for renewed action is urgent, as 40 percent of brands have increased their emissions intensity since making their sustainability commitments (see sidebar “Pressure to decarbonize is growing”). An increase in emissions intensity can be caused by a mix of factors, such as higher sales of trendy oversize products, overproduction caused by demand management challenges, and an increased reliance on air- and truck-based transportation due to supply chain disruptions.

Six challenges fashion brands can address to become more sustainable

We have identified six persistent challenges that make sustainability transformations 3 While our above analysis focuses on decarbonization and Scope 3 emissions, the findings can be applied broadly to how fashion is tackling other sustainability challenges. inherently complex for fashion brands. Brands will need to overcome them to meet their goals.

1. Keeping sustainability a core priority even when times are tough

While most fashion executives have made public sustainability commitments, translating them into action continues to be a challenge. When finite resources become stretched and executives focus on tightening margins, sustainability initiatives can often take a back seat. This is propelled by the fact that sustainability measures may be seen as having a short-term cost, by consuming either financial resources or time and attention, while the positive impact on sales occurs over the long term and is difficult to directly measure.

2. Putting sustainability at the heart of the business

Achieving meaningful sustainability targets means that initiatives have to penetrate the entire operating model, from design and sourcing to marketing and retail operations. These are difficult changes to make because they require teams to adopt new ways of working and require more collaboration across business functions.

3. Charting a decarbonization path is complex

Decarbonization in fashion is not straightforward. Charting an optimal path at minimal cost requires deep insights into a brand’s supplier footprint across tiers, as well as an understanding of technical topics such as emissions hot spots, production machinery, biofuels, renewable electricity, and energy efficiency.

4. The fashion industry needs more supply chain transparency

Emissions baseline setting and impact measuring are complex tasks and require primary data, such as that from a manufacturing facility, which demands new levels of supply chain transparency. Most brands don’t have a direct relationship beyond their tier-one suppliers and rely on industry-average data for tier-two emissions. Relying on secondary data can be problematic, as we have found up to a 20 percent difference in emissions when comparing a brand’s life cycle assessments based on primary data with its assessments based on industry-average data.

5. Implementation is consistently underestimated

It’s not enough to identify the large-scale changes required to lower emissions. Executing these changes is often where fashion businesses may struggle. To implement decarbonization strategies quickly and at scale, fashion executives can approach them with the same force and rigor as they have with their digital transformations. This includes creating a rigid road map, reporting mechanisms, incentives, capabilities, and true business ownership.

6. The supplier landscape is fragmented

Big fashion brands work with hundreds or sometimes thousands of suppliers, which makes it difficult or even impossible to engage on sustainability initiatives with each one of them. For their part, suppliers have multiple competing brands as customers, and few suppliers have the scale and financial resources to make the capital investments needed to become more sustainable. Instead, they rely on brands to take an active role in facilitating change. Brands are disincentivized to finance production improvements since these improvements would also benefit their competitors.

Even with these six challenges, fashion may actually be well positioned to achieve its decarbonization goals. This is because most costs and value added in fashion come from low-carbon activities, such as design and marketing, while emissions are concentrated over a few activities, such as raw material production, shipping, and wet processing. Therefore, much of what is required for accelerated decarbonization can be delivered at a modest cost relative to retail price. 4 Fashion on climate: How the fashion industry can urgently act to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions , Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey, 2020. Outside of the environmental benefits of decarbonization, sustainability can significantly strengthen a fashion brand’s brand equity, encouraging more consumers to shop with it.

Six actions can help accelerate decarbonization in fashion

Drawing on sustainability successes in other industries, as well as our work in the fashion industry, we have identified six actions that if applied could help fashion businesses propel systematic improvements in their supply chains and reach their decarbonization targets (Exhibit 2).

1. Create commercial value from your sustainability strides

Understand precisely what your consumers care about with respect to sustainability to determine your distinct brand and value proposition. Work actively at every level—including corporate, brand, and product—to translate achievement of those sustainability goals into powerful, consumer-facing offers that can build brand equity. This could include emphasizing information about a product’s materials. Brands could also create compelling offers for net-zero product lines, radical supply chain transparency, industry-leading decarbonization targets, or circular business models. These offers must be rooted in fact.

2. Focus on the big two: Material transition and tier-two-supplier energy transition

Because fashion businesses rely heavily on fossil-fueled energy in primary manufacturing countries, transforming fibers into garments represents about 70 percent of emissions; most of these emissions come from fabric production (mostly dyeing and wet processing) and fiber production. 5 Fashion on climate: How the fashion industry can urgently act to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions , Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey, 2020. Innovative green materials—including cotton replacements, recycled materials, and bio-based leather alternatives—are becoming more widely available at lower costs. The most promising materials require minimal compromise in performance and little, if any, additional cost once supply scales. Using green materials also helps create more commercial value and develop cost efficiencies.

To reduce emissions at material processing facilities, fashion brands could work with their suppliers on energy efficiency improvements, energy production technology shifts (such as switching production technology to solar or industrial heat pumps), and renewable-electricity accessibility. To do so, brands could move toward a more strategic sourcing strategy focused on a higher degree of consolidation and close supplier engagements.

3. Build a carefully prioritized, robust road map

A well-defined road map could answer both the “what” and the “how” to transform a fashion business’s decarbonization strategy faster and at a lower cost. Start by creating a detailed view of emissions baselines and decarbonization levers. Then, prioritize and order actions based on abatement potential, cost, speed, and commercial value. Use a marginal abatement cost curve, which compares the abatement potential and cost of each lever. 6 New at McKinsey , “A revolutionary tool for cutting emissions, ten years on ,” April 21, 2017. Executives who choose to take an ambitious approach to building their road map can benefit from becoming market leaders. A new and more strategic sourcing approach, for example, could reduce emissions more than a fragmented, piecemeal approach.

4. Get granular on data

Access to reliable data is essential if fashion businesses are going to progress through their decarbonization journeys, comply with sustainability regulations, and provide sustainability information to consumers. Brands must move from industry-average data to primary data. Primary data offer more precise, brand-specific insights about emissions baselines, levers, and progress. This will require partnerships with leading traceability and impact measurement providers and close collaboration with suppliers.

5. Boost execution and transformation management

To overcome the execution challenges in a sustainability transformation, businesses could draw on the transformation playbook used for achieving higher margins or reducing costs. This means going from a softer approach, with top-level sustainability targets and a dedicated team but no solid transformation plan, to an action-based approach. The senior executives leading this team can be made accountable for its progress, assign tasks to various leaders within an organization, and create a rigid transformation plan with systematic progress tracking and clear governance in place.

6. Make collaborations action oriented

The entire fashion ecosystem will need to collaborate if the industry’s decarbonization goals are to become a reality. Brands with meaningful supplier overlaps, for example, could jointly define decarbonization pathways and create a critical mass to invest in supplier decarbonization initiatives. Collaborating on initiatives, such as increasing suppliers’ access to renewable energy, could lead to more impactful changes than if a brand were to pursue smaller-scale initiatives on its own. Brands could also collaborate with financial institutions to help suppliers get better access to sustainability-linked financing.

Not only will taking these actions help fashion executives achieve accelerated GHG abatement at a modest cost, but they can also create substantial business value in sustainable transformations. To capture the opportunity, time is of the essence. Early movers can realize commercial value and positive effects on brand equity for years to come. We also see an early-mover advantage on the cost side: while the cost of sustainable solutions will likely fall over time, we expect that a widening supply-and-demand gap in the near term will increase the price of scarce sustainable solutions and assets (including materials, machinery needed for decarbonization, renewable energy, and manufacturers with more sustainable processes). Moving early can help a brand secure access at lower prices than its peers can and reach its 2030 decarbonization targets.

For the fashion industry, the hard part of becoming more sustainable isn’t deciding to begin the journey; it’s maintaining progress. This is where true leaders can reveal themselves.

Jonatan Janmark is a partner in McKinsey’s Stockholm office, Karl-Hendrik Magnus is a senior partner in the Frankfurt office, Ignacio Marcos is a senior partner in the Madrid office, and Evan Wiener is a senior adviser in the Munich office.

The authors wish to thank Nic Cornbleet, Nikolai Langguth, and Lærke Wolf for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Alexandra Mondalek, an editor in the New York office.

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