Search

This opinion explores what constitutes a trademark parody in an artistic context and when it crosses the line of trademark infringement in dilution cases which occur beyond the traditional trademark protection from the likelihood of confusion. This is shown by analysing the latest two decisions regarding trademark parody handed down by the German Frankfurt am Main Regional Court in a case in which Hermès has suffered a setback in its attempt to prevent a fashion label from using its iconic Birkin handbag at the Berlin fashion show in 2023. While parody is considered a protected form of speech or artistic expression, no clear-cut legal rule separates a legitimate parody from an infringing use, in particular in cases of so-called mixed expressions where the reference to the protected trademark is not closely tied to commercial use but still happens outside of a purely artistic context. Compared to the statutory copyright's flexible fair use defence, there is simply too little case law available to draw on in trademark dilution law. The few rigid defences German courts have cobbled together in trademark cases illustrate that trademark could benefit from a clearer identification of use categories. The following analysis of these decisions aims at highlighting that urgent trademark reforms are necessary in the area of art-related fair use defences. Furthermore, the following analysis will illustrate how big corporations like Hermès can fail when attempting to use trademark rights to control the meaning not only of wealth and exclusivity but also of conspicuous consumption and the equally conspicuous display of wealth, status and power in male-dominated domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project-based and short-term employment is widespread in the contemporary labor market, yet existing theories of social capital often rely on an organizationally bound model of work and careers. In this paper, we expand this perspective by examining the case of precarious employment in a creative industry to ask, what kinds of social ties promote or constrain workers' opportunities? We examine networks among fashion models, a case of project-based freelance labor. Using ethnographic accounts of fashion shows and castings, as well as a unique longitudinal dataset of careers and networks in fashion modeling, we develop the notion of "transitory ties" to account for the short-term, fleeting, and highly valuable social relations that models form recurrently on jobs. We adopt a network ecology perspective on transitory ties by showing how contextual factors drive their formation, and ultimately broader network structures that have tremendous consequences for models' careers. • In the "gig economy," workers rely on transitory ties that have not been studied so far. • Transitory ties are short-lived, meaningful, and recurrent. • Core transitory ties provide workers with legitimate information and status • We look at the global fashion modeling industry where transitory ties are salient. • We take a network ecology perspective on transitory ties impacting workers' careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the interplay between fashion and architecture, this article introduces architectural fashion analysis method, an original methodology for analysing fashion shows through an architectural lens. Focusing on the works of Prada and OMA/AMO, the study delves into the narrative power of space in fashion presentations, informed by theories from Roland Barthes and Adrian Forty, as well as the theoretical model of fashion spaces by McQuillan and Hansen. This approach highlights the underexplored but crucial role of architectural thinking in fashion critique. The article posits that employing architectural principles not only enriches the understanding of fashion but also paves the way for an insightful exploration of fashion's digital dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research is still scarce regarding how cognitive appraisals of multiple service failure cues combine to generate customer anger in a service failure context, and the role of emotional regulation strategies (suppression and reappraisal) in mitigating this emotion. Using a vignette experimental method of a service failure situation with 971 participants, we show that appraisals of goal-blocking, other responsibility, and low control act jointly in an undifferentiated way to increase anger in a non-linear fashion and find that emotional suppression is beneficial for coping with anger in situations with multiple anger-evoking cues. Conversely, reappraisal is more effective when there are fewer anger-triggering cues. This result challenges the dominant view that reappraisal is preferable to suppression in coping with negative emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of o-carborane-fused bis-silylene 1 with isocyanate/isothiocyanate molecules furnished a series of SiN/SiS-heterocycles, which show distinct styles of cyclization and were theoretically studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, three degrees of roasting (light, medium, and dark), which significantly differentiate the properties of coffee beans, were analyzed. Additionally, the effect of the roasting level on the profile of volatile and biologically active compounds, including chlorogenic acids, tocopherols, and caffeine, was determined. Light-roast coffee beans, referred to as the Cinnamon roast, were obtained at 198℃. In turn, American roast beans were obtained at 212℃ before the second crack, and dark beans classified as the Italian roast were obtained in a roasting process carried out at 228-230℃. The content of bioactive compounds in green coffee beans was determined as well. The 'Typica' cultivar of Arabica coffee originating from a plantation located at an altitude of 1680 m a.s.l. in Huehuetenango Department, Guatemala, was used in the study. The analyses showed that the different parameters of coffee bean roasting (Cinnamon, American, and Italian roast) resulted in differences in the levels of phenolic compounds, caffeine, and tocopherols. The American roast style was shown to be the most balanced type of roasting in terms of the content of bioactive compounds as well as the chemical groups and profile of volatile compounds. This roasting type also exhibited the highest intensity of emission of volatile compounds, which is expected by the consumer. The study also demonstrated that the coffee bean roasting process generated different levels of phenolic compounds, caffeine, and tocopherols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four decades after the death of Walter Albini, this study proposes a monograph based on archival research at the CSAC, Center for Studies and Archives of Communication at the University of Parma, focusing on the figure of the stylist Walter Albini, recognized as the precursor of prêt-à-porter. Through archival research, the author explores one of the most significant archives of the stylist, consisting of 4191 heterogeneous materials. Focusing on the men's collection Fall-Winter 1975-1976, presented at the Ristorante Angolo in Milan in March 1975, the analysis reveals the pioneering concept of gender introduced by Albini, highlighting an identity short circuit with the model Emy Vincenzini. In the second part, the author analyzes the concept of Camp, following the paths opened by Christopher Breward and the theorizations of Susan Sontag. It examines the citation of the Twenties and Thirties, the passion for Art Nouveau, the interest in the figure of the dandy and Marlene Dietrich, as well as the sensitivity to the aesthetics of the androgynous. Through a camp perspective, Albini emerges as a creator who subverts binary gender conventions, emphasizing identity transformations during his fashion shows.

Introduction: Virtual reality (VR) provides a new fashion space and fashion experience. This study focuses on immersive VR and fashion shows to empirically explore the VR fashion space and fashion experience. Insights specific to fashion have not been presented in as much depth in the literature; thus, the current findings are particularly valuable and insightful. Methods: This study employed three immersive VR (IVR) fashion show stimuli and in-depth interviews according to a semi-structured questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed based on the concept of VR space and VR experience derived through literature research. Results: The VR fashion space was divided into three types and VR experiences of cognitive presence, sensible immersion, emotional immersion, and aesthetic interaction were derived accordingly. First, the physical representation of a fashion show induced a cognitive and emotional sense of presence, in which users felt as though they had moved to the same time and place as those at the fashion show. Second, participants experienced cognitive confusion owing to the differences with a priori experiences in the fashion show space (i.e., reality and imagination coexist). Third, participants transcended the limitations of physical reality while in the fashion show space of pataphysics (which was realized with human imagination), and they moved beyond the stage of confusion that is experienced while facing realistic objects to connect to creative inspiration. Discussion: The difference in the properties of VR space may be associated with distinct VR fashion experiences. The findings suggest that (1) a priori elements such as sociocultural contexts and personal experiences differ in the experiential dimension of virtual space, (2) the VR fashion show space induces a psychological experience between brand and consumer, and (3) creative inspiration and exploratory play can be greatly induced in a user if the immersive fashion space is further from the original source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents the integration of architectural design approaches in the fashion design process suggesting a new educational method based on structural model fabrication. The paper addresses the output of an experimental collaborative practice-based workshop titled 'Fashion Clash' that mixes both architects and fashion designers. The workshop focused on testing self-structural garments following a manual workflow which is divided into three main phases, (1) modeling and form-finding, (2) assembly, and (3) fabrication. Paper-based materials are used for transforming full-scale garments into textiles. The results presented seven garments displayed at a fashion show that show the effect of the folding techniques in reaching stability and highlighting the interdisciplinary integration of architects and fashion designers. The study concludes that implementing a parametric design logic based on architectural perspective in fashion would generate innovative ways of testing self-supporting geometry. Digitally computing the forces and structure before fabrication are left for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the conceptual distinction of two clothing orientations – style orientation and fashion orientation. Style and fashion orientations both express identity and individuality, but the fashion orientation may more strongly reflect materialistic values, which extensive evidence shows are detrimental to well-being. This study investigates how the clothing orientations are associated with materialism and subjective well-being. Design/methodology/approach: The conceptual distinction between style and fashion orientations and their associations with materialism and subjective well-being were investigated via an online survey (N = 4,591) conducted in Germany, Poland, Sweden and the USA. Participants aged 18–65 were recruited based on national representative quotas for age, gender, education and region. Findings: The regression results support a conceptual distinction between the style and fashion orientation. Style orientation was positively associated with subjective well-being compared to fashion orientation. Both the style and fashion orientations were positively correlated with materialism, but the association was much stronger for fashion orientation and materialism exhibited a strong negative association with subjective well-being. Interestingly, materialism moderated the association between fashion orientation and well-being but not between style orientation and well-being. Research limitations/implications: The four examined countries were Western, and, thus, the findings cannot be generalized to other populations. In addition, this study specifically examined relationships in a clothing context. To enable wider generalization, the relationships tested must be explored in other countries, especially non-Western, and also across other product categories. Practical implications: The findings of this study can help retailers develop their marketing programs, product and service offerings and specifically their communications more closely targeted to consumers' clothing orientations. Originality/value: This study contributes by conceptually distinguishing between clothing style and fashion orientations and investigating their divergent associations to materialism and subjective well-being. This research also raises the question of whether fashion orientation is independent or rather, an aspect of materialism, which has implications for other consumption domains as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fashion is replaced every season and collections change rapidly, depending on certain events. There are only a few weeks between the fashion shows and the collections reaching their sale points. As the pattern of demand is seasonal, new items must be produced every season. Additionally, colours and patterns change rapidly, creating a need for producers and consumers to continually remain updated. This research study proposes a forecasting model that enhances the accuracy of fashion trend forecasting in the context of multiple variants of colour clothing. The model aims to maximise the firms' profits, while minimising forecasting errors and reducing costs that result from excess production or, alternatively, from the loss of potential revenues due to low demand. In the proposed model, the expected profit was notably higher when the customers' readiness to compromise was low or when only one type of product was in stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the recent expansion of the applicability of artificial intelligence into the creative realm, attempts are being made to use AI (artificial intelligence) in the garment development system in various ways, both in academia and the fashion business. Several IT companies have developed and possess AI-based garment design technologies that utilize StyleGAN2 for image transformation. However, they are not widely utilized in the fashion business. Since fashion brands need to create numerous designs to launch new garment products for at least two seasons per year, the adoption of AI-based garment design generation technology can be one way to increase work efficiency. Therefore, this research aims to collect and analyze existing cases of AI-based garment design tools in order to identify the similarities and differences between the garment development processes of human designers and the existing AI-based garment design tools. Based on this analysis, the research aims to develop an AI-based garment development system that takes into consideration the garment development process of human designers, incorporating fashion domain knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fashion overconsumerism and overproduction have placed the fashion industry one of the world's most polluting industries. In addition to its environmental impact, research has shown that materialism leads to lower life satisfaction and decision fatigue. Recently, studies have highlighted an increased interest in sustainable fashion consumption and ethical lifestyle. The capsule wardrobe phenomenon, that is, defined by limited clothing pieces that focus on quality, longevity, and minimal or classic design, has gained exposure as a road map for consumers to remain fashionable while consuming less. Until today, no research has evaluated the impact of minimalist wardrobe on consumers. Using a phenomenological approach, the present study method to understand 10 female participants' lived experiences with a capsule wardrobe. Our results showed a positive impact of a 3-week capsule wardrobe on our participants who felt less stressed, detached from fashion trends, have found joy in their fashion style, and enhanced their awareness of conscious consumption. Our findings highlight the richness of minimalism, sustainable consumption, and self-expression through an innovative and relevant phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media influencers (SMIs) have become an efficient advertising tool. However, their roles vis-à-vis the brands for which they advertise are changing. Far from being just simple promoters anymore they now take active part in both the product and communications development of firms. Yet in advertising research, a discussion of these new roles is absent. This article, therefore, seeks to categorize the roles influencers play in advertising collaborations by means of an empirical typology. In a netnographic study, we investigate the posts of 21 fashion influencers over a period of three years and find three main roles (spokesperson, cocreator, or co-owner) and eight subroles (for spokesperson: billboard, stylist, and ambassador; for cocreator: consultant and codesigner; for co-owner: sole proprietor, facilitator, and partner) that influencers take on in relation to brands. We contribute to theory on influencer marketing by conceptualizing influencer roles in advertising collaborations as well as categorizing these roles, thus allowing future researchers to use our typology as a conceptual foundation. Another contribution is the insight into how the dynamics of control over product and communication creation is evolving in influencer collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]