Fashion Business Commons^™

Autonomous Intelligence In Fashion: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Agentic Ai Across The Fashion Ecosystem, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The fashion industry is undergoing a paradigm shift with the emergence of agentic artificial intelligence (AI), a sophisticated class of intelligent systems exhibiting autonomous decision-making, continuous learning, and adaptive action with minimal human intervention. Moving beyond traditional AI applications in fashion focused on predictive analytics, generative tools, and supervised automation, agentic AI introduces a transformative paradigm wherein intelligent agents proactively navigate the complexities inherent in design, manufacturing, supply chain optimization, and consumer personalization. This paper presents a comprehensive exploration of the evolving role of agentic AI across the multifaceted fashion ecosystem, offering an in-depth analysis of its technological underpinnings, operational …

From Food To Fashion: Bio-Based Textiles Advancing Sustainability And Socioeconomic Growth In Emerging Markets, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The global fashion industry is undergoing a profound shift towards sustainability, driven by innovations in bio-based textiles derived from agricultural byproducts such as cactus, pineapple, banana, coconut, fungi, and bacterial cultures. This article comprehensively explores the technological advancements, industry adoption trends, socioeconomic impact on emerging markets, and barriers to widespread adoption of bio-based textiles. The alignment of these innovations with global sustainability initiatives, key industry collaborations, and policy interventions are also examined.

Blockchain Transparency In Reducing Second-Hand Luxury Shopping Uncertainty And The Role Of Price Consciousness, Song‑Yi Youn, Joohye Hwang, Naan Ju

School of Business Faculty Papers

This study explores consumer behavior and decision-making in the context of blockchain technology (BT) adoption within the second-hand luxury market. Specifically, it investigates how BT can reduce uncertainty and enhance transparency in second-hand luxury transactions based on a mental accounting theory approach. A partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis (N = 511) was conducted, focusing on consumers’ perceived quality of traceable information obtained through BT (i.e., product diagnosticity, informativeness, and trustworthiness) and their perceived risks in second-hand luxury online shopping (i.e., financial risk, social risk, time risk, contamination risk, performance risk). The findings confirm that the perceived quality of …

Students For Sustainable Fashion & The Impact Of Fast Fashion, Anne M. York

Honors Theses

This thesis report took a project-based approach, making a change on campus through Students for Sustainable Fashion (SFSF), a club I founded here at the University of Mississippi. My thesis intends to document the establishment process and record the growth of SFSF throughout its last three semesters. SFSF emerged due to a significant challenge identified through casual class conversations, observational thinking, and campus engagement. However, university students are provided with abundant information about fast fashion's detrimental effects, and many feel unable to act due to social pressures, financial constraints, and the influence of fast-paced consumer culture. While students often desire …

How To Industry Plant Yourself, Ted Childish

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

Ted Childish is an artist, creative mind, and cultural organizer working at the intersection of digital culture and contemporary creative economies. His practice spans from conceptual ideation to visual production and designed objects, all approached with a distinct material sensibility. How to Industry Plant Yourself is an analysis of the contemporary creative landscape, delivered in the format of a 'how-to' presentation — a familiar trope of the social media era. This work employs graphic design strategies akin to a pitch deck, symbolizing the increasingly transactional and performative environments in which creatives navigate their careers today.

Reshaping U.S. Imports: An Analysis Of How Shifting Indicators Impact International Manufacturing Location Decisions & The Apparel Industry, Emilia Wojciechowska

Honors Projects in Global Supply Chain Management

United States imports have grown in recent years due to various geographic sourcing strategies. Each company that chooses to participate in manufacturing whether in-house, offshore, or nearshore has contributed to the economic growth of the US. In recent years, internal and external factors have affected the results of international trade. Indicators have been identified, but they are historically indicators that have not adapted due to the frequent changes in supply chains. The measurement of indicators allows for identification of the most influential indicators that impact the trends within U.S. imports. Significant indicators are dependent on the country and its available …

Corsets Of Empowerment, Dorsa Farzi

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project explores the intersection of fashion and activism, using contemporary design to reflect on significant women’s rights movements from around the world. This exhibition presents four uniquely crafted corsets, each representing a pivotal movement, from the Suffragette era to the ongoing fight for gender equality in Iran. Through modern aesthetics, innovative construction, and symbolic details, this project transforms clothing into a medium for dialogue and advocacy. Fashion becomes more than just design—it becomes a powerful tool for storytelling, sparking awareness, and encouraging new perspectives on gender equality and activism.

This project was exhibited at the Robert Hillestad Gallery, University …

Combating Forced Labor In Global Supply Chains Through Modern Technology: A Case Study Of Uyghurs In Xinjiang, Samuel Donohue

Senior Theses

This thesis examines how modern traceability technologies can help combat forced labor in global supply chains, focusing on the case of Uyghur workers in Xinjiang, China. The research addresses the pressing challenge of verifying ethical labor practices in complex, multi-tiered supply networks, using the case study alongside an extensive literature review. It evaluates advanced technological solutions, including blockchain ledgers, isotope analysis, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging, and microbiome tracing as tools to improve supply chain transparency. Through qualitative case analysis and analysis of current research, the thesis assesses each technology’s capability to trace product origins and authenticate labor conditions. The findings …

Woven By Culture: A Comparative Study Of Traditional Dress Across Regions And The Societal Forces Behind Fashion, James T. Granger

Senior Theses

This study attempts to examine how societal influences that different countries have obtained from years past affect their traditional fashion. By sketching 200 traditional female dresses from every sovereign country in the world, I have taken the time to analyze and create depictions of their sociological and stylistic choices. I have chosen to examine the countries of Cambodia, Republic of Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Finland, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Panama, and Tonga as they all represent different regions of the globe. Breaking down each of their dresses into their specific garments and accessories is essential to better understand the culture and the …

The Impact Of User-Generated Content And Online Reaction Videos On The Marketing Of Video Games, Diane R. Edmondson, Randy Clark, Trevor Golter

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Modern developments in social media, video streaming platforms, and user-generated online content from influencers have led to a growth in video game marketing. One of the prominent genres of user-generated content on video platforms is the reaction video. These videos are relied upon for spreading information and marketing in the video game industry. Providing a better understanding of the impact of this video game promotional outlet is beneficial for marketers, social media influencers, and businesses in this industry. We collected data from 623 Southeastern University undergraduate students to address this topic using a Qualtrics survey. The survey consisted of two …

Unveiling Risk Strategies In The Online Food Delivery Platforms: Evidence From Risk Disclosures And Reprisk Index, Maryam Mahdikhani, Jiyoon An, Arim Park

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Online Food Delivery Platforms (OFDPs) have faced unique challenges related to uncertainty and global risk in recent decades. To address these risks, this study utilized machine learning (ML) techniques, including Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and Word2Vec, to extract and cluster OFDP-related risk factors. The analysis was conducted using unstructured text data from the annual reports of two prominent OFDP companies—Delivery Hero (DH) and Grubhub (GH)—from 2017 to 2020. We also examined the multidimensional RepRisk Index (RRI) for these companies and developed a two-dimensional matrix to evaluate preparedness and responsiveness across various risk categories in the OFDP sector. The results indicate …

Do The Effects Of Ethnocentrism And Cosmopolitanism Depend On Countries-Of-Origins? An Empirical Study Of U.S. Consumers, Thomas Tanner, Jung Kim, Ronda Mariani

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Consumer ethnocentrism and cosmopolitanism have been shown to be instrumental factors for the evaluation and purchase of foreign products. Many prior studies have provided evidence that ethnocentric consumers have lower willingness to buy for products that originated from foreign countries, while cosmopolitan consumers have higher willingness to buy. However, prior research has been conducted in the research setting where only one foreign country is pit against home country. Therefore, it is not clear whether their direct impacts on animosity, product judgement, and willingness to buy will be homogeneous, regardless of countries-of-origin. In other words, do consumers hold the same degree …

The Curious Case Of Japanese Denim, Aaron Francis Ward

Japanese Society and Culture

From its humble beginnings as wholly utilitarian workwear in the 19^th century, to its modern rise to high-fashion, the ubiquity of denim, particularly in the form of jeans, has had a fascinating journey in its little-over-150-year history (Beazley, 2015). Of note has been the recent rise in popularity of Japanese denim. Since the end of the Second World War, Japan seems to have had an insatiable demand for Americana (Marx, 2023). Yet, if considered in the sociohistorical context of Japanese-American relations, this ought to be highly improbable. The current paper examines the sociological nature of Japanese denim from semiotic …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Fashion And Retail Efficiency: A Strategic Analysis, Andrew Burnstine, Raouf Ghattas

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Transforming Physical And Online Fashion Retail: Enhancing Experiences, Driving Sustainability, And Fostering Innovation, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

This study explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing the fashion industry, with a focus on enhancing consumer experiences, promoting sustainability, and driving innovation in retail. It examines AI applications in personalized recommendations, virtual try-ons, and supply chain optimization, while also addressing societal implications. Sustainability is a central theme, highlighting how AI minimizes overproduction, enables circular fashion, and encourages conscious consumerism. Case studies, such as Nike’s AI-powered retail stores and Lynn University’s Surreal Fashion Show, demonstrate practical applications and innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research synthesizes insights from reports by The Business of Fashion and McKinsey …

Understanding And Implementing Fashion Sustainability: An Academic Course, Paige M. Baldwin

Theses

This project outlined a fashion sustainability course meant to be taught at a degree-awarding educational institution. The course explores the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the fashion industry. Students learn about sustainable practices, materials, and design principles. Students also study consumer behavior, supply chain management, and government policies related to sustainable fashion. The literature and research looked at the current fashion industry landscape and the sustainability issues that are being addressed, the current educational landscape of fashion programs in the United States of America, and the current literature regarding building an effective curriculum in the 21st century.

An Essay Of Images From Playlab Inc., Playlab Inc., Archie Lee Coates Iv

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

A series of images depicting the illustrious Playlab Inc. as a collection of projects in different mediums. The LA-based design studio has contributed to fashion, art, and urban culture through collaborations with major institutions and emerging artists. The photo essay highlights Playlab Inc.’s diverse projects and installations, embodying its core philosophy: no focus. This principle guides the studio to the cutting-edge of contemporary culture, where innovation meets execution. The creative powerhouse has demonstrated a capacity to engage with contemporary cultural movements through its projects. For instance, in the OTW Vans project, the firm acquired images from notable skate photographers Atiba …

Exploring Generative Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Applications In Fashion: Ethical Concerns In Human-Like Technology, Melissa Kathryn Gonzalez

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

A Socioeconomic Analysis Of Fashion Entrepreneurs And The Use Of Self-Branding To Influence Consumer Behavior, Jasmine Gibbs-Stepter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The fashion industry is widely recognized as a significant sector within the global economy, crucially driving trends, creating jobs, and shaping culture. Despite its prominence, entrepreneurs from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds often encounter considerable hurdles in establishing their businesses and sustaining them over time. These challenges manifest in various forms, including access to vital financial resources, insufficient networking opportunities, and restricted entry into lucrative markets, making it difficult for these entrepreneurs to compete in a dynamic and competitive landscape.

The rise of social media, with platforms like Instagram leading the charge, has ushered in a new era for fashion entrepreneurs. As …

Anime And Luxury Fashion: Studio Ghibli And Loewe's Unorthodox Brand Merchandizing, Theodore Gournelos, David Marutschke

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

While they might seem counterintuitive to traditional concepts of “luxury,” collaborations between luxury and anime brands are a growing pattern reflecting the growth of both industries for key demographics. This paper argues that luxury brands use these collaborations to establish brand relevance and cultural connection while also positioning themselves advantageously against other brands in an increasingly social and online environment. Through a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of Instagram posts and user comments from Studio Ghibli and the Spanish luxury brand Loewe regarding their three product collaborations, we argue that there is a significant amount of room for differentiation in …