Fashion Business Commons^™

Fall Fashion Show & Market (December 5, 2025), Lindenwood University

Fashion Show Event Programs & Related Items

Program for this Fall Fashion Show & Market (December 5, 2025), Lindenwood University.

Environmental Risk Assessment Of Textile Waste From Bio-Engineered Fibers In The Fashion Industry, Aayush Pankaj Agarwal, Harshit Soral, Irmak Aktan, Karol Montserrat Gonzalez Saad, Maria Daniela Saa Espinosa, Sheetal Suhas Dhanuka, Yi Yang

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The global fashion industry generates over 92 million tons of textile waste annually, a figure projected to increase significantly by 2030. Bio-engineered fibers, including bacterial cellulose, mycelium-based leather, and recombinant protein textiles emerge as sustainable alternatives to conventional fibers. Despite their promise, recent evidence suggests that these fibers may pose environmental risks at the end-of-life stage, such as incomplete biodegradation in landfills, microfiber shedding, and chemical leaching from dyes and coatings. The purpose of this study is to examine how these risks are represented through scientific literature, corporate sustainability reports, and policy frameworks, and to identify strategies for integrating risk …

Ai-Driven Sustainable Textile Waste Utilization In New York State: Part I, Kyshia Anderson, Alyssa Dana Adomaitis

Publications and Research

While technology and awareness are advancing, a significant lack persists in how New York State utilizes innovative reports and enveloping contexts to envision solutions for textile waste, particularly evident in the context of interdisciplinary collaboration among fashion, technology, and construction design, a challenge that remains even with New York State's historical efforts in textile waste utilization (Tonjes, Manzur, Wang, Firmansyah, Rahman, Walker, Lee, Thomas, Johnston, Ly, Medina, Shi, Srivastava, Tucker, Maung, Thyberg, & Hewitt, 2024). Despite a more than nine hundred (900) percent increase in textile waste between 1960 and 2018, from 1,760,000 tons to 17,030,000 tons, current alternatives like …

Are Loyalty Programmes Still “A Thing” In High-Fashion Retail? Understanding Generation Z’S Perspective, Živa Kolbl, Lori Šušulić

Economic and Business Review

This study investigates the relevance and perception of loyalty programmes (LPs) among Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers in the high-fashion retail sector. While LPs are well-established tools for fostering customer retention, their effectiveness among Gen Z, a cohort characterized by digital fluency, a preference for authenticity, and distinct consumption values, remains underexplored. Given the high-fashion context, where exclusivity and identity are critical, this study examines the extent to which LPs resonate with this generation. Utilizing a qualitative methodology and with the help of thematic analysis, we reveal four key dimensions: drivers of high-fashion consumption, shopping preferences, customer loyalty patterns, and …

Brands & Virtual Personas: How Virtual Influencer Types Impact Brand Awareness, Carol Calderon Ambelis

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

As social media continues to shape how consumers interact with brands, virtual influencers (VIs) have emerged as a new type of digital celebrity. While previous research has explored how VIs contribute to brand image and awareness, there has been limited attention on how different types of VIs, both anime-like and human-like, affect consumer perceptions across different markets. This study examines how these two types of VIs impact relatability, aspiration, and brand awareness, with a focus on the differences between luxury and mass market. Using a within-subjects experimental design, this study recruited 574 participants with social media experience using MTurk. The …

Aging And The Screen: Toxic Commodification Of The Female Body In The Substance (2024), Damlasu Uyug Sengun, Tuncer Mert Aydın, Zeynep Ozdamar Ertekin

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Representations of the aging female body have increased in media, but their presence is still shaped by social norms and market-driven ideals. On the contrary, The Substance (2024), an absurd, postmodern body horror, provides us a provocative critique of contemporary society’s obsession with youth and beauty and the way our culture defines and commodifies aging, especially in relation to women’s bodies and identities. Our review of The Substance incorporates consumer culture theory with Julia Kristeva’s concept of the abject (1982), Laura Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze (1975), and Barbara Creed’s notion of the monstrous-feminine, (1993) to explore the toxic …

Quantum Leap: Harnessing Quantum–Ai Synergy For Resilient Supply Chains And Predictive Routing Under Tariff Shocks, Andrew Burnstine, Raouf Ghattas

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Enterprise Architecture: Embedding Circular Economy And Lifecycle Thinking In It Strategy, Sai Chandrahas Kaveripakam, Frank Lin

Communications of the IIMA

This paper explores the integration of sustainability into traditional Enterprise Architecture (EA), proposing a novel Sustainable Enterprise Architecture (SEA) model, and uses the fashion industry to illustrate the efficacy of the proposed model. The SEA framework systematically embeds environmental, social, and economic sustainability principles into corporate strategy and operational practices. This research also addresses the significant intention-action gaps among consumers and organizations in sustainability practice. Through vivid case examples, such as MUD Jeans' leasing model and Pact's affordable circular apparel, this research highlights practical pathways for operationalizing sustainability. By leveraging Circular Economy (CE) and Product Life Cycle (PLC) concepts, SEA …

Assessing The Sustainable Circular Fashion Supply Chain As A Model For Achieving Economic Growth In The Global Market, Andrew P. Burnstine, Raouf Ghattas

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The fashion industry faces a critical sustainability crisis, contributing up to 10% of global carbon emissions and generating 92 million tons of textile waste annually. The study highlights the complex interplay of material flows, business models, power structures, and cultural mindsets, presenting a multi-scaled framework for advancing cleaner production and circularity in one of the world’s most resource-intensive sectors. This study proposes a transformative model for circular bioeconomy in fashion, integrating systems-change theory, degrowth economics, and emotional durability. Through case studies, including Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, and EU policy frameworks, the paper demonstrates how circular strategies can reduce waste, extend product …

Swift/Kelce Star Power Effect? Engagement Created A 96% Increase In Nfl Discussion Online With 82% Of Social Media Posts Expressing “Joy” About The Couple, Yi Luo, Jin-A Choi, Bond Benton

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

On August 27, 2025, Grammy winning singer Taylor Swift and football champion Travis Kelce announced their engagement. Celebrity couples inspire popular reactions with commercial implications. A research study from the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication in the College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University analyzed online reaction in the period immediately after the power couple’s engagement was announced. Results suggest overwhelming interest, positivity, and potential benefits to major brands, such as the National Football League. Findings include a 96% increase in brand references for the NFL and Kansas Chiefs on social …

Optimizing Sourcing Through Agile Project Management: Enhancing Efficiency And Cost Effectiveness In Apparel Production, Gautami Vikrant Moghe

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Production delays, cost overruns, and inventory mismanagement are a few of the challenges that the garment industry faces in its sourcing process. The main causes of these challenges are fluctuating market demands and evolving customer preferences. This research explored the application of agile project management methodologies to address these challenges by enhancing flexibility and collaboration. This study implemented a qualitative approach, leveraging interviews with industry professionals to gather insights into the practical implementation. The significance of this research lied in its potential to provide actionable insights for companies that were seeking to improve their sourcing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. To contextualize …

Sustainability: Buzz Word Or Future Of Fashion? Measuring The Feasibility Of Outright Sustainability Among Fast Fashion’S Biggest Agents, Ryan Miller

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The fashion industry is currently experiencing unsustainable rates of pollution within its supply chains. The rapid increase in demand for short lead times perpetrated by large-scale retailers has led to hazardous practices negatively affecting both the environmental conditions and working conditions of producing countries. With this increased pressure, relationships between brands and suppliers have become untenable. Limited transparency and imbalanced power dynamics at the hand of the industry’s leading retailers require restructuring in order to build more sustainable and equitable supply-chain practices. Further, governmental regulation is currently limited in its capacity to enforce sustainable business practices on a global …

Reviving The Lost Art: Historical Foundations And Future Pathways For Bespoke Service In Luxury Retail, Andrew Burnstine

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

The mid-20th century witnessed a zenith of deeply personalized, bespoke service within iconic luxury specialty retailers. This paper critically analyzes the foundational principles of this historical bespoke service model, extending Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic and retail evolution theory, to propose a robust framework for its modern revival. Employing a rigorous qualitative, multiple-case study approach, grounded in extensive historical and media analysis of four archetypal American and British luxury boutiques, and uniquely informed by an insider-ethnographic perspective on the central case exemplar ("Martha's"), the study distills six core principles: Profound Client Knowledge, Visionary Curation & Styling, Anticipatory & Proactive Service, The Exclusive …

Marketing De Moda Predictivo E Inclusivo: Estrategias De Segmentación Avanzada Para Audiencias Diversas Con Inteligencia Artificial, Oscar Barroso Huertas

GDI. Revista de investigación de Género, Diseño e Innovación

Introducción: El marketing predictivo, impulsado por la inteligencia artificial (IA), está transformando cómo las marcas anticipan las necesidades de sus audiencias. En Moda, la personalización es clave para conectar emocionalmente con los consumidores, pero también es esencial que las marcas sean inclusivas, respetando la diversidad y la privacidad. Este artículo explora cómo las marcas de moda usan el marketing predictivo para segmentar audiencias diversas, garantizando campañas personalizadas e inclusivas. Metodología: Este estudio adopta un enfoque mixto, combinando revisión documental y análisis cualitativo. Se revisan fuentes académicas y casos de marcas que aplican marketing predictivo inclusivo, utilizando tecnologías como machine learning …

Finnish Fashion Lessons For The Creation Of A Sustainable Textiles Industry, Susanna Monseau, Kaisa Sorsa, Heidi Salokangas

Pace International Law Review

The detrimental effects of textiles and the fashion industry on the planet are well-known.
In its 2022 Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles (the EU Textile Strategy) the EU proposed aggressive actions to transform the textile industry to implement the commitments of Europe’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. The Textile Strategy’s aim is simple but ambitious: to end fast fashion. Its proposals will regulate textile businesses along the whole supply chain, but the views of the smaller enterprises that make up the majority of the supply chain have been overlooked, even as larger players lobby for policy changes. …

Resale Revolution: Trend Implications From Media Presence Transcended To Luxury Retail Markets, Penelope Prochnow

Capstone Projects

This study aims to deepen understanding of fashion trend decline from peak popularity to obsolescence, with implications for sustainability and producer profit margins. It investigates how the attributes and media presence of fashion items influence their journey from high-end editorial coverage to resale platforms. Using survival analysis to model trend lifetimes and cosine similarity metrics to compare resale and magazine keyword frequencies, alongside machine learning for price prediction, the study uncovers critical temporal patterns. Results show that resale trends reflect magazine content with a lag of approximately 18 to 30 months and draw from long-wave revivals spanning 6 to 14 …

Redefining Female Leadership In The Fashion And Apparel Industry: Equity And Equality, Elaine Grullón

JWU Dissertations & Theses

Female leadership in the fashion and apparel industry has increased recently; however, females remain underrepresented in C-suite and executive positions (Cassell et al., 2022; Field et al., 2023; Lindahl, 2024). Nonetheless, this significant industry employs numerous female workers within the different organizational structures in the United States (U.S.) (Kumar et al., 2019; Tagra, 2021; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). Females encounter significant biases and barriers, such as unequitable promotional ventures and exclusion from networking opportunities. They are confronted with perceptions that undermine their effectiveness, hindering their ability to attain key roles.

The quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional survey design study evaluated …

Lindenwood University Spring Fashion Show And Market (May 3, 2025), Lindenwood University

Fashion Show Event Programs & Related Items

Program for the Lindenwood University Spring Fashion Show and Market (May 3, 2025).

Mary Kay Reimagined, Allison Terveer

Theses

This project is taking the brand Mary Kay and turning it into a new brand that would be enticing to younger generations and become a staple in everyone and anyone’s routines. Mary Kay was a huge makeup brand in the 1990s and early 2000s, but the cosmetic industry has grown tremendously, and Mary Kay has fallen behind. They mostly target the older generations, the generations that were supporting them in the 1990s and 2000s. They need to expand their target range and get younger consumers to pay attention to them. With updated packaging, new marketing and a new way to …

The Impact Of Tik Tok Marketing On Consumer Behavior In The Fashion Industry: Strategies For Effective Engagement And Sales Conversation, Latoya Burns

Theses

This thesis investigates the impact of TikTok marketing on consumer behavior within the fashion industry, focusing on strategies for effective engagement and sales conversion. As social media platforms, particularly TikTok, reshape the dynamics of fashion marketing, this research explores how short-form video content, influencer partnerships, and user-generated content (UGC) drive brand awareness, loyalty, and purchasing decisions among consumers, especially Gen Z and millennials. The study compares TikTok’s effectiveness to traditional marketing channels, highlighting the platform’s ability to foster interactive, real-time engagement and democratize trendsetting through its algorithm-driven content delivery. The thesis uses quantitative research to examine how TikTok influences consumer …

Life Cycle Analysis Of Cosmetic Products -- Assessing Environmental Sustainability And Potential Impacts, Karina Magro Machado

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The cosmetic industry has a significant environmental footprint due to its reliance on water, energy, petrochemical-derived ingredients, and plastic-based packaging. This study performs a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impacts of three cosmetic products: CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, bareMinerals Gen Nude Powder Blush, and Gillette Foamy Regular Shave Cream. The analysis was conducted using OpenLCA software and free databases, modeling each product across raw materials, packaging, manufacturing, transportation, use and end-of-life phases. The results showed that the shave cream had the highest environmental burden to three out of the four categories, especially in consumption and carbon …

Sustainable Fashion Identified: An Exploration And Education Of Sustainable Apparel, Michaela M. Lentsch

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

Consumers today are searching for and are loyal to companies who support their views and concerns about sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, but one that has many environmental and sustainability concerns. Fortunately, there are many ways the fashion industry and consumers can take steps to make sustainable change and better the planet. Small fashion businesses and boutiques can make positive changes to operate and provide sustainable options and services for customers which can help the planet become more sustainable.

Through this manuscript, an assortment of sustainable methods and practices will be shared …

Knot Alone: A 24/7 Live Chat App For Sewing Enthusiasts, Erica Frankenhoff

Theses

Knot Alone innovates support in the sewing industry by providing a 24/7 chat experience driven by community engagement. Unlike other forums or workshops with time limits, this platform guarantees interactive, personalized, and immediate guidance. Regardless of whether it’s a new beginner sewer learning how to thread a sewing machine, or a sewing enthusiast who is more advanced and is just figuring out issues with fabric tension, Knot Alone users can, at any hour, seek out professional advice. Professional advice will be provided by sewing educators and instructors, post graduate fashion students, and established sewing bloggers and influencers. By joining together …

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 …

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 …