This study investigates character collaboration strategies in the context of rising kidult fashion as an emotional and cultural consumption trend. Jo’s kidult consumers typology and Byeon’s character function theory were used to analyze 33 SPAO collaboration cases released between 2022 and 2024. The study adopts a two-stage qualitative content analysis method: 1. categorizing the cases into four types of character collaboration strategies: character-centric, narrative worldview-immersive, fandom-centric, and retro sensibility; and 2. interpreting each type through an integrated framework combining emotional design, nostalgic bonding, and social identity theory. Data were collected from publicly available digital sources and examined with respect to emotional visualization, product design, affective messaging, and participatory/social-media strategies. The findings show that character-centric collaborations were most prevalent (45.5%), emphasizing direct visual cues and everyday product integration. The other three types account for 18.2% each, highlighting narrative immersion, fandom identity, and generational nostalgia, respectively. Character collaboration operated as an affective and symbolic communication mechanism that structures emotional connection, identity expression, and cultural resonance. The results demonstrate that character collaboration is a strategic tool for strengthening consumer engagement, cultural inclusivity, and brand loyalty. The study positions kidult fashion collaboration within an integrated emotional identity and offers a framework for brands to develop emotional comfort products, immersive storytelling designs, fandom-driven engagement, and intergenerational appeal.
This study investigates changes in consumer perceptions of eco-friendly fashion using big data analysis and derives strategic directions based on the frequency of related keywords. Data were collected on "eco-friendly fashion" from blogs, online communities, and web documents on portal sites (Naver, Daum, and Google) and analyzed using text mining and Ucinet6 across the pre-pandemic (2017–2019), mid-pandemic (2020–2022), and post-pandemic (2023–2025) phases. The seven most frequent keywords—“eco-friendly,” “fashion,” “brand,” “product,” “material,” “clothing,” and “production”—remained consistently within the top ten across all phases. In Phase 2, new keywords such as “mask,” “fabric,” “upcycling,” and “certification” emerged, reflecting pandemic and sustainability-related concerns, while the terms “protection,” “value,” “ethics,” “Patagonia,” and “practice” emerged in Phase 3, emphasizing ethical and practical engagement in sustainability. The keywords whose rankings changed—"sustainability" and "recycling"—appeared more frequently than before COVID-19 pandemic, and the rankings of "sustainability," "environment," and "utilization" continued to rise. This can be interpreted as a heightened awareness of the importance of using sustainable materials and protecting the environment. CONCOR cluster analysis identified four key categories in each period: (1) interest in and campaigns for eco-friendly fashion Phase 1, (2) sustainable materials and certification trends Phase 2, and (3) technology, ethical consumption, and upcycling practices Phase 3. Overall, the findings suggest that consumer awareness and engagement in eco-friendly and sustainable fashion have significantly increased, with the industry shifting toward ethical and practical sustainability practices.
Due to its superior recycling characteristics, recycled-cotton has become a key material driving the eco-friendly transformation of the fashion industry. However, this transformation depends not only on material innovation in the production phase but also on consumers’ perception and acceptance of recycled-cotton fashion products. This study aims to identify the core determinants shaping consumers’ purchase intention toward recycled-cotton fashion products by analyzing how perceived consumption value dimensions influence purchase intention through behavioral attitudes and subjective norms and by testing the moderating effect of altruism. Data were collected from 280 consumers aged 20–59 years who had previous experience purchasing recycled-cotton fashion products. The mediating and moderated mediating effects were empirically verified using PROCESS Macro Models 4 and 7. The results revealed that emotional, economic, social, functional, and environmental value all exerted significant positive effects on behavioral attitudes and subjective norms and indirectly influenced purchase intention through behavioral attitudes and subjective norms. However, altruism demonstrated a significant moderating effect only on the path linking functional value to purchase intention via behavioral attitudes. These findings highlight the pivotal roles of consumption value, behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and altruism in shaping consumers’ purchase intention for recycled-cotton fashion products and offer actionable implications for promoting the market diffusion of recycled fashion.
This study evaluated the fit of a one-piece dress using a 3D-printed dress form designed to reflect the body shape of middle-aged women and examined its potential for practical application by comparing the results with those from a 3D virtual fitting program. Therefore, a dress form was created based on the body measurements of middle-aged women using 3D body scanning and 3D printing, and an actual one-piece dress was fitted onto it. The same pattern was then simulated in a 3D virtual fitting program. A subsequent visual assessment was performed to compare and analyze the similarity between the 3D virtual fitting and actual fitting results. The analysis revealed that the 3D-printed dress form more accurately replicated the body characteristics of middle-aged women, making it advantageous for evaluating actual wearing comfort and garment fit. In contrast, the virtual fitting program demonstrated limitations in detailed expressions of elements such as wrinkles in specific body areas and fabric properties, resulting in lower consistency with real-world fitting outcomes compared to the dress form. This study confirmed that the 3D-printed dress form for middle-aged women can enhance accuracy in both fit evaluation and garment production processes. Future studies should focus on developing dress forms that accommodate diverse body types and refining virtual fitting technologies to enable more precise garment simulation and evaluation.
This study aims to reinterpret the four components of fashion store Visual Merchandising Design (VMD)-Visual Presentation (VP), Point of Purchase Presentation (PP), Item Presentation (IP), and Experience Presentation (EP)-through the lens of affordance theory. It explores how phygital retail environments stimulate consumer experiences and interactions. As the boundaries between online and offline retail become increasingly fluid, VMD no longer functions merely as a visual display but as an experiential medium that integrates sensory, interactive, and emotional dimensions of fashion consumption. This study examines four flagship stores opened or renewed within the past three years - Gentle Monster House Nowhere Dosan (2025), Ader Error Seongsu Space (2024), Musinsa Standard Seongsu (2023), and Nike Gangnam (2024). Field observations were conducted to document circulation paths, display configurations, and the integration of interactive technologies. Observations were complemented by analysis of brand archives and professional media sources to understand each space's experiential intent. The collected data were coded into physical, perceptual, and social affordance categories and comparatively analyzed. The results reveal that phygital fashion stores reinforce action-oriented affordances through participatory design elements, enhance sensory immersion by combining material and digital stimuli, and expand social affordances through community-based and digitally connected spaces. These findings suggest that the VP-PP-IP-EP framework should evolve from a visually centered approach to a consumer experience-centered model. In conclusion, the study redefines VMD as an experiential medium mediated by affordances and provides strategic insights for designing immersive and interactive retail environments in the phygital era.
This study analyzed body measurements of women aged 70+ from the 8th Size Korea data to provide information essential for reducing user inconveniences associated with four-wheeled walkers for elderly women by comparing various handgrip heights from previous studies. Even within the same height group, handgrip heights among women aged 70+ were significantly lower than among women in their 50s and 60s. Handgrip heights calculated based on wrist height and elbow height were significantly lower than those calculated based on height. To improve consumer awareness and industry applicability, a comparison using height index values revealed that handgrip height based on wrist height was 1% lower (47%) than the height for the elderly in general (48%), and handgrip height based on elbow height was 0.5–0.7% lower than the height for adults (52%). In the balance-related group, where bow legs typically reduce waist height, handgrip heights based on wrist and elbow heights were significantly lower (0.5–1%) than those for elderly women in general. To ensure safety and mobility, the dimensions of four-wheeled walkers should reflect the physical dimensions of people aged 70+ as the target audience. In particular, sturdy yet easily adjustable handgrips should be used to allow handgrip heights to be modified safely and easily to meet specific balance challenges.
Recent advances in digital technology and the diversification of consumer demands have accelerated the emergence of hybrid design approaches in contemporary fashion. Knitwear, characterized by structural flexibility, elasticity, and transformability, has become a key medium for integrating diverse materials, techniques, and textile structures. Although hybrid aesthetics have been actively discussed in broader fashion studies, systematic research focusing specifically on hybridization in knitwear particularly from structural, material, and technological perspectives remains insufficient. This study addresses this gap by classifying hybrid knitwear into three categories: Structural Hybrid, Material Hybrid, and Technical Hybrid. Using case studies of representative designers and technological applications, including Iris van Herpen, Alexander McQueen, Issey Miyake, Nike Flyknit, and MIT Media Lab, the research analyzes the distinctive characteristics of each category. The analysis focuses on how hybridization is realized through form construction, material composition, and digital or functional integration, while also identifying the design principles and fabrication strategies that enable hybrid outcomes in contemporary knitwear. The findings indicate that hybrid knitwear extends beyond conventional textile-based design to function as an expanded platform where materials, structures, and emerging technologies converge. This convergence generates new aesthetic, functional, and experiential values, positioning knitwear as a critical site of innovation. The study provides a theoretical framework for understanding hybrid knitwear and offers practical insights for future developments in knitwear design, smart textiles, digital fabrication, and technologically integrated fashion systems.
This study investigates the Dunhuang medallion patterns of the Tang Dynasty as its primary focus, conducting a systematic analysis of their morphological structures and color characteristics across four distinct historical phases, from the Early to the Late Tang periods. It also elucidates the evolution of patterns, tracing their transformation from the Early Tang's “cross” structure to the Middle-Late Tang's “six-partition” structure. Additionally, it interprets the sociological and cultural significance embedded within this progression. The study integrates shape grammar theory to create a layered deconstruction framework for pattern analysis based on split grammar principles and proposes an innovative design methodology that includes four deduction rules: generative, modifying, inherited, and derivative. New patterns are generated through vectorized extraction and regularized deduction, preserving traditional elements while aligning with modern aesthetics. The method's feasibility and utility were validated through a practical case using the design on a silk scarf, completing a research cycle of “analysis-extraction-derivation-validation.” Research shows that shape grammar provides a systematic method for innovating traditional patterns, while the resulting framework opens new avenues for reinterpreting cultural heritage.