Classification of Fashion Models' Walking Styles Using Publicly Available Data, Pose Detection Technology, and Multivariate Analysis: From Past to Current Trendy Walking Styles.

Understanding past and current trends is crucial in the fashion industry to forecast future market demands. This study quantifies and reports the characteristics of the trendy walking styles of fashion models during real-world runway performances using three cutting-edge technologies: (a) publicly available video resources, (b) human pose detection technology, and (c) multivariate human-movement analysis techniques. The skeletal coordinates of the whole body during one gait cycle, extracted from publicly available video resources of 69 fashion models, underwent principal component analysis to reduce the dimensionality of the data. Then, hierarchical cluster analysis was used to classify the data. The results revealed that (1) the gaits of the fashion models analyzed in this study could be classified into five clusters, (2) there were significant differences in the median years in which the shows were held between the clusters, and (3) reconstructed stick-figure animations representing the walking styles of each cluster indicate that an exaggerated leg-crossing gait has become less common over recent years. Accordingly, we concluded that the level of leg crossing while walking is one of the major changes in trendy walking styles, from the past to the present, directed by the world's leading brands.

Higher orthorexia tendency among female fashion models: an empirical international study.

PURPOSE: Female fashion models are more at risk for developing eating disorders than non-models due to the intense occupational pressure they face. The present study focuses on assessing whether female models are more prone to report orthorexia nervosa signs and symptoms than non-models. METHODS: Female fashion models (n = 179, mean age: 25.9 SD = 4.40 years) and an age adjusted control group (n = 261, mean age: 25.0 SD = 4.97 years) were selected by snowball sampling. Participants filled out an online survey containing anthropometric questions and the 18-item Eating Habits Questionnaire. RESULTS: According to BMI, fashion models were underweight (mean BMI = 18.1 SD = 1.68) while control participants' BMI was in the normal range (mean = 22.1 SD = 4.23, p < 0.001). On all three of Eating Habits Questionnaire subscales fashion models showed significantly higher average value (Knowledge subscale: M = 2.42 among models versus M = 2.08 in the control group, p < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.52; Problems subscale: M = 1.93 among models versus M = 2.61 in the control group, p < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.49; Feelings subscale: M = 3.20 among models versus M = 2.96 in the control group, p < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.38). Orthorexic tendencies were reported by 35.1% of the models versus 20.2% of controls. CONCLUSION: Fashion models are at risk for the development of eating disorders. Even though not yet included in the DSM-5, the assessment of orthorexia nervosa among fashion models seems to be important. It is suggested to take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of disordered eating habits among models as they can lead to the development of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, well-designed cohort study.

The application of hierarchical perception technology based on deep learning in 3D fashion design.

In recent years, 3D fashion design has been relied on for improving attire fashion, design, and presentation with fewer flaws and better visualization. This aids consumers in providing visualized recommendations on modifications, suggestions, and customized attire designs. Considering the influence of automation and intelligent processing in the fashion designing industry, it introduces a Flaw Detection Method in 3D Representation (FDM-3DR) to reduce frequent modifications. The proposed method visualizes the design in three dimensions for its completeness and flawless representation. Based on the consumer recommendation, the lack of design flaws in the representation is identified, and multiple detections are presented. This is required to improve consumer satisfaction and the multi-dimensional projection between flaws and complete attire products. The learning is trained using the fixable representation, and therefore, the previous unsuitable designs are repelled by different recommendations. This improves the design adaptability, recommendation ratio, and representation ratio. Besides, it reduces the recommendation time and flaws.

From Style to Wellness: How Fashion Influencers Are Affecting Healthy Behaviors in Saudi Arabia.

Background Social media influencers, particularly those in the fashion domain, have become prominent sources of health-related information, influencing the health behaviors of their followers, especially within the unique socio-cultural context of Saudi Arabia. This study aims to examine the relationship between following fashion influencers on social media and the adoption of healthy behaviors among Saudi residents. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study with an analytic component was conducted from August 25, 2023, to December 15, 2023, among Saudi residents aged 18 years and older who actively follow fashion influencers. Data were collected via a structured, validated questionnaire distributed through various social media platforms. Data analysis was performed by employing descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test, and logistic regression analyses to identify predictors of negative health behavior outcomes. Results The study included 466 participants, revealing that despite insignificant differences in age and gender, postgraduate education was associated with negative outcomes (p = 0.016). Notably, 8.7% of individuals with negative outcomes held postgraduate degrees, compared to 2.9% in the non-negative group. Participants with negative outcomes more frequently followed influencers offering health tips (p = 0.01) and advocating a healthy lifestyle (p < 0.001). Logistic regression identified individuals who followed influencers with fewer than 10K followers had significantly higher odds of negative outcomes (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.4-8.9, p = 0.006). Conclusion Following fashion influencers on social media can influence health behaviors among Saudis, with both positive and negative outcomes. Critical evaluation of influencer content is crucial to avoid potential adverse effects. Further research is also needed to explore the dynamics of influencer impact on health outcomes and to develop strategies for effective health communication in the digital age.

Unpacking the Role of YouTube Influencers in Shaping Healthy Attitudes and Behaviors in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Social media, notably YouTube (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States), has transformed global communication and access to information. In Saudi Arabia, with high internet usage, YouTube influencers play a significant role in shaping health attitudes and behaviors. This study investigates the impact of YouTube influencers on health behaviors among Saudi Arabian residents, considering the unique cultural and socio-demographic context. Methods We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia. We surveyed a convenience sample of 703 young Saudi participants from September 2022 to March 2023. Data collection utilized an anonymous online questionnaire distributed via popular social media platforms. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic information, health habits, perceptions of influencers, and their impact on health attitudes. Descriptive statistics, including percentages, frequencies, means, and standard deviations, were employed to summarize participant characteristics and health-related variables. Pearson's chi-square test was utilized to compare response variables among different groups. Results Findings show significant gender disparities in health habits, with males more likely to smoke but females less physically active (p<0.01). Influencers were perceived as encouraging healthy habits by 71.7% of participants, yet 55.6% also believed they promoted unhealthy habits. Positive outcomes included dietary improvements (62.6%) and smoking cessation (20.5%). People preferred healthcare influencers the most (66.8%), followed by sports and fashion influencers. Conclusions This study highlights YouTube influencers' substantial influence on health behaviors in Saudi Arabia. It suggests the potential for influencers, especially in healthcare, to contribute positively to public health. Viewer discernment is essential due to varying influencer impacts. These findings underscore the complex role of YouTube influencers in shaping health behaviors and suggest avenues for targeted health interventions.

Increased eating disorder frequency and body image disturbance among fashion models due to intense environmental pressure: a content analysis.

Introduction: Female fashion models are under intense occupational pressure. The present study focuses on assessing the lived experience of fashion models with regards to their dieting and exercising habits, body image perception, eating disorder-like symptoms, and experience of abuse via self-narrated reports. Methods: Series of open questions were distributed among international fashion models (N=84, mean age=23.2 years; mean BMI=16.9) selected by convenience and snowball sampling. Models from 17 countries participated. The questions targeted models' eating, exercising, dieting habits, body image perception, and eating disorder symptoms. The average word count of the transcripts was 2473.9 (SD = 2791.6). Thematic content analysis was performed on the transcripts. A total of 31 codes were created to address disordered eating and body image concerns. Results: Negative body-related claims appeared in 89.3%, and positive claims in 64.3% of the models' transcripts. Negative remarks about eating were made by 45.2% of the participants, and 23.8% positively. Control over their food intake was exercised by 78.6% of the participants and 40.5% used extreme calorie restriction. Models who talked more positively about their bodies expressed significantly more frequently extreme calorie restriction. Extreme sports habits occurred in 23.8% of the transcripts, obsessive sports habits were claimed by 11.9% of participants. Self-induced vomiting was prominent in 14.3% of the answers. Criticism from other industry members was experienced by 83.3% of the participants while 44.0% received body appreciation. Body image disorder-like symptoms were expressed by 63.1% of models. Such models mentioned significantly more often content about eating disorders and talked significantly more negatively about eating. Psychological problems were mentioned by 48.8%, whereas 16.7% took part in psychotherapy. Those who partake in therapy mentioned significantly more eating disorder content in their narratives. Abuse was mentioned by 25.0% of the models. Conclusion: Fashion models are experiencing increased environmental pressure to conform to the extreme slimness ideal. There is a heightened prevalence of disordered eating and other weight-controlling behaviours among fashion models to succeed in their careers. Qualitative research is crucial in understanding the more subtle dynamics in conforming to and maintaining the thin beauty ideal.

Prioritization of Appearance over Health and Temperament Is Detrimental to the Welfare of Purebred Dogs and Cats.

Fashions in the appearance of purebred dogs and cats are encouraged by celebrity culture, social media, and online impulse buying. The popularity of characteristics perceived as cute, quirky, and anthropomorphic has driven increasingly exaggerated breed features appealing to aesthetics rather than health. 'Hypertypes' of some breeds have emerged that take a breed's distinctive appearance to extremes beyond the intended interpretation of breed standards. This has severe, direct and indirect health and welfare consequences. Extreme conformations are associated with chronic health conditions including brachycephalic obstructive airway disorder, ocular, dental, skin, and musculoskeletal disorders. Puppy and kitten farms and illegal traders that meet the demand for hypertypes are associated with poor husbandry that neglects the physical, behavioral, and mental health of parents and offspring. A multidimensional approach involving collaboration between breeders, geneticists, owners, veterinarians, kennel clubs, cat fanciers' associations, animal charities, the academic and research communities, commercial enterprises, and governments is needed to safeguard breeds and tackle these challenges. There are many ongoing initiatives by national kennel clubs and global partnerships to educate pet owners and support responsible pet ownership and sustainable breeding. The resounding message is that health, temperament, and well-being must be prioritized over appearance.

The influence of visual marketing on consumers' purchase intention of fast fashion brands in China-An exploration based on fsQCA method.

Under the rapid development of e-commerce, offline brick-and-mortar stores have been severely impacted. However, the importance of the visual, sensory and even psychological experience in the apparel industry makes offline stores still irreplaceable. The impact on consumers' visual experience cannot be ignored and is a significant influencing factor in determining consumers' psychological change and purchase intention. Especially for fast fashion brands which pursue low costs, visual marketing strategies is a cost-effective marketing tool to enhance the visual experience. In this paper, by adapting SOR theory and using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) research method, 15 fast fashion apparel brands and 374 valid questionnaires are adapted in China to explore not only the influence of individual dimensions in visual marketing on consumers' purchase intention, but also the action of multi-dimensional combinations. The research finds that: (1) there are two driving paths for high consumers' purchase intention. The first path is a combination of high clarity of arrangement and low display density; the second path is a combination of low light intensity, high clarity of arrangement, high tonal harmony and high window appeal. (2) There are also two paths that drive non-high consumers' purchase intentions, and they are asymmetrically related to the paths that drive high consumers' purchase intentions. The findings of this study help to provide direction and suggestions for offline visual marketing strategies of fast fashion apparel brands to increase consumers' psychological perception and purchase intention through a range of visual presentation techniques.

The carbon footprint of fast fashion consumption and mitigation strategies-a case study of jeans.

Fast fashion is driving the continued growth of the fashion industry's carbon emissions. Understanding how fast fashion consumption exacerbates carbon emissions is critical to guide mitigation strategies for the fashion industry. Taking jeans, a typical fast fashion product as an example, this study developed an LCA model to assess the carbon footprint of fast fashion consumption at global and national levels, and mitigation potentials of product service systems-related scenarios were then explored. Results show that the carbon footprint of fast fashion consumption is 2.50 kgCO2e/one wear jeans, 11 times higher than that of traditional fashion consumption. Jeans production and cross-broad transportation contributed 91 % of the carbon footprint of fast fashion consumption. Developed countries have a 53 % higher per capita carbon footprint of fast fashion consumption than developing countries. The second-hand trading model has the highest mitigation potential, reducing carbon emissions by 90 %. This study proposed an analytical framework for the carbon footprint of fast fashion consumption, which provides the basis for the environmental footprints of fast fashion products. Our findings provide insights into the carbon footprints of traditional and fast fashion consumption and strategies for the transition to circular fashion.

A systematic review of work-related health problems of factory workers in the textile and fashion industry.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to present a systematic review of the health-related problems of factory workers in the textile and fashion industry. These workers endure long sitting postures, poor workspace conditions, and long working hours to complete their overload of tasks. This situation results in several health problems that affect the productivity, mental health, and well-being of the workers. METHODS: The relevant data (21 article publications) were obtained from the Scopus database. Analysis of the 21 articles was grouped under 3 research themes based on the critical reading of the content and abstracts: respiratory problems, musculoskeletal disorders, and psychological stressors and other health issues. RESULTS: The findings show that factory workers are exposed to dust particles of cotton and other raw materials, fumes, and chemicals from manufacturing processes. This prolonged exposure without the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) leads to respiratory diseases like byssinosis that affect the workers' health. Additionally, working in a particular posture due to the workstation design for prolonged hours causes musculoskeletal disorders or pains. Workers also suffer from anxiety, depression, and stress from workload and pressure, hence making them unstable with reduced productivity. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study reinforce the need for a safe workspace and spacious work environment, provision of PPE, training in occupational hazards, frequent health checks, and ergonomic assessment of workstations to reduce prolonged work postures. Stakeholders, employers, policymakers, and governments should collaborate to safeguard and protect the well-being and health of the workers at these factories.

Flags and fashion: expressions of solidarity through lesbian clothing.

The clothes worn by lesbians are rich in meaning. Sometimes, they can help us to understand lesbian history and the social, personal, political, and erotic context of lesbian lives in the past. As LGBTQ communities have grown and the connections between groups within it have become at once stronger and more complicated, the clothes that lesbians (and others) wear can function as narrators. Lesbian fashion can be a tool for solidarity, our ideals worn quite literally on our sleeves. This paper is an analysis of how clothing has been - and is being - used by lesbians to show support for other groups within LGBTQ communities, through a fashion history lens. The focus is on printed t-shirts as well as clothing in different Pride flag colours, which I propose can be understood as a kind of "flagging." Flagging, here, is a way to understand the intentional choices made by lesbians and other LGBTQ + people when signalling personal identities and intra-community solidarities through dress. When solidarity activism is placed directly onto the lesbian body, it is personal, and can craft specific messages. These messages, constructed from a language of identities, visual culture, and physical garments, are what this paper seeks to examine.

Responsive deep brain stimulation guided by ventral striatal electrophysiology of obsession durably ameliorates compulsion.

Treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) occurs in approximately one-third of OCD patients. Obsessions may fluctuate over time but often occur or worsen in the presence of internal (emotional state and thoughts) and external (visual and tactile) triggering stimuli. Obsessive thoughts and related compulsive urges fluctuate (are episodic) and so may respond well to a time-locked brain stimulation strategy sensitive and responsive to these symptom fluctuations. Early evidence suggests that neural activity can be captured from ventral striatal regions implicated in OCD to guide such a closed-loop approach. Here, we report on a first-in-human application of responsive deep brain stimulation (rDBS) of the ventral striatum for a treatment-refractory OCD individual who also had comorbid epilepsy. Self-reported obsessive symptoms and provoked OCD-related distress correlated with ventral striatal electrophysiology. rDBS detected the time-domain area-based feature from invasive electroencephalography low-frequency oscillatory power fluctuations that triggered bursts of stimulation to ameliorate OCD symptoms in a closed-loop fashion. rDBS provided rapid, robust, and durable improvement in obsessions and compulsions. These results provide proof of concept for a personalized, physiologically guided DBS strategy for OCD.

Mobilisation of textile waste to recover high added value products and energy for the transition to circular economy.

The textile industry is a major contributor to global waste, with millions of tons of textiles being discarded annually. Material and energy recovery within circular economy offer sustainable solutions to this problem by extending the life cycle of textiles through repurposing, recycling, and upcycling. These initiatives not only reduce waste but also contribute to the reduction of the demand for virgin materials (i.e. cotton, wool), ultimately benefiting the environment and society. The circular economy approach, which aims to recreate environmental, economic, and societal value, is based on three key principles: waste reduction, material circulation, and ecological restoration. Given these difficulties, circularity incorporates the material recovery approach, which is focused on the conversion of waste into secondary raw resources. The goal of this notion is to extract more value from resources by prolonging final disposal as long as feasible. When a textile has outlived its functional life, material recovery is critical for returning the included materials or energy into the manufacturing cycle. The aim of this paper is to examine the material and energy recovery options of main raw materials used in the fashion industry while highlighting the need of close observation of the relation between circularity and material recovery, including the investigation of barriers to the transition towards a truly circular fashion industry. The final results refer to the main barriers of circular economy transition within the industry and a framework is proposed. These insights are useful for academia, engineers, policy makers and other key stakeholders for the clear understanding of the industry from within and highlight beyond circular economy targets, SDGs interactions with energy and material recovery of textile waste (SDG 7, SDG 11, SDG 12 etc.).

From the closet to the shore: Fashion waste pollution on Colombian Central Caribbean beaches.

This paper examines the environmental effects of fashion waste on the central Caribbean coast of Colombia, highlighting significant ecological issues in coastal areas. A survey of 27 beaches found 503 items of fashion waste, mainly shoes and sandals, with an average density of 0.93 items/m2. The distribution of this type of waste varies notably across different beach types, with exposed, rural, and remote beaches showing higher accumulation, indicating a relationship between beach characteristics and waste concentration. Primary sources of this waste include riverine transport, coastal tourism, and poorly managed sewage systems, impacting urban, rural, and village beaches differently. The study reveals that longshore currents and oceanic movements, significantly influence the transport and fate of this waste, with exposed beaches accumulating more fashion waste than sheltered ones. The presence of driftwood also plays a vital role in trapping fashion waste along coastlines. The findings highlight the need for effective management strategies to mitigate the impact of fashion waste, providing crucial insights for local and national coastal managers and implications for managing fashion waste in the Southern Caribbean and similar regions worldwide.

The impact of buying intention of global fashion on local substitute: The role of product design and price.

In a competitive environment, the relationship between global and local fashion in shaping consumption behavior is under question. This study explores the antecedents of consumers' purchasing intentions for local fashions, mainly considering buying intentions for global alternatives, price, and product design while controlling for age, income, gender, geographic location, and occupation. We discovered that consumers' buying intentions for global fashion harm their intent to buy local substitutes, based on a non-probability survey of 260 young adults and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. We associate these findings with cultural identity theory, social identity theory, ethnocentrism, substitute versus complementary concepts, and cue utilization theory. International marketers can devise marketing strategies referring to these findings.

Virtual fashion experiences in virtual reality fashion show spaces.

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.

Developing textile sustainability education in the curriculum: pedagogical approaches to material innovation in fashion.

The textile industry needs to adopt environmentally sustainable approaches to address ecologically damaging practices. Whilst driven by initiatives such as Textiles 2030, it is current students who will carry this agenda forward. This project investigated pedagogical approaches to develop sustainable textiles for the fashion design curriculum. Pilot studies, using bacterial cellulose (BC) as a material for millinery, revealed members of the public were prepared to experiment with this novel material, and BC was compatible with traditional hat-making techniques. A further study challenged secondary school students, based on an experiential learning model, to grow their own BC biofilm, exploring this as a sustainable apparel fabric. Initial attitudes of reluctance developed into acceptance once engaged in the practical activity. This study illustrates that with appropriate communication and education strategies, the principles of sustainability in fashion, and the acceptability of novel materials, can be engendered in different audiences.

Sustainable Development Goals for Textiles and Fashion.

In this paper, each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is discussed in the context of textiles and fashion. The necessity of collaborative efforts is accentuated to overcome the climate crisis and human health concerns encountered by the textiles and fashion industry. The concerns over poverty faced by cotton farmers, soil depletion, and toxicity to aquatic life due to microfibres and heavy metals are presented. The paper underlines numerous corrective practises such as the utilisation of African Organic Cotton, Better Initiative Cotton, and others that could enable curtailing poverty and hunger. The requirement for a more corporate and socially responsible textiles and fashion business that would propel SDGs is described with inspiring examples of Inditex, Culthread, Saint Basics, Flamingo's Life, etcetera. More, the greenwashing and ardent necessity of transparency across the fashion value chain is emphasised herein. The importance of reducing inequalities and working in partnership for innovation and justice is highlighted such as apple leather, algal foam, and others. Even more, the production waste and landfill disputes are reviewed. Eventually, the paper concludes with an appeal for mindful and diligent efforts from textiles and fashion consumers, designers, manufacturers, and traders to continually adapt to SDGs even after 2030 as there is no planet B. Also, abiding by the laws of nature as listed herein is found to be the key to reaching SDGs.

Discovering fashion industry trends in the online news by applying text mining and time series regression analysis.

The growth of digital media usage has accelerated the development of big data technology. According to the agenda-setting theory, news media inform the public regarding major agendas and business cycles. This study investigated 168,786 news documents from 2016 to 2020 related the South Korea fashion business using Python. A total of 19 topics were extracted through latent Dirichlet allocation and then transformed into structured data using a time series approach to analyze significant changes in trends. The results indicate that major fashion industry topics include business management strategies to increase sales, diversification of the retail structure, influence of CEOs, and merchandise marketing activities. Thereafter, statistically significant hot and cold topics were derived to identify the shifts in topic themes. This study expands the fashion business contexts with agenda-setting theory through big data time series analyses and can be referenced for the government agencies to support fashion industry policies.

PVD for Decorative Applications: A Review.

Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a widely utilized process in various industrial applications, serving as a protective and hard coating. However, its presence in fields like fashion has only recently emerged, as electroplating processes had previously dominated this reality. The future looks toward the replacement of the most hazardous and toxic electrochemical processes, especially those involving Cr(VI) and cyanide galvanic baths, which have been restricted by the European Union. Unfortunately, a complete substitution with PVD coatings is not feasible. Currently, the combination of both techniques is employed to achieve new aesthetic features, including a broader color range and diverse textures, rendering de facto PVD of primary interest for the decorative field and the fashion industry. This review aims to outline the guidelines for decorative industries regarding PVD processes and emphasize the recent advancements, quality control procedures, and limitations.