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Browsing by Author "Hyllegard, Karen, advisor"

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    An examination of participation in sneaker culture: consumer motivations and responses to co-branding between luxury apparel and athletic shoe brands - Louis Vuitton and Nike
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Shin, Donghoon, author; Hyllegard, Karen, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Chai, DaeSeok, committee member
    This thesis investigated the phenomenon of 'sneaker culture' influence on the contemporary fashion market by examining consumer perspectives and their motivations for engaging in this subculture and by exploring their responses to the collaborative marketing strategy called co-branding. This research examined the co-branding of luxury apparel brands and athletic shoe/sportswear brands through the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Nike. This research was guided by the lens of fandom and participatory culture, and it employed an inductive approach to draw general conclusions from specific observations (i.e., interviews). This study was conducted by interviewing 'sneakerheads' who were expected to be particularly interested in this collaboration between luxury and athletic brands. Through a qualitative research method, this study provides insight into consumers' (i.e., sneakerheads) perceptions of the value of this type of co-branding. Findings also provide insights for fashion companies to understand the specific motivations of consumers who participate in sneaker culture and their behavior/response (i.e., consumer attitudes and purchase intentions) to co-branding between luxury brands and athletic shoe/sportswear brands.
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    Design for the environment: an exploratory study on the processes that guide the design of interior textile products
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Calamari, Sage, author; Hyllegard, Karen, advisor; Park, Juyeon, committee member; Ryan, Ajean Lee, committee member
    In order to meet the daily product needs of consumers worldwide, an estimated 85 million metric tons of textiles were produced in over 50 countries in 2011 (Platzer, 2012). This figure suggests that the integration of more sustainable practices relative to the production and consumption of textiles has the capacity to reduce some of the negative impacts on human health and the environment. Recently, researchers have begun to examine the relationship between production and sustainability, including the role that designers play in the life cycle of products (McDonough & Braungart, 2002). This calls for a deeper look into design and development of interior textile products and Design for the Environment (DfE) oriented products. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the processes that guide the design of interior textile products. In particular, this study explored designers' perspectives on the design processes in relation to human health and environmental considerations throughout the life cycle of interior textile products. A qualitative research approach, specifically interviews with twelve design professionals engaged in the creation of interior textile products, was employed to address the design practices and processes that are currently utilized in the industry. Findings from this study are discussed in relation to three research questions that explored the design processes for interior textile products, the distinctiveness in DfE-oriented design processes, and the considerations for human health and the environment throughout the design processes. Findings from the content analysis of the narratives about the design processes, and DfE-oriented approaches, provided by professionals in the interior textile design industry were, to some degree, consistent with accounts of the processes provided by educators and students, as reported in prior research. However, the narratives in this study revealed additional details and emphasis related to specific themes associated with the design processes for interior textiles. Also, in regard to DfE-oriented approaches and life cycle consideration, all participants recognized the various human health and environmental impacts of interior textile products. However, it was apparent that all designers worked within the limitations of their companies and the industry at large and could not address all potential impacts within their design decisions.
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    Effectively offending to sell: consumer response to shocking visual merchandising presentations
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Ortega-S, Anali Alfonsina, author; Hyllegard, Karen, advisor; Yan, Ruoh-Nan, committee member; Banning, James H., committee member
    In recent years, the use of shocking message appeals has become increasingly commonplace in the fashion industry, particularly in the context of print advertising. Sex and violence are two of the specific types of message appeals that are often employed in the creation of shocking advertising or promotions. Despite the increased use of this type of message appeal across all forms of promotion, research into the efficacy of this message appeal has focused primarily on print advertising. Limited research exists on the subject of visual merchandising, in general, and even less exists on store window presentations, in particular, despite the importance of this form of promotion for retailers. For these reasons this study focused on consumers' reactions to the use of shocking message appeals in visual merchandising presentations, specifically store window displays. The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' responses to the use of shocking message appeals in visual merchandising, specifically store window presentations, to promote the sale of apparel. An integrated theoretical framework that draws from the information processing model (McGuire, 1978), the elaboration likelihood model (Petty and Cacioppo, 1983), and the theory of reasoned action (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980; Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975) informed the development of this study. Together, these models provided a basis for the study of how consumers process information obtained from viewing store window displays, as well as how attitudes toward a retailer may be influenced by window displays and how those attitudes may, in turn, influence consumers' patronage intentions toward a retailer. An intercept survey was employed to collect data for this study. The sample consisted of 246 students from Colorado State University; 111 male participants, and 135 female participants. T-tests, one-way analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of variance, and regressions were conducted to analyze the data. Results indicated that gender, clothing involvement, and perception of shock impacted consumers' responses to the use of shocking message appeals in store window presentations, including consumers' elaborative (information) processing and attitudes. Findings revealed that upon viewing the window presentation, women engaged in more information processing than did men, and that men perceived the window presentations to be less shocking than did women. Findings also revealed that participants' perceptions of the level of shock present in the window displays as well as their level of clothing involvement impacted their elaborative processing. Perceptions of the level of shock present in the window displays also impacted attitudes toward the window display and toward the retail store. Further, attitude toward window presentation, attitude toward retail store, and elaborative processing predicted store patronage intentions. The findings from this study provide multiple implications related to the use of shocking message appeals in store window displays for apparel retailers that target young adults. These findings suggest retailers need to be cautious when employing shocking message appeals in their store window display so as to avoid negative repercussions. However, these findings also suggest a slight level of shock can have a positive impact on store patronage intentions, and in turn, for the retailer.
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    Factors affecting China's apparel manufacturing industry's international competitive advantage
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Brubaker, Morgan, author; Hyllegard, Karen, advisor; Perry, Anna, advisor; Vasudevan, Ramaa, committee member
    Since the early 1980s, China has grown its apparel manufacturing export industry by utilizing a large labor pool, low wages, and its access to a significant amount of raw materials (Zhang, Kong, & Ramu, 2015; Zhang & Hathcote, 2008). A world leader in apparel exports, China exported US $153.2 billion of apparel products in 2012 ("2016 Top Markets," 2016). In recent years, China's international competitive advantage in the apparel manufacturing export industry has faced a variety of challenges. China attributes its loss of competitive advantage in the global apparel manufacturing industry to increased costs of labor and raw materials ("2016 Top Markets," 2016). With an awareness of these challenges, China's new strategy for establishing competitive advantage has been to reposition itself in the global value chain and to become a stronger industry in the international marketplace (China National Garment Association, 2013). Challenges to China's world-renowned apparel manufacturing export industry, and the industry's awareness of the need to implement new strategies to meet these challenges, provided direction for this study. The purpose of this study was to analyze the economic, government, and social factors that were affecting national competitive advantage in China's apparel manufacturing export industry, as well as the competitive advantage of individual businesses as perceived by industry executives. Nine Chinese apparel manufacturing business executives were interviewed for this study and a qualitative research method was employed to capture the perspectives of the business executives, who were asked to respond to open-ended interview questions. The findings from this research study aid in better understanding two research questions. The first research question focused on what and how factors affect China's international competitive advantage in the global apparel manufacturing export industry. The second research question focused on the changes Chinese apparel export manufacturers made in order to maintain their international competitive advantage in the global apparel manufacturing export industry. The findings from this study revealed that three main factors were influencing China's international competitive advantage in the global apparel manufacturing industry: labor and wages, China's apparel manufacturing supply chain and raw material suppliers, and the government's policies, actions, and improvements. Findings revealed the following changes in production processes and strategies as primary ways our participants were maintaining international competitive advantage: increased focus on research and design, efficiency and productivity, customer service, and increased focus on opportunities in producing apparel goods for China's domestic market.
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    How apparel companies communicate corporate social responsibility on their websites: a longitudinal study
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Gaskill-Fox, Jamie N., author; Hyllegard, Karen, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer Paff, advisor; Rouner, Donna, committee member
    Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an essential part of Western business practices in the last two decades, and companies are increasingly communicating about their CSR efforts on their websites. Researchers have examined website communications about the CSR practices of businesses from multiple industries, but few researchers have focused on a single industry and none to date have focused on the apparel industry exclusively. In addition, an opportunity exists for researchers to focus on the changes in communications about CSR over time. The present longitudinal study fills gaps in the existing research by examining how three apparel companies (Gap, Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., and Nike) communicated about CSR on their websites and how those communications changed from 2001 to 2009. Stakeholder theory guided the development of this study and was used as a conceptual framework for the analysis. The qualitative research method Qualitative Document Analysis (QDA) was used to examine the 2001 and 2009 websites of the selected apparel companies, and constant comparison was used as a coding strategy. The results of the analysis indicated that although the apparel companies emphasized some areas of CSR more than others on their websites, seven themes related Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an essential part of Western business practices in the last two decades, and companies are increasingly communicating about their CSR efforts on their websites. Researchers have examined website communications about the CSR practices of businesses from multiple industries, but few researchers have focused on a single industry and none to date have focused on the apparel industry exclusively. In addition, an opportunity exists for researchers to focus on the changes in communications about CSR over time. The present longitudinal study fills gaps in the existing research by examining how three apparel companies (Gap, Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., and Nike) communicated about CSR on their websites and how those communications changed from 2001 to 2009. Stakeholder theory guided the development of this study and was used as a conceptual framework for the analysis. The qualitative research method Qualitative Document Analysis (QDA) was used to examine the 2001 and 2009 websites of the selected apparel companies, and constant comparison was used as a coding strategy. The results of the analysis indicated that although the apparel companies emphasized some areas of CSR more than others on their websites, seven themes related to CSR were identified as common to all three companies: motivations for CSR, philanthropy, labor practices, minimizing environmental impacts, accountability, and recognitions for CSR efforts. In addition, the companies put the most emphasis on addressing the following stakeholder groups within their website communications about CSR: employees, charitable organizations and communities, the natural environment, consumers, suppliers and factory workers, activists, and youth and students. In terms of changes between 2001 and 2009, the companies generally provided greater detail and communicated more about their CSR practices in 2009 than 2001. Nike was the exception to the increase in communications about CSR in that it reduced the amount of communications relative to several of the themes from 2001 to 2009. Nike did not, however, appear to be less committed to ethical practices in 2009, rather the company appeared to change the way in which it presented communications about CSR on its website. A summary figure was developed to compare how each company's website communications about CSR represented the seven identified themes in 2001 and 2009. New insights about website communications regarding CSR in the apparel industry are presented, and implications, limitations, and suggestions for future work are discussed.
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    Millennial consumers' responses to advertising for a transformational apparel product
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Sylvester, Rebecca, author; Hyllegard, Karen, advisor; Miller, Nancy, committee member; Rosecrance, John, committee member
    Owing to the growth in the sportswear industry, and more specifically growth in the outdoor wear industry, companies are innovating products to find a competitive advantage over well established brands. Consumer demand for better preforming attire manufactured with consideration for the environment is driving product development and companies' commitment to more sustainable and transparent practices. One solution to the growing consumer demands is adaptable or transformational apparel. Adaptable or transformational apparel refers to apparel products designed with an ability to be manipulated to serve multiple functions beyond the normal expectations and functions of the apparel item. Members of the Millennial generation (i.e., individuals born between 1981 and 1997) are likely to spend more money on a product from a sustainable brand than from a non-sustainable brand (Bucic, Harris, & Arli, 2012; Cone Communications, 2015; The Center for Generational Kinetics, 2016; Fry, 2016).  This cohort is concerned with the environment, is interested in product innovations, and has an expectation for 'cutting-edge' products. The Millennial generation is the largest generation in the U.S. population and workforce, and therefore has a high purchasing power (Fry, 2016). Based upon Millennial consumers' characteristics, this cohort was identified as an ideal target market for transformational outdoor wear apparel. Consumers' preferences for the functionality and sustainability of clothing has been examined in specific contexts; however, to date, there is limited research examining consumers' acceptance of transformational apparel for use in outdoor and sport activities. Therefore, this study examined how message framing of functionality and sustainability for product attributes influenced Millennial consumers' attitudes toward advertisements, attitudes toward brand, and purchase intentions toward a transformational apparel product. An integrated conceptual framework, which included the model of Message Framing for Brand Communication (MFBC) (Tsai, 2007) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), informed the development of the present study. Together, these models provided a framework for examining consumers' responses to advertising messages for a transformational apparel product. Data were collected through an online survey administered through the survey firm Qualtrics. The final sample included 176 participants born between the years 1981 and 1997. The results indicated that message framing did not influence Millennial consumers' attitudes toward advertisements for a transformational textile product, however, their attitudes toward advertisements did influence Millennial consumers' attitudes toward the Loki brand. Findings from the basic model revealed that Millennial consumers' purchase intentions toward a transformational apparel product were influenced by attitudes toward the brand and subjective norm, but they were not influenced by perceived behavioral control. Furthermore, findings from an extended regression model revealed that the consumers' purchase intentions were influenced by outdoor participation, product knowledge, and attitudes toward the brand, whereas self-construal, product involvement, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control did not influence purchase intentions. The findings from this research revealed several implications for product development and marketing as well as suggestions for future research. This research has implications for the outdoor wear industry specifically with respect to apparel product development and marketing initiatives targeted to the Millennial generation.