Fashioning clothing with and for mature women: a small-scale sustainable design business model

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Townsend, K. ORCID: 0000-0003-2212-2511, Kent, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-9741-4335 and Sadkowska, A., 2019. Fashioning clothing with and for mature women: a small-scale sustainable design business model. Management Decision, 57 (1), pp. 3-20. ISSN 0025-1747

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Official URL: http://doi.org/10.1108/MD-12-2016-0942

Abstract

Purpose: An ageing population in the developed world has become a significant topic in the contemporary research agenda. The aim of this paper is to report on the development of a new small-scale business model based on facilitating in-depth understanding and responding to mature female consumers' needs and expectations towards fashionable clothing.

Design/methodology: Two complementary approaches are used: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) allows the researchers to employ the life-course perspective and to develop in-depth understanding of individuals' present experiences in relation to their past. Action Research offers the possibility to develop participatory, co-design processes based on collective creativity and mutual knowledge exchange between the stakeholders.
Findings: The research finds a strong interest in fashionable clothing by women, irrespective of their age. The action based co-design process involving collaborative encounters with mature consumers creates a dynamic capability for alternative fashion design methodologies. This approach can contribute to a small-scale fashion business model for the mature women's fashion market.

Practical implications: The women in the study stress the need for a more inclusive design process and expressed a willingness to buy from a brand/retailer who would offer them such a collaborative opportunity. There are practical implications for how a more flexible sizing approach to the design of fashion for older women could be implemented.

Originality/value: This research makes a contribution to practice-based design solutions for mature women and a new inclusive business model based on emotional durability. The innovative methodological approach contributes to the field of ethical and sustainable fashion design.

Item Type:

Journal article

Publication Title:

Management Decision

Creators:

Townsend, K., Kent, A. and Sadkowska, A.

Publisher:

Emerald

Date:

2019

Volume:

Number: