• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 2024

Within the metaverse platform, users engage in communication with others through 'avatars' reflecting their own identities. Users experience various virtual fashion items through avatars, and the fashion industry anticipates avatars wearing virtual fashion items as an emerging business opportunity. Many fashion brands are currently releasing virtual fashion items specifically designed for avatars. In this study, we examined the impact of user identification with their avatar on their perception of the attributes of virtual fashion items (investment attractiveness, scarcity, playfulness, and aesthetics) and its influence on behavioral intentions. The research involved a survey of 250 females with prior knowledge of the metaverse. Structural equation modeling analysis was conducted to examine research hypotheses and validate the model. The results confirmed that as users within the metaverse perceive greater identification with their avatar, they also perceive the attributes of virtual fashion items more favorably. This finding affirms the self-reference effect, where users positively evaluate objects associated with themselves. Additionally, perceiving the attributes of virtual fashion items was found to be positively linked to purchase intentions for virtual products and actual interest in the brand. Lastly, a higher intention to purchase virtual fashion items was associated with forming a more favorable attitude toward the respective brand. Consequently, this study provides academic and practical implications for marketing strategies within the metaverse, emphasizing the active utilization of avatars and elements that facilitate user-avatar identification for effective engagement.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.707-718
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• 2022

The metaverse is emerging as the next digital environment for people not only to interact and collaborate with others, but also to have virtual consumption experiences. In this study, virtual fashion items for the consumer's digital self are deemed significant products with consumption value. Drawing from the regulatory focus theory, this study examines how consumers' promotion and prevention focus influence value perception and buying behaviors of virtual fashion items in the metaverse context. The data were collected through an online survey. A total of 546 consumers in their twenties who are aware of the metaverse responded to a self-administered questionnaire. The results showed that promotion focus influenced all the perceived consumption values of virtual fashion items such as the economic, visual authority, hedonic, and social value, whereas prevention focus influenced only the visual authority value. Visual authority value negatively affected both purchase intention and willingness to pay premium price, while others had a positive effect. The findings provide theoretical evidence that consumers' regulatory focus is critical in buying virtual fashion items and suggest that marketers devise effective strategies to stimulate consumers' regulatory focus and to emphasize the economic, hedonic, and social value of the items in the metaverse context.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.33-49
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• 2022

In the metaverse, it is important to embellish aesthetics of user with a character called 'Avatar', a virtual representation of the user. This study provides basic data related to the fashion trend of the metaverse by studying 'Zepeto', a representative Korean platform. For empirical research, Zepeto's "Best Items" section were investigated and analyzed in the first pre-survey. Based on this, the second and main survey was conducted using a questionnaire to investigate users' style-specific preferences and purchasing behaviors for virtual fashion, comparing style preferences between virtual and real, brand preferences, and purchasing behaviors of virtual fashion. The survey found that most users were teenage girls with a high preference for pastel-toned, feminine, and cute casual styles who had a much higher interest in brands bearing idol names than in real-world luxury brands. Many responded that they felt burdened by purchasing items that had to be purchased for cash. The same can be assumed to be the reason why they preferred a suit of items that were fully coordinated rather than individual items. These results seem to reflect characteristics of teenage girls who lack cash with a high preference for idols and feminine-cute casual styles. This study suggests considerations when creating virtual fashion items. By providing basic information, more effects and developments in creating virtual fashion items that reflect consumer preferences and reactions are expected in the future.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.198-206
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• 2008

The fashion in the virtual world is emerging as a new genre. Gammer in virtual community shares the avatars and space for their activities and for flourishing their virtual lives, they start to demand indispensable daily items. The gammer's demands lead to the concept of second life in the virtual world which was introduced in 2003. The trading business system is realized at the virtual world with various daily items, developed by individual programmers, through the virtual money, which may converted into real money. Particularly, fashion industry's inherent nature of snagging on-line trading is no more, now, set to ready in the virtual world let alone various daily virtual items developed by individual programmers. The purpose of this study is, focused on the virtual second life, to introduce the model of fashion business in virtual world and overall informations regarding second life business systems so as to provide the fundamental data for opening the web.3.0 era. Further various fashion items in the virtual world, developed by individual programers, will be another boost for shaping another virtual fashion business genre.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.85-95
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• 2023

Purpose: Virtual reality's impact on fashion distribution extends beyond singular transactions, facilitating the emergence of novel collaborations. As investigating the characteristics of fashion distribution channels in virtual reality, this study explores how the fashion industry can utilize virtual reality distribution channels to their maximum capacity while minimizing potential disadvantages. Research design, data, and methodology: The approach used to gather previous studies for this study adheres to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology. This method is widely acknowledged and recommended for its systematic and transparent approach to selecting relevant literature. This kind of literature search plays a vital role in a systematic evaluation as it informs the results. Results: The finding indicates consistently a total of eight kinds of characteristics of fashion distribution channels in virtual reality. The result means that the attributes of fashion distribution channels in virtual reality are causing significant changes in the fashion industry, revolutionizing the consumer experience, and redefining the parameters of creativity and collaboration. Conclusions: In sum, the global reach and accessibility of modern technology enhance the capacity of fashion companies to expand their market presence. This facilitates their participation in intercultural interactions and allows them to serve a wide range of customers.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.31-44
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• 2023

Fashion design in the metaverse is not simply a 3D avatar or virtual fashion, it is an important clue for shopping trends, and the role of fashion design has grown even more because avatars and humans are identified and active. This study, I attempts to understand the metaverse platform accurately and find out the scope of fashion design within the metaverse platform. In addition, we want to provide basic data that can expand the field by using fashion design in various ways on the metabus platform. This study investigated and analyzed various metaverse fashion cases, articles, software, and methods used by metaverse fashion creators, and the results are as follows. First, the metaverse platform is a new level of virtual interaction where users and creators communicate through the convergence of augmented reality, lifelogging, mirror world, and virtual world. Second, most of the users of the metaverse platform are generation Z, and metaverse creators who make money by producing avatars or items, including fashion design, are emerging as a new job field. Third, many fashion brands created spaces on the Metaverse platform, collaborated with games, or opened fashion weeks for publicity, marketing, and sales. Fourth, as a 3D program for metaverse fashion creator activities, open-source software is easier and free of charge compared to programs for fashion design specialists, and most costumes can be reproduced, so it will be easier for fashion design majors to utilize.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 2022

This study aims to verify the sewing technology and the expression of the virtual garment program by comparing the appearance similarity between the real and the virtual power shoulder jacket. To this end, the H and the X silhouettes of the power shoulder jacket were selected as the reference designs. After making the reference designs into real jackets by applying the human body dimensions of women in their twenties, virtual avatars and jackets were produced using CLO 3D programs. The results showed that the H-type with only expanded shoulders and less design variation had a high similarity between the reference photo and real garment, the real and virtual garment, and the reference photo and virtual garment. The power shoulder jacket of the reference picture was well reproduced in the real and virtual garments. Conversely, the X-type jacket, which is a tight fit and has many design variations, showed somewhat low similarity in the circumference items and the basic construction line. Especially in tight-fitted power shoulder jackets, the fact that shoulder angles and the essential items for pattern making cannot be reflected in reproducing virtual models was found to be a limitation in increasing the similarity of virtual clothing. Furthermore, the sewing system gap between the real and the virtual clothing exposed a difference in the appearance of virtual clothing.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.110-125
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• 2023

Virtual idol groups are a product of changes in cultural content and development of digital technology. The purpose of this study is to derive the characteristics of technical expression and fashion of virtual idol groups of Korean entertainment companies, and the significance of this study is to provide basic data for creating a new content business model for virtual idol groups. The research method of this study consisted of literature research and case analysis. Korean virtual idol groups 'K/DA', 'Aespa', and 'Eternity', which show the evolved business model of the entertainment industry through rapid advances in digital technology, were selected as the subject of case analysis for this study, and newspaper articles were searched by keywords and analyzed. As a result of the study, the technical expressions shown in Korean virtual idol groups were 'implementation of realistic content through interaction technology', 'delicate motion expression through motion capture technology', and 'convergence of information between the real world and virtual world through AR technology', 'provision of experience similar to reality by VR technology' and 'formation of cultural contents by Deep Real technology' were deriven. In addition, the characteristics of the Korean virtual guide idol group's fashion are 'marketing strategy through collaboration with fashion items', 'giving recognition as a digital fashion icon of real existence', 'creating a sensuous image as a fashion brand ambassador' and 'fashion style expression of the Z generation's sensibility'.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.135-150
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to understand the formative characteristics of futuristic virtual fashion revealed in virtual fashion platforms targeting the human body. First, the current status of fashion in the metaverse and futurist fashion were reviewed and summarized by referring to prior research. Next, among the items posted on DRESSX, "futurism" was searched and those resturning a positive result were collected as research subjects. The characteristics were organized into design elements: colors, shapes, materials, and patterns. Futuristic aesthetic characteristics were derived from the characteristics of each design element. As a result, color showed the characteristics of achromatic, vivid and neon colors, multi-color and gradation, multi-color due to reflected light, and color conversion. As for the form, a body-concious look or exaggerated silhouettes, spatial expressions in geometric structures, forms imitating living things, and fluid silhouettes using clouds were prominent. Materials showed the digitization of universal clothing materials, application of industrial materials, use of metal materials, and unrealistic materials. In the patterns, geometric abstract patterns, patterns that reveal the digital world view, and moving fluid patterns appeared. The aesthetic characteristics of futurism in virtual fashion were revealed in four categories: visual dynamics, high-tech sensibility, variability, kineticisim. Visual dynamics were revealed in geometric forms, and intense neon colors. High-tech sensibility was prominent in the use of metal and industrial materials, light emission, and patterns of the digital world view. The expression of multiple colors by reflected light and the change showed the variability of futurism. The use of unrealistic materials, such as clouds and fire and fluid silhouettes expressed kineticisim. The infinite expressiveness of virtual fashion made it possible to actively express the aesthetic characteristics of futurism.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.66 no.7
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• pp.154-170
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• 2016

The female leadership styles in the 21st century have been established as a major axis. Especially, the fashion of female politicians being exposed to the public during political activities has become a main element of a measure displaying visually female leadership styles in the 21st century and image making as well. Consequently, this study conducted qualitative research through the interview method to figure out regular voters' thoughts in depth about images being required for female political leaders and the fashion maximizing those images, and drew the detailed design elements. Suggesting the clothes design reflecting those elements for female political leaders by 3D virtual clothing works emerging as a new market creating profits related to fashion. The images which female political leaders have to have and were extracted through the interviews in this study, showed as feminine, strong leader, honest, and intelligent images, and also it was shown that female political leaders displaying proper images depending on the circumstances and using those images in politics rather than sticking to a fashion identity were favored by interviewees. The present study intends to contribute to being used as basic data of various research and fashion items of virtual reality and establishment of successful fashion strategy for female political leaders.