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This study examined perceived brand attractiveness of and identification with fashion luxury brands given different levels of sexuality in advertisements. Sex in advertisements has become increasingly more common to generate attention and interest in fashion luxury products, with limited research on its influence on the consumer. However, the use of sexuality in luxury advertisements may counter the ethical expectations of brands by the current consumer in the United States.

A sample of 1,266 males and females completed a survey on brand attractiveness and identification after examining an advertisement of a luxury fashion product. Participants were assigned an advertisement that featured a same-gendered model at one of four levels of sexuality (fully clothed to nude). IBM SPSS Statistics was used to analyze the data which included descriptive statistics and a two-way multivariate analysis of variance followed by an analysis of variance.

The results indicated that less sexuality in luxury advertisements was better in generating attractiveness to and identification with the brand. The advertisements with models fully clothed were rated highest on brand attractiveness and identification. These relationships were statistically significant among groups of men and women.

These findings are important to scholars and marketers of luxury brands as sexuality in luxury brands continues to increase and becomes more provocative, as well as socially conscious.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the perceived personality of brands featuring different levels of sexuality in advertisements of luxury fashion brands.

To determine the identity of the company a “personality traits” scale by Geurens et al. (2015) was used with 25 brand personalities: conscientiousness/responsibility, extraversion/activity, emotional stability/emotionality, agreeableness/aggressiveness, and openness/simplicity. The final survey was then made available on Amazon Turk for two weeks. Each participant assessed one photograph at a level of sexuality given the gender they identified with the most.

There were 1,266 participants including 701 females and 565 females. Statistical analysis of the responses revealed that the degree of sexuality in the advertisements impacted brand perceptions. Among both genders, the greater degree of sexuality in the advertisement, the more the brand was considered less conscientious and responsible. The results also suggested that men and women view levels of sexuality differently. They varied most in the area of openness and simplicity, with men viewing advertisements of male models that had greater sexuality as simple. Men felt less sexuality was more emotional and romantic, while women viewed mid-level degree of sexuality in this manner.

Limited research has examined how level of sexuality influences perceived brand personality. The results contribute to theories pertaining to motivations to identify with a luxury fashion brand and provide strategies for luxury fashion brands to enhance their intended brand image.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze patterns of client and professional interaction as reported by professionals in the apparel industry.

This qualitative research involved 23 professionals or individuals who worked for more than ten years in an executive position. The participants, who worked in a variety of positions, in the US apparel industry were interviewed extensively about their professional experiences. Data were analyzed by identifying themes in the interview transcripts using a grounded approach methodology.

The participants described their professional relationships with clients. Clients included individuals in the general public and other industry professionals who used the service or bought the product. The participants, all women, showed similarity or homophily with clients' values, fashion level, age, gender, economic level, and body size. All participants emphasized differences or heterophily with clients in expertise and level of innovation.

This information is helpful for new professionals in the apparel industry and other business professionals to understand how to succeed and what to emphasize when relating to clients.

This study demonstrates how a grounded approach to interview analysis can add to theory and provide useful information about succeeding in a business environment. Limited research exists about professionals' use of homophily and heterophily to relate to their clients. Homophily and heterophily dimensions (e.g. age, gender, and expertise) used by apparel industry professionals in relating with clients are identified. Also, strategies that these professionals used to create homophily and heterophily are discussed.

The purpose of this research is to assess trends in information categories featured on costume and textile collection web sites, and to assess differences in the online capabilities of these features between 1997 and 2006.

The instrument was a content analysis of costume and textile collection web sites developed from a study completed in 1997. The previous study identified information categories which included hyperlinks to other sites, events calendars and forms to arrange visits, FAQs, online tours, and discussion group links. Information about education programs, contacting staff, volunteering, membership, and museum purchases was also noted. Data were collected from the 60 web sites used in the original study.

The findings revealed that costume and textile museums were using web sites to stimulate interest in visiting the physical museum. A picture of the artifact does not show all the specific features of an actual costume and textile, and thus the audience needs to actually visit the museum in order to learn about costume and textiles. A comparison of the 1997 and 2006 data revealed an increase in the frequency of features with higher levels of interaction capabilities.

The research was limited to observing web sites and web site information categories documented in the original study.

The paper identifies the information categories that costume and textile museums find most useful to fulfill audience needs and describes trends in the use of information on web sites which can serve as a guideline in developing museum web sites.

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to analyse the display of digital images found on clothing and textile collection websites. Design/methodology/approach – Features noted included where on the website the images were found, such as in a display or as part of a database. Display features are documented, including enlargement abilities, the view of the artefact, the use of dress forms and mannequins, and the context in which the artefact was pictured. The text that describes the artefact is also documented. The instrument was a content analysis of clothing and textile collection websites. Data were collected in 2006 from 57 clothing and textile collection websites. Findings – All 57 costume and textile museums had images of collection artefacts online, with the majority sharing a featured artefact. Almost half of the websites used images in databases and displays. Enlargement abilities were not common; most of the visuals showed the front view of the artefact. Enlargements were more common in displays. Mannequins and dress forms were used infrequently. Detailed text to explain the artefacts was available in the databases. Research limitations/implications – The research was limited to observing 57 websites. Originality/value – Common features used by costume and textile museums when displaying collection pieces online were identified. Suggestions as to what content to include in a website for clothing and textile collections are discussed in light of the data collected.

This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the area of material processing. The latest trends in metal forming, non‐metal forming, powder metallurgy and composite material processing are briefly discussed. The range of applications of finite elements on these subjects is extremely wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore the aim of the paper is to give FE researchers/users only an encyclopaedic view of the different possibilities that exist today in the various fields mentioned above. An appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on finite element applications in material processing for 1994‐1996, where 1,370 references are listed. This bibliography is an updating of the paper written by Brannberg and Mackerle which has been published in Engineering Computations, Vol. 11 No. 5, 1994, pp. 413‐55.