Browsing by Author "Gambetti, Rossella"

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    Breaking barriers with disability inclusion: brand activism as a catalyst for social sustainability in fashion
    (Springer Nature, 2024-12-29) Lee, Zoe; Alwi, Sharifah Faridah Syed; Gambetti, Rossella; Henninger, Claudia E; Alevizou, Panayiota; Ryding, Daniella; Goworek, Helen
    Brand activism is an emerging strategy aimed at fostering social sustainability in fashion. Despite efforts in inclusivity concerning diverse races, colours, and body shapes in model representation, fashion’s approach to authentic disability inclusion remains lacking. Often, portrayals of disabled models evoke sympathy, deviating from fashion’s aspirational ideals. This chapter seeks to delve into successful fashion marketing strategies that genuinely incorporate disabilities. By examining the convergence of brand activism and authentic disability inclusion, it aspires to dismantle barriers and cultivate an inclusive culture, thereby elevating social sustainability.
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    The thousand faces of beauty: How credible storytelling unlocks disability representation in inclusive luxury fashion branding
    (Elsevier, 2024-08) Lee, Zoe; Alwi, Sharifah Faridah Syed; Gambetti, Rossella
    The increasing popularity of inclusive marketing as part of the broader strategies of brand activism, linked to the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) movement, is creating new opportunities for luxury fashion brands to signal their responsibility and openness when it comes to these issues. However, such inclusivity initiatives can lead to consumer backlash when luxury brands rely on perfectionism and self-esteem to elicit admiration and desirability. We ask whether weaving models with disabilities into brand narratives contributes to positive consumer responses. Using signaling theory, our study employs a structural equation modeling approach to show that, despite the negative effect of perceived brand inclusivity on consumers’ willingness to buy, the serial mediation by transportation into brand stories and advertising credibility flips the effect to positive. By doing so, this study also extends extant literature on inclusive advertising in luxury fashion by going beyond dominant manifestations of inclusivity tackling feminism and LGBTQAI + rights.