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Scientific Article details

Title Rethinking value: 'radical transparency' in fashion
ID_Doc 77729
Authors Richards, H
Title Rethinking value: 'radical transparency' in fashion
Year 2021
Published Continuum-Journal Of Media & Cultural Studies, 35, 6
DOI 10.1080/10304312.2021.1993575
Abstract For fashion, which is connected so intimately to our bodies, senses, emotions, and memories, value is more than a matter of cost. In order to illustrate the true value of fashion 'radical transparency' is framed as a tool through which brands can counter supply chain opacity and tell stories about the production of their garments. However, models of transparency often conceal more than they reveal. This article unpacks the concept of 'radical transparency' by exploring the differing approaches taken by three fashion brands: two large international brands and one boutique Australian label. It asks: how might radical transparency contribute to rethinking fashion value? By critically analysing the capacity for fashion businesses to communicate complex details of their supply chains to consumers who may suggest they want such information yet are also frequently overwhelmed by it, this article demonstrates the potential as well as the limits of transparency. It argues that while the degree to which models of transparency are 'radical' varies significantly, such methods of disclosure nevertheless introduce an important sense of openness to an industry otherwise defined by dislocated and difficult to trace modes of production.
Author Keywords Ethical fashion; fashion activism; radical transparency; sustainable fashion; value systems
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Social Science Citation Index (SSCI); Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI)
EID WOS:000713478300001
WoS Category Cultural Studies; Communication; Film, Radio, Television
Research Area Cultural Studies; Communication; Film, Radio & Television
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