2. OBJECTIVES
• State and define the theory
• Understand the history of diffusion theory
• Create a balance “critique” the theory
• Forecast the future of the theory
3. • “Fashion is among the most creative and important industry in the world. Everyone
participates in development of the fashion industry to a certain degree. Fashion is a
subject that periodically rediscovers itself and it is fascinating in its dynamics of
humanities and social sciences. Social thinkers over time have treated the fashion
industry as a window for social change and social class. Fashion has been viewed to
embody characteristics representing modernity and culture. Some sociologists argue
that it is hard to fathom a social life be it in arts, sciences, politics, entertainment,
academia, business, law or morality without exhibiting elements of fashion in one way
or another. Society tend to flock to styles, ideas, methods and practices that appear
new and exciting to them, and after a period of time, the intensity of the fascination
diminishes when newer ones emerge. The need and desire to be in fashion is
manifested mostly in dressing. This is characterized by a pull of the society’s or
inividual’s continuity and the also the push to adopt new innovations.” -Ukessays
4. DIFFUSION
• By description:
The net movement of anything generally from a
region of higher concentration to a region of lower
concentration.
5. INTRODUCTION
• In 1899, Veblen described it as the ‘Theory of leisure class’ the split between
upper (leisure) and lower (industrial) classes.
Women of the upper class displayed their husbands wealth often through fashion.
Eg the use of corsets.
• The theory is based on the highlight of class differences and fashion as a tool to
differentiate themselves from industrials class.
• It is assumed that leisure class come up with new style which later comes in
vogue and then the lower classes.
6. • According to Rogers’ theory, a given innovation (or recycled innovation as often is
the case in fashion) will go through a process of diffusion in the population over
time. This process will proceed in phases as the five types of consumers adopt the
product. The first to adopt the innovation will be the “innovators” (enthusiasts).
Once the “innovators” have adopted the innovation, the early adopters will start
to pick up on it. Once acceptance reaches a certain level, usually between 5 and
20 percent, there will be a takeoff and the product will sweep the early and late
majorities. The last to adopt the innovation will be the laggards. Eventually the
innovation will reach saturation.
7. HOW IT HAPPENS
• Trend adoption: A Rebuttal to the Trickle-Down Theory’ conceded the trickle-
down theory is an obsolete model in the twentieth century, because of the media
exposure making the new alternative communication channels available.
• Status Float phenomenon. This theory emerged in times of civil rights movement
‘Black Power’ in 1970-ies. This “trickle-up theory” critical point of this theory is
that trend is not adopted through all the classes from up to top, but instead the
trend was picked first by the upper class’ opinion leader from the lower one and
after that the trend was further diffused down to the middle class, like in the
example with the Queen Elizabeth I, who is the first documented high heels
wearer.
8. SO WHAT?
• The efforts of an elite class to set itself apart in appearance takes place inside of the
movement of fashion instead of being its cause.
• The most recent rhizome trend theory by Mackinney-Valentin (2013), originally
coming from biology, stresses influence of the globalization, digital communication
and other technical attributes of the modern world, that brought decentralization to
the fashion industry. “Not 9 only do design, production, and consumption happen in
different places; fashion trends also are no longer governed by designers, brands, or
innovators alone, but instead operate on a more democratic premise, where anyone is
potentially a designer or innovator and anything is potentially a trend.” The model
briefly can be explained as an uncertain or open system, where “trends grow
horizontally through mutation, variation, and connection rather than through radical
shifts organized by dichotomy, points of origin, and hierarchies.
9. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FASHION
DIFFUSION THEORY
ADVANTAGES
• Helps markets understand how trends ot the product occur
• Hleps the companies as assessing the likelihood of success or failure of their new
production
• The theory also assist in accelerating adoption of important fashion.
10. DISADVANTAGES
• With more technologically complex fashion innovations, it is increasingly harder
to determine all product features and explain their impact.
• The fashion diffusion theory works better with adoption of behaviors rather than
cessation or prevention of behaviors.
11. REFERENCES
• Mackinney-Valentin, M. (2013). Trend mechanisms in contemporary fashion.
Design Issues, 29(1), 67-78.
• UKEssays. (November 2018). Collective Selection Theory and Class Differentiation.
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