The role of emotions and networks in global fashion production (On Campus)

This is a hybrid event. To join online, access tickets here.

The work of fashion design is believed to depend on tacit knowledge that is locally "sticky.” However, a recent stream of case studies documents export-oriented design work from suppliers in Turkey, China, India, and Bangladesh. Drawing on ethnographic data from first-tier suppliers in India who design for over 100 U.S. and European brands, this presentation shows how designers in semi-peripheral locations anticipate and moderate buyer tastes months ahead of market impact. Co-presence, a mutual focus of attention, and emotions like boredom or excitement play key roles in the global production of fads and fashions. 

Dr Alexander Alex is currently the Kohli Fellow and postdoctoral researcher at the WZB (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung), where he studies the micro-foundations of capitalism. His current book project, Routinizing Creativity: The Making of Mass Fashion, explains how uncertainty is organized in the global fashion industry.  His work has been published in outlets including Regional Studies, Socio-Economic Review, and Advances in Strategic Management , with recognition in the areas of social psychology, consumption, political economy, and international business. Before coming to the WZB, Alex worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Talking Through F/fashion seminar series provides a collaborative and intellectually rigorous forum for interdisciplinary researchers to explore how fashion shapes the narratives through which individuals and communities construct their personal and collective identities. These seminars showcase both established and emerging scholarship, encompassing diverse historical periods, geographical contexts, and methodological approaches—from empirical studies to theoretical frameworks and practice-based research. Our goal is to foster international dialogue and partnership among scholars interested in examining and critically engaging with fashion's role in identity formation and storytelling. The seminar is hosted by Manchester Metropolitan University’s F/fashion Narratives Research Group.