Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Waikato, 2007. / Title from PDF cover (viewed April 7, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-147)

Garment “fitting” from tailor-made to ready-to-wear clothing, has evolved over time. Ready to-wear and standardized sizes appeared in the middle 19th century. Today garment fitting is one of the most important criteria in the consumer buying decision making process. This is particularly so with “body hugging” garments, such as intimate apparel; or the bra that moulds the form of the wearer to produce “smooth” outer garment silhouettes. The South African bra retailer and manufacturers sizing charts are generally based upon body dimension data collected using traditional anthropometric methods. Professional measurers are not able to capture the hidden areas of the breast such as the inframmatory fold line, the volume, shape and contour of the breast using tape measures, calipers and other measuring devices. Traditional anthropometry also does not have the ability to systemically observe the bottom line of the breast base and extract accurate data on breast volume which are key factors in designing underwire bras and in the pattern making of the bra cup panels. Exploratory retail and consumer studies have indicated that consumers, notably plus size women, experience considerable problems and dissatisfaction with poorly fitting bras. There is therefore clearly a need in South Africa to conduct a 3D anthropometric study, focusing especially on the plus-sized women’s bra market segment, as there is very little or limited studies, to date, conduct for this market segment of the population. This pilot study collected 3D torso body measurement data from a convenient sample of 176 plus sized women, recruited from Playtex (Pty) Ltd. situated in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The study evaluates the 3D breast volume measurement data extraction process, using an expert system developed by [TC]2 integrated into the propriety NX12-3D full body scanner software and that taken using the traditional dress-makers tape-measure. The objective is to establish the relationship between the 3D torso and breast volume data measurement output as extracted by the expert system when compared to the South African bra manufacturers sizing chart, for use in pattern making for bra cup panel designs and in the designing of underwire bras for large breasted or plus size women. The results contained in this dissertation cannot be extrapolated to the larger population of South Africa and is limited to the 176 plus size women selected by Body Mass Index; recruited from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

The aim of the research was to show best practice of the development process of a visual identity for a new, luxury lingerie brand. A part of the research was also to learn about luxury brand values and visual identity by studying other luxury lingerie brands and use that as input for the development of the new brand. The study started with a literature review, investigating the areas of brand identity, brand visual identity elements and visual identity development process. The performed empirical development of a new, luxury lingerie brand’s visual identity brought learning about the preferred procedure. The general principles for the development, with four main process phases of planning, brand platform development, concept development and implementation that was collected from literature was useful because it gave an overall structure to the project. The concept phase of the development started with idea generation and a consumer evaluation of the concepts. A design theme was then chosen for the selected concept, and the detailed design of the visual elements was developed. A conclusion from the project is that the design theme should have been developed for each concept proposal before evaluation, so that the consumers could have got a feeling for the complete design style and have given more correct feedback.

This practice-based research focuses on the analysis, design and evaluation of an unstructured push-up plunge bra, which combines technical know-how with the sensitivity of bra wearers. The goal of such a dual combination was to create an easily wearable, yet extremely comfortable, fashionable and health-conscious bra. Current bra designs do not contribute to the well-being of the wearer and employ devices that substantially constrict the breasts with unhealthy results. The proposed exegesis introduces a new prototype bra based on new concepts and new construction techniques inspired by old bra patents, and on the latest design information captured from a variety of technological, material and process information. This exegesis documents an historical overview of bra design and the conceptualisation, design, prototyping and evaluation of six significant bra concepts. This project consists of an exhibition of practical work that represents the main body of applied research. The practical work constitutes 80% and the exegesis consists of 20% of the project’s value.

No description available.

Adotando a perspectiva da teoria Semiótica, desenvolvida por A.J.Greimas e seus colaboradores, e a Análise do Discurso (AD), apresentada por Dominique Maingueneau, ambas de linha francesa, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo descrever a imagem do enunciatário (páthos) do gênero anúncio publicitário de lingerie. Temos por objetivo descrever os mecanismos de construção de sentido que resultam no feixe de expectativas, ideais e aspirações representadas pelo leitor: público-alvo dos anúncios. Ao trabalharmos com publicidade, devemos ter em mente que é ela é uma esfera de circulação que visa persuadir, ao associar o produto que vende a um corpo em movimento. A publicidade, ao construir um modo particular de presença no mundo, possui um estilo próprio de vida, e encontra-se inserida em uma formação ideológica, cultural e social determinada. E aliadas às transformações sociais pelas quais o gênero contemplado tem evoluído ao longo do tempo, em conformidade com os avanços e transformações de seu público-alvo, procuraremos entender, dessa forma, como e por que a imagem do enunciatário é marcada historicamente no discurso. A publicidade busca \"encarnar\", pela enunciação, o enunciatário que ela evoca, ou seja, ela o torna sensível e perceptível no texto. Reconstruiremos, assim, as diferentes imagens do enunciatário dos anúncios de lingerie, aos quais consideraremos como um desdobramento do sujeito da enunciação. Nesta pesquisa, partimos da idéia de que o enunciatário produz o texto com o enunciador, pois, na produção textual, o enunciador faz o seu texto sob o simulacro do seu enunciatário; o que resulta nas diferentes escolhas enunciativas. Respaldados por esta idéia, poderemos afirmar que o sujeito da enunciação é constituído pelo enunciador (eu / autor) e pelo enunciatário (tu / leitor). Dentro do discurso publicitário, analisaremos, especificamente, o gênero anúncio publicitário de lingerie. A escolha desse gênero deve-se à grande influência que ele exerce nas relações intersubjetivas. De uma grande totalidade, anúncio publicitário de lingerie, depreenderemos quatro totalidades, ao que remeteremos a quatro pólos com especificidades e recorrências características: A; B; NÃO-A; NÃO-B. E dessa forma, nos será possível traçar um modo de presença particular das diferentes imagens de enunciatários do gênero em pauta. Os modos de presença das quatro totalidades analisadas serão depreendidos a partir dos tipos de valorização que cada anúncio investe na apresentação de seu objeto. Trata-se, por exemplo, de valores de prazer sexual, de prazer estético, de valores estésicos ou utilitários. O objeto anunciado não é apresentado apenas como desejável em si mesmo, ou seja, ele não é o termo final de um programa de busca orientado para o puro e simples consumo dos bens oferecidos. Ele é também um meio, uma competência, para que seja alcançado o objeto de valor desejado. A valorização dos anúncios e dos produtos anunciados passa pela encenação e pelo simulacro de determinados tipos de relações que se procuram estabelecer com o público, com o consumidor, ou seja, com o enunciatário. De modo mais específico, são os mecanismos de significação e produção de sentido dessas relações que gostaríamos de analisar nesta dissertação. / Considering the perspective not only of the Semiotics theory developed by A. J. Greimas and his collaborators but also of the Discourse Analysis (DA) shown by Dominique Maingueneau, both related to the French studies, this work has the aim at describing the image of the enunciatee (páthos) of the textual genre lingerie advertisement. The objective is to examine and describe the meaning effects mechanisms that emerge from the text/discourse that result in certain expectations, ideals and aspirations represented by the reader: target public of lingerie advertising. It is considered that publicity belongs to a circulation sphere that tends to persuade by associating the product to be announced (sold) to a \"body\" in movement: this should be kept in mind when an analysis is performed. Therefore, the publicity, by constructing a particular way of presence in the world, has an own style of life, and, in this way, is engaged in a determined ideological, cultural and social formation. Taking into consideration the social evolution in which the genre lingerie advertisement has involved and, in conformity with the advances and transformations of the target public, the analysis is to understand how and why the image of the enunciatee is marked diachronically and historically in the discourse. By means of enunciation, the publicity seeks to \"incarnate\" the enunciatee that evokes, making such enunciatee sensible and perceptible in the text. In this way, the purpose is to reconstruct the different images of the enunciatee in the lingerie advertisements, because the enunciatees are taken as an extension of the subject of the enunciation. Therefore, it is considered that the enunciatee produces the text together with the enunciator since, in the textual production, the latter produces his text under the simulacrum of the former, generating, in this way, different choices of enunciation. Based on this idea, it can be affirmed that the subject of enunciation is constructed by the enunciator (I / author) and by the enunciatee (you / reader). Specifically, it is analyzed, of the publicity discourse, the textual genre lingerie advertisement. The choice for this genre was taken due to the great influence it performs when an inter-subjectivity relation is involved. From the great totality lingerie advertisements, four totalities are captured that resulted in four poles with inherent peculiarities and specific recurrences: A; B; NON-A; NON-B. In this way, it is possible to trace a particular way of presence of the distinct enunciatees images in this textual genre. The way of presence of the four analyzed totalities can be observed considering two types of valuation that each advertisement invests in the object presentation. It is regarded, for example, the valuation of the sexual, esthetic or utilitarian pleasure. The announced object is not presented simply as desirable itself. In other words, the offered object is not the final term of the search program orientated for the pure and simple consumption: the object is also a way, a competence for the desired object can be achieved. The valuation of the advertisements and announced products circulates through simulation and simulacrum of determined types of relations that are sought to established with the public consumer: the enunciatee. In a more specific way, the references are to the production and meaning mechanisms of these relations that are intended to analyze in this work.

Adotando a perspectiva da teoria Semiótica, desenvolvida por A.J.Greimas e seus colaboradores, e a Análise do Discurso (AD), apresentada por Dominique Maingueneau, ambas de linha francesa, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo descrever a imagem do enunciatário (páthos) do gênero anúncio publicitário de lingerie. Temos por objetivo descrever os mecanismos de construção de sentido que resultam no feixe de expectativas, ideais e aspirações representadas pelo leitor: público-alvo dos anúncios. Ao trabalharmos com publicidade, devemos ter em mente que é ela é uma esfera de circulação que visa persuadir, ao associar o produto que vende a um corpo em movimento. A publicidade, ao construir um modo particular de presença no mundo, possui um estilo próprio de vida, e encontra-se inserida em uma formação ideológica, cultural e social determinada. E aliadas às transformações sociais pelas quais o gênero contemplado tem evoluído ao longo do tempo, em conformidade com os avanços e transformações de seu público-alvo, procuraremos entender, dessa forma, como e por que a imagem do enunciatário é marcada historicamente no discurso. A publicidade busca \"encarnar\", pela enunciação, o enunciatário que ela evoca, ou seja, ela o torna sensível e perceptível no texto. Reconstruiremos, assim, as diferentes imagens do enunciatário dos anúncios de lingerie, aos quais consideraremos como um desdobramento do sujeito da enunciação. Nesta pesquisa, partimos da idéia de que o enunciatário produz o texto com o enunciador, pois, na produção textual, o enunciador faz o seu texto sob o simulacro do seu enunciatário; o que resulta nas diferentes escolhas enunciativas. Respaldados por esta idéia, poderemos afirmar que o sujeito da enunciação é constituído pelo enunciador (eu / autor) e pelo enunciatário (tu / leitor). Dentro do discurso publicitário, analisaremos, especificamente, o gênero anúncio publicitário de lingerie. A escolha desse gênero deve-se à grande influência que ele exerce nas relações intersubjetivas. De uma grande totalidade, anúncio publicitário de lingerie, depreenderemos quatro totalidades, ao que remeteremos a quatro pólos com especificidades e recorrências características: A; B; NÃO-A; NÃO-B. E dessa forma, nos será possível traçar um modo de presença particular das diferentes imagens de enunciatários do gênero em pauta. Os modos de presença das quatro totalidades analisadas serão depreendidos a partir dos tipos de valorização que cada anúncio investe na apresentação de seu objeto. Trata-se, por exemplo, de valores de prazer sexual, de prazer estético, de valores estésicos ou utilitários. O objeto anunciado não é apresentado apenas como desejável em si mesmo, ou seja, ele não é o termo final de um programa de busca orientado para o puro e simples consumo dos bens oferecidos. Ele é também um meio, uma competência, para que seja alcançado o objeto de valor desejado. A valorização dos anúncios e dos produtos anunciados passa pela encenação e pelo simulacro de determinados tipos de relações que se procuram estabelecer com o público, com o consumidor, ou seja, com o enunciatário. De modo mais específico, são os mecanismos de significação e produção de sentido dessas relações que gostaríamos de analisar nesta dissertação. / Considering the perspective not only of the Semiotics theory developed by A. J. Greimas and his collaborators but also of the Discourse Analysis (DA) shown by Dominique Maingueneau, both related to the French studies, this work has the aim at describing the image of the enunciatee (páthos) of the textual genre lingerie advertisement. The objective is to examine and describe the meaning effects mechanisms that emerge from the text/discourse that result in certain expectations, ideals and aspirations represented by the reader: target public of lingerie advertising. It is considered that publicity belongs to a circulation sphere that tends to persuade by associating the product to be announced (sold) to a \"body\" in movement: this should be kept in mind when an analysis is performed. Therefore, the publicity, by constructing a particular way of presence in the world, has an own style of life, and, in this way, is engaged in a determined ideological, cultural and social formation. Taking into consideration the social evolution in which the genre lingerie advertisement has involved and, in conformity with the advances and transformations of the target public, the analysis is to understand how and why the image of the enunciatee is marked diachronically and historically in the discourse. By means of enunciation, the publicity seeks to \"incarnate\" the enunciatee that evokes, making such enunciatee sensible and perceptible in the text. In this way, the purpose is to reconstruct the different images of the enunciatee in the lingerie advertisements, because the enunciatees are taken as an extension of the subject of the enunciation. Therefore, it is considered that the enunciatee produces the text together with the enunciator since, in the textual production, the latter produces his text under the simulacrum of the former, generating, in this way, different choices of enunciation. Based on this idea, it can be affirmed that the subject of enunciation is constructed by the enunciator (I / author) and by the enunciatee (you / reader). Specifically, it is analyzed, of the publicity discourse, the textual genre lingerie advertisement. The choice for this genre was taken due to the great influence it performs when an inter-subjectivity relation is involved. From the great totality lingerie advertisements, four totalities are captured that resulted in four poles with inherent peculiarities and specific recurrences: A; B; NON-A; NON-B. In this way, it is possible to trace a particular way of presence of the distinct enunciatees images in this textual genre. The way of presence of the four analyzed totalities can be observed considering two types of valuation that each advertisement invests in the object presentation. It is regarded, for example, the valuation of the sexual, esthetic or utilitarian pleasure. The announced object is not presented simply as desirable itself. In other words, the offered object is not the final term of the search program orientated for the pure and simple consumption: the object is also a way, a competence for the desired object can be achieved. The valuation of the advertisements and announced products circulates through simulation and simulacrum of determined types of relations that are sought to established with the public consumer: the enunciatee. In a more specific way, the references are to the production and meaning mechanisms of these relations that are intended to analyze in this work.

The focus of this research is to establish control and planning management in the sewing production process of lingerie clothing to better prepare companies for demand growth. The lack of improvement tools in this sector, the lack of staff training and a lack of quality culture has led to companies, especially MYPES, not being able to meet the established delivery times and non-fulfillment of orders with the customers, which represents 80% of dissatisfied orders due to the limited production capacity and non-productive time in the plant. This problem is due to limited production capacity, deficient production planning, and lack of materials. In order to solve this problem, industrial engineering tools were used. The application of these tools improved production from 79% to 95%.

La presente investigación demuestra la viabilidad de nuestro modelo de negocio, que además de ser innovador contribuirá a la autoestima de muchas mujeres en nuestro país. Actualmente en el Perú existe una falta de oferta de lencería adecuada para mujeres de talla plus, esto por la falta de variedad y colores, así como la falta de confort en su diseño, llegando a ocasionar lesiones y falta de circulación. Por ello, presentamos Bella Plus Perú, una línea de brasieres (de encaje, Bralette y deportivo) que bridará comodidad y estilo para mujeres de talla grande, nuestra ventaja competitiva se enfoca en la especialización de nuestros diseños que serán comercializados a través de nuestra tienda virtual propia. En el Perú existe un 35% de mujeres con sobrepeso, entre las cuales se ubica un porcentaje de aquellas con estilo de vida moderno, asimismo el mercado de la ropa íntima ha tenido un crecimiento en ventas de 35% aproximadamente y la recurrencia de compra en las mujeres peruanas es de 8 veces al año en promedio, lo cual nos ofrece gran oportunidad para poder desarrollar el negocio propuesto. Nuestro equipo está conformado por profesionales emprendedores con conocimientos y habilidades adecuados para planificar, dirigir, controlar y evaluar cada una de las etapas del negocio. Con una inversión de S/.46,463, se proyecta obtener un VPN de S/748,190, una TIR del 168.41% con una COK del 12.41% neto para el inversionista. Buscaremos que dicha inversión sea financiada con un 40%. / This present paper shows the viability of our business model that beside being innovative it will contribute to improve the self-esteem of women in our country. Currently in Peru there is a lack of proper lingerie supplies for plus size women in Lima Metropolitana which is reflected in absence of variety and colors, as well as the lack of comfortable desings even causing injuries and blood cicurlation problems. Thus we have created “Bella Plus Perú”, a brand of brasiers (lace-bras, bralettes and sport-bras) that will provide both comfort and style for plus size peruvian women. Our competitive advantage is focused in the specialization of our designs that will be commercialized through our own virtual store. In Peru there are 35% women suffering from overweight, among which is a percentage of them with a modern lifestyle, likewise the intimate appareal market has had a growth in sales of approximately 35% and the recurrence of purchases is 8 times a year on average, which offer us an opportunity to develop the proposed business. Our team is made up of enterprising professionals with adequate knowledge and skills to plan, direct, control and evaluate each of the stages of the business. With an investment of S/.46,463, it is projected to obtain a S/748,190 NPV (Net Present Value) a 168.41% IRR (Internal Rate Return) and a net 12.41% WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital) for the investor. We will search that said investment be financed with 40% . / Trabajo de investigación

Ce manuscrit vise une participation à la construction de savoir sur la consommation masculine, une thématique de recherche largement délaissée au profit des représentations féminines en la matière. Inscrite dans le courant de la Théorie Culturelle de la Consommation, la thèse propose d’investiguer à la fois le discours des marques liées à l’apparence et les discours d’hommes investis dans de nouvelles pratiques de consommations connotées du féminin, la lingerie d’hommes. Dans un premier essai, le discours sur la masculinité de 20 marques issues de traditions masculines (Automobiles, High-Tech,...) et de traditions féminines (Mode, Beauté...) est investigué sur une période de 40 ans (des années 1970 à nos jours) pour comprendre les termes du changement de l’identité masculine. Une lecture sémiotique du corpus combinée à une analyse critique de l’histoire socio-culturelle masculine française permet d’interpréter et qualifier l’évolution des imaginaires masculins contenus dans les récits de marques.Dans un deuxième essai, sur la base d’une étude phénoménologique (entretiens individuels avec 21 hommes), l’auteur interroge l’expérience de consommation de lingerie pour hommes en révélant les processus de découverte, d’entrée et d’implication dans une consommation jugée « anomique » jusqu’à peu. La mise en lumière du rôle d’un réseau esthétique féminin qui supporte cette consommation ainsi que les perceptions et bénéfices retirés dans l’entre- nous du couple hétérosexuel permettent d’aborder l’évolution des représentations liées à l’apparence et à l’intime. La recherche permet d’introduire le concept de l’intime dans le champ de l’investigation du consommateur masculin comme un marqueur de l’évolution des consommations masculines. Quatre dimensions du concept d’intimité ont par ailleurs émergé du discours des répondants.7Dans un troisième essai, l’auteur combine l’approche macro et l’approche micro de la consommation masculine dans le but d’éclairer sa participation à la construction des identités masculines. D’abord, la « Maison des hommes » ou les interactions entre pairs masculins permettent de mieux cerner les stratégies d’évitement et les tensions générées par l’adoption des nouveaux codes de consommation de parure proposés par le marché. Emerge notamment une dimension largement sous-investiguée en comportement du consommateur : la question de la relation au père dans la formulation des repaires de consommation. Ensuite, l’auteur propose la notion de limite pour matérialiser les termes des tractations identitaires vécues par les hommes et matérialisées par leurs choix de consommation. Une forte dualité entre schèmes égalitaristes et différentialistes émerge des représentations de l’identité masculine. Cette opposition sert la construction d’un carré sémiotique qui permet de resituer le discours des consommateurs dans le champ idéologique des forces sociales qui structurent les comportements des répondants et d’affiner les différents positionnements masculins. L’intrication de l’identité masculine avec l’identité nationale permet enfin d’apporter le versant français à la conception de l’idéologie masculine américaine de consommation développée par Holt et Thompson (2004). Il est proposé que le concept de performance peut rapprocher les masculinités américaines et françaises bien que des différences d’imaginaires notoires persistent entre les deux cultures de consommation / This doctoral dissertation aims participating in building knowledge on the masculine consumption, a topic that was neglected in consumer research until very recently. Through the Consumer Culture Theory lens, it proposes an investigation of this phenomenon both from brand (producer) and male (consumer) perspectives. The essays progress from public to private discourses on masculinity, combining macro and micro levels of analysis to unpack evolving gender ideologies and consumption.Through a socio-historic perspective, the first essay shows how the masculine identity is evolving from monolith masculinity to contemporary masculinities. The research aims to understand if and how these new cultural values are transferred to brands communication. Using a semiotic approach, masculine archetypes, their values and relationships are underlined by using a Utilitarian vs. Aesthetic semantic axis. A corpus of twenty brands communication of masculine and feminine sectors is analyzed with a past/present perspective. The study reveals an evolution of men’s representations in brands communication. The theoretical implications of the findings are discussed, theorizing especially the metrosexual managerial phenomenon.The second essay investigates male consumers representations and rituals as regard a new and highly feminine inspired product category: men’s lingerie. The process of discovery, entrance and involvement in this consumption is deciphered, the influencers’ roles highlighted and the interactions within the heterosexual couples emphasized. Doing so, the paper participates in building knowledge on the masculine consumption by describing male engagement in “anomic” consumption. It also introduces the concept of intimacy as a marker in the shift in9the masculine identity and proposes four dimensions of this concept as they emerged from consumers’ discourses.Finally the third essay attempts to explore how a new masculine consumption – men’s lingerie- that had clear divisions between men and women, may shape and reinforce men’s socially defined gender roles/identity construction. The author focuses on new identity landmarks, which move the social frontier between the sexes. First, the interactions in- between the male peers are emphasized as a window for the masculine identity construction through consumption. Secondly, the deep contradictions and the negotiations of acceptable masculine norms as expressed by the respondents are interpreted. Finally, the results are located in a macro-level of analysis allowing accounting for the role of the social forces in shaping masculine norms and French masculine schemes compared to the American masculinities described by Holt and Thompson (2004)