The research focuses on the production of bodily capital and the consumption of bodily capital, in the context of Abercrombie. Firstly, to embed the inquiry of bodily capital into a practical context, the study investigates the context of Abercrombie at first. The research investigates hot the A&F setting is built up, how the theory of Disneyization is embodied in the setting, and how bodily capital (shirtless models) are associated with the setting. Secondly, in the context of Disneyied A&F, the study intends to investigate the production of male bodily capital. The part entails two stages of production which are the selection of male bodily capital and the maintenance of male bodily capital. Thirdly, the study aims to explore how male bodily capital is consumed in the context of A&F. The exploration of the consumption of bodily capital consists of three dimensions. In the White-bodies-dominant fashion space, how do Chinese male models consume their own bodily capital? In the Chinese societies which are relatively culturally conservative and preserved, how do female consume the bodily capital of the shirtless male models? In the International world cities (Hong Kong & Shanghai), how is the male bodily capital consumed by gay male? Through participant observations in Hong Kong & Shanghai A&F stores and in-depth interviews with A&F shirtless male models, other store staffs and customers (female, male, gay male, local, and foreign), the study argues that A&F store is a practical site of Disneyization. Also, it has been found that unique store decorations and different store positions collaboratively construct a theme of “night club”, along with the existence of dedifferentiation of consumption, merchandising and emotional labor. In particular, the study has found out that the cross-border Disneyization takes on a cultural maladaptation in China. For the exploration of bodily capital production, it is pointed out that the production of A&F male bodily capital goes through standardized selection and restricted criteria. Six-pack abs, Apollo’s Belts, smooth health un-tattooed skin, toned body shapes are the explicit criteria. The meticulous management of bodily capital is found to be essential. Long-term work-out, low-calorie diet and massive absorption of protein builder powder are essential. Besides, the maintenance of bodily capital usually goes along with the performance of emotional labor. Also, in the field of fashion, models’ bodily capital is found to be able to be transformed into other forms of capital. It is also found to have both constant and complex interactions with symbolic capital and economic capital. For the investigation of bodily capital consumption, Chinese shirtless models are found to consider their bodily capital inferior to that of White models due to the cultural and historical legacy despite that their physical difference is insignificant. More, the female gaze is found not to substantially exist in this case for the female have not literally objectified the models’ bodies in a dominant position. Their spectatorships are not mainly for erotic pleasure. Instead the female customers have indeed reinforced the dominant masculinity. On the other hand, gay male gaze is considered to exist but in a compromising way rather than in a dominant way, due to a lack of consent from the straight shirtless male models. In addition, the values of the research lie in five aspects. Firstly, the existing studies of Disneyization mostly focus on tourism and hospitality. The current research adds credence to the theory by scrutinizing it in the practical site of A&F. Secondly, the previous studies have mostly focused on female modeling while male modeling has received little scholarly attention. The current study can fill up this gap. Thirdly, the existing works on emotional labor are mostly concerned with front-line, female-caring, and teaching works. The study applying emotional labor to investigating modeling can deepen the understanding of emotional labor. Fourthly, the discussion of “bodily capital” id still far from enough. The research has incorporated the concept into understanding male modeling, which enriched the field. The discussion of male bodily capital as “beauty” is newly started, which also contributes to the understanding of bodily capital. Lastly, “female gaze” and “gay male gaze” have been rarely investigated. The current research’s examination of the two concepts in the practical setting of A&F broadens the theorizations of “gaze”. / 本研究透過參與式觀察和深度訪談的研究方法展開，深度訪談對象包括A&F（中文譯名“阿貝克隆比·費奇”，常直稱A&F）香港分店和上海分店的半裸男模、店鋪其他工作人員以及店鋪的顧客（包括男顧客、女顧客、同性戀男顧客、華人顧客以及外國人顧客）。本研究的研究問題聚焦在身體資本的生產和消費。在展開對身體資本的討論前，首先，本研究探討半裸男模的身體資本的生產和消費是在怎麼樣的背景展開的。A&F獨特的購物環境是如何建構的，“迪士尼化”理論如何在A&F中實現，半裸男模在這個背景中充當著如何的角色。其次，本研究分析在迪士尼化A&F的空間中，男性身體資本是如何生產的，包括兩個小方面：男性身體是如何被挑選出來的；身體資本又是如何被維持的。最後，本研究嘗試理解男性身體資本是如何被消費的，包括三個小方面：在白人身體占主導的時尚品牌空間中，華人男性是如何看待自己的身體資本的；在社會文化傾於保守的華人社會中女性是如何消費這些男性的身體資本的；在香港和上海兩個國際化現代大都市中男同性戀者是如何理解這些半裸男模的身體資本的。根據觀察結果以及訪談結果，本研究提出，A&F時裝店是“迪士尼化”理論的實踐樣本。店內獨特的設置和裝潢，以及店內不同職位的分工職責，共同建構出“時尚圈的夜店”主題，配合店鋪內“去分化消費”、“特有商品推銷”以及“情感勞動”，形成“迪士尼化”的一個實踐樣本。值得一提的，本研究發現A&F跨國界的“迪士尼化”在中國社會（香港和上海）呈現出文化上的不適應。在A&F這一實踐樣本中，“身體資本”的管理對維持樣本的正常運行尤為重要。本研究就A&F中的“身體資本”展開了深入討論，針對身體資本生產的問題，本研究認為，在A&F的背景下，“身體資本”的生產需要經過標準化的挑選，六塊腹肌、人魚線、健康光滑皮膚、健壯身材比例成為嚴格的准入標準。“身體資本”的維持則需要男模長期的健身訓練、嚴格控制的飲食和大量飲用蛋白粉。“身體資本”的維持同時需要情感勞動的配合。本研究提出，“身體資本”在A&F場域內以及域外（時尚圈等其他場域）轉化為其他形式資本，並且與經濟資本以及符號資本有複雜而頻繁的互動。針對身體資本消費的問題，本研究認為儘管華人與白人男模身體素質相仿，長期文化影響下華人男性不自覺地矮化自己的身體資本。另外，本研究認為“女性凝視”在該實踐樣本中並為真實存在，女性在認知半裸男模身體的時候並非處於主導地位，女性顧客與半裸男模的互動也並非以獲得視覺上的性慾滿足為主要目的。相反，女性表面上的興奮行為實質上在強化男性主導地位。另一方面，本研究提出“同性戀男性凝視”在本實踐樣本中真實存在，然而與“（異性戀）男性凝視”中（異性戀）男性以主導地位方式進行的方式不一樣，“同性戀男性凝視”往往因不能獲得異性戀男性的同意而以妥協的方式進行。本研究的研究價值突出在五個方面。首先，關於“迪士尼化”理論的已有研究主要聚焦在旅遊業和酒店業，其他實踐樣本的研究甚少，本研究在A&F實踐樣本中的闡釋能夠豐富該理論的實踐正確性。其次，目前研究對男性模特的研究甚少，本研究能夠補充部份研究的缺失。另外，“情感勞動”的已有研究多集中在低端前線、女性呵護、教育等行業工作上，本研究從時尚行業的角度出發能夠增強“情感勞動”的實踐適用性。再次，學術界對“身體資本”甚少探討男性身體資本作為“美麗事物”（beauty）是如何生產和消費的，本研究研究將該理論概念用於對男性模特工作的理解能夠深化學術界對該概念的認識，最後，“女性凝視”“同性戀男性凝視”極少被深入探討，本研究對兩個概念的探討能夠極大貢獻學術界對“凝視”的理解。 / Wang, Zhikun. / Thesis M.Phil. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-133). / Abstracts also in Chinese; appendix includes Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 24, October, 2016). / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_1291549 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Contributors | Wang, Zhikun (author.), Chan, Joseph Man (thesis advisor.), Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Communication. (degree granting institution.) |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English, Chinese, Chinese |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, bibliography, text |
| Format | electronic resource, electronic resource, remote, 1 online resource (viii, 133 leaves) : illustrations (some color), computer, online resource |
| Coverage | China, Hong Kong, China, Shanghai |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons "Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International" License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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