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Fashion and the metaverse: Clarifying the domain and establishing a research agenda

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  • Park, Hyejune
  • Lim, Rachel Esther

Abstract

In recent years, the metaverse has garnered significant attention as a term referring to a network of 3D virtual worlds that integrate elements of both physical and digital worlds. Fashion brands have begun exploring the metaverse as a new marketing platform, which is expected to bring about substantial changes in the fashion and retail industry. However, a lack of consensus on the nature of the metaverse and its impact on the fashion industry currently exists, and limited academic research is available on the metaverse's influence on fashion brands' marketing strategies and brand experiences. To address this gap, this study employs a thematic analysis approach on trade journals and industry articles that cover fashion brands' metaverse strategies. Through this analysis, the study provides a typology of current marketing strategies of fashion brands in the metaverse. Based on these empirical findings, this research proposes a theoretical framework that explains how different metaverse strategies affect different dimensions of brand equity. Finally, this study offers research directions for fashion brands' metaverse strategies by presenting an integrated framework that synthesizes the key insights from our research findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Park, Hyejune & Lim, Rachel Esther, 2023. "Fashion and the metaverse: Clarifying the domain and establishing a research agenda," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:74:y:2023:i:c:s0969698923001601
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103413
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    3. Ki, Chung-Wha (Chloe) & Chong, Sze Man & Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi & Lam, Magnum Man-Lok & Wong, Christina W.Y., 2025. "Metaverse consumer behavior: Investigating factors driving consumer participation in the transitory metaverse, avatar personalization, and digital fashion adoption," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
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    10. Amita Venkatesh & P. Aruna, 2025. "Decoding millennial’s online apparel shopping: the role of e-commerce experience as a mediator and income as a moderator," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 52(1), pages 55-81, March.
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    13. Ghosh, Indranil & Alfaro-Cortés, Esteban & Gámez, Matías & García-Rubio, Noelia, 2024. "Reflections of public perception of Russia-Ukraine conflict and Metaverse on the financial outlook of Metaverse coins: Fresh evidence from Reddit sentiment analysis," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    14. Rabab Ali Abumalloh & Mehrbakhsh Nilashi & Keng Boon Ooi & Garry Wei-Han & Tat-Huei Cham & Yogesh K. Dwivedi & Laurie Hughes, 2024. "The adoption of metaverse in the retail industry and its impact on sustainable competitive advantage: moderating impact of sustainability commitment," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 342(1), pages 5-46, November.
    15. Xin, Baogui & Song, Yaping & Tan, Hui & Peng, Wei, 2025. "Sustainable digital fashion in a metaverse ecosystem," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    16. Eggenschwiler, Matthias & Linzmajer, Marc & Roggeveen, Anne L. & Rudolph, Thomas, 2024. "Retailing in the metaverse: A framework of managerial considerations for success," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    17. Di, Kaisheng & Chen, Weidong & Shi, Qiumei & Cai, Quanling & Liu, Sichen, 2024. "Analysing the impact of coupled domestic demand dynamics of green and low-carbon consumption in the market based on SEM-ANN," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    18. Kumar, Aman & Shankar, Amit & Nayal, Preeti, 2024. "Metaverse is not my cup of tea! An investigation into how personality traits shape metaverse usage intentions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    19. Heidemann, Gerrit & Schmidt, Sascha L. & von der Gracht, Heiko A. & Beiderbeck, Daniel, 2024. "The impact of the metaverse on the future business of professional football clubs – A prospective study," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    20. Ghali, Zohra & Rather, Raouf Ahmad & Khan, Imran, 2024. "Investigating metaverse marketing-enabled consumers’ social presence, attachment, engagement and (re)visit intentions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    21. Kumar, Aman & Shankar, Amit, 2024. "Building a sustainable future with enterprise metaverse in a data-driven era: A technology-organization-environment (TOE) perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    22. Pedro, Yael & Friedmann, Enav & Loureiro, Sandra Maria Correia, 2024. "High-end fashion as a social phenomenon: Exploring the perceptions of designers and consumers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    23. Kim, Jungkeun & Cho, Areum & Lee, Daniel Chaein & Park, Jooyoung & Kim, Aekyoung & Jhang, Jihoon & Kim, Changju, 2025. "Consumer preferences for the visual presentation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of luxury products: The role of perceived authenticity," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).

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