CFP - Tourism and Fashion. Parallel Stories.
Call for Papers
Call for submissions for an edited book “Tourism and fashion. Parallel stories.”
Co-editors: Dr. Nadzeya Kalbaska, USI-Universita’ della Svizzera italiana (Switzerland) and Prof. Maria Gravari-Barbas, Université de Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne (Paris)
Tourism and fashion have common structures and similarities. In several domains, we can trace the parallel evolutions of these two phenomena.
Both industries rely on the international production and consumption of the product. In the fashion domain we have the garments being mostly produced abroad, sold and being used in another country. The same can be said about the international tourism market, where the travellers are coming from abroad to consume a tourism product in a specific country.
Both industries are also important business sectors globally, where tourism accounts for 10% of the global GDP, while fashion amounts to 2% of the worldwide GDP.
Tourism and fashion have been historically characterized by seasonality, which plays an important role in the way industries are structured: a clear differentiation between winter and summer tourism destinations, and two major seasons in the fashion industry with respected fashion weeks (Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter). However, in the last decade the situation changed dramatically. On one side, we have fast fashion companies that have evolved traditional seasonality of garment production from twice a year into a continuous delivery of the new collections. On the other side, a similar change has happened to the tourism industry. Thanks to the increasing importance of lowcost airlines, we have a cheaper product, which is being consumed more often, by a higher % of the market, in any season. Such business structure currently makes both industries the highest pollutants globally.
At the same time, while taking into consideration recent sustainability initiatives and the new sustainable behavior by the consumers, we can see changes for better in both domains. We can talk already about the shift towards “slow tourism” and “slow” or “local” fashion production and consumption.
Both industries are also interdependent. Let us just take into consideration shopping tourism. According to McKinsey, 20 to 30 percent of fashion industry revenues are generated by consumers making luxury purchases outside their home countries. Asian shoppers buy luxury goods outside their home countries not only to benefit from lower prices in Europe, but also because shopping has become an integral part of the travel experience. The idea of buying a brand in its country of origin comes with a sense of authenticity and excitement. The interdependence of the two industries is clearly seen in 2020, with international tourism almost frozen due to the pandemic, fashion companies can no longer rely on foreign visitors coming to Europe's shopping streets to boost their sales.
Tourism destinations are being used by the fashion houses as recognizable shooting locations, as the places to stage fashion shows, and to build up their flagship stores. At the same time, fashion designers get their inspiration in certain geographical areas, dedicate their collections to them, while then encouraging their fans to visit those locations in the future.
If we take into consideration digital transformation and the development of the eCommerce, for instance, in Europe, tourism and fashion are two main product categories currently being sold online. Both industries have harsh labour conditions: they are not the easiest ones to work in.
AIM OF THE BOOK
This proposed edited book will analyse the convergences between fashion and tourism from an academic perspective. It will broaden readers’ understanding of the existing linkages between tourism and fashion industries, as well as how both industries impact each other. Discussed case studies will be used to demonstrate and verify the findings.
Its main hypothesis is that these two modern ‘collaborative’ phenomena have been reciprocally influenced during the last two centuries, since the beginnings of tourism. Fashion and tourism are a major indicator of economic and political systems, cultures, values and imaginaries. Their parallel analysis allows us to better understand not only what one owes to another, but also, more broadly, how their parallel action both shapes and reflects contemporary societies. The book aims at exploring all facets of the complex and dynamic relationship between tourism and fashion. It encourages an interdisciplinary and diachronic approach. The text can focus on case studies or on conceptual approaches. International perspectives are welcome.
CONTENTS
The book will explore the existing interconnections between the two domains. It calls for contributions that will answer the questions on the clothes and accessories, such as travel luggage, valises, and hat boxes that were specifically designed for travel purposes; up to the design of the clothes for flight attendants or some specific travel groups, such as adventure tourists. What was/is “proper” what is “not” to wear by travellers at different times?
The book also aims at discussing the communication practices that are relevant to both domains. What is the role of an influencer? Can we differentiate who is a fashion and who is a tourism ambassador? What are the online communication practices by the players in both industries of the “Made In” concept? What is the role of fashion retail in the media discourse about foreign travellers?
The book wishes to explore the interrelation between cultural tourism, heritage tourism, creative tourism and shopping tourism. Fashion is a transversal phenomenon offered as a tourist product by the fashion sector itself, with the fashion weeks being a tourism phenomenon, as well as by the heritage and the creative sector, with all galleries and museums staging successful fashion exhibitions.
Special events, such as fashion weeks, together with the flagship stores, are becoming essential tourism attractions. They assist tourism destinations in improving their image and attract new or different types of visitors. Though there is emerging research on the connection between tourism destinations and fashion events/activities, very few is known about how much tourism destinations establish themselves due to fashion events. What is the role of fashion and tourism for the cities and their economic and social development?
POINTS ADDRESSED BY THE BOOK
PRACTICES
“Proper Clothing for travellers” – Burkinis, bikinis and others
Adventure Tourism and the clothing
Fashion collections dedicated to tourism destinations
SPACES
Fashion venues (fashion museums, fashion designers houses and ateliers, fashion houses) as tourism attractions
Flagship/iconic architecture of fashion houses and tourism
Fashion cities as urban tourism destinations
Department stores and shopping tourism
EVENTS
Fashion weeks as tourism locomotives
Fashion-themed blockbuster exhibitions and tourism
COMMUNICATION
Communication practices between two industries
Role of fashion retail in the media discourse about foreign travelers
Role of extended tourism networks (including fashion retail, etc.) in communication of “Made In”
The role of Influencers in both domains or can we really differentiate who is a fashion or a tourism ambassador
IMAGINARIES
Cross imaginaries of tourism destinations and fashion
Publisher: We are currently discussing the book idea with several publishers
Language: The articles should be written in English. We would expect the authors to proofread their articles with a professional service.
Proposed timeline:
Abstract submission: 15th January 2021
Submission of full papers: Mid-June 2021
Reviews: 1st September 2021
Book is ready: November 2021
Abstract submission: We suggest that the abstract should be of 800 words maximum. It should include the introduction and the rationale, methods, expected results and the contribution of the study to theory and practice. References, tables and figures are acceptable, in addition to the 800-words limit.
Send it by email to: nadzeya.kalbaska@usi.ch and maria.gravari-barbas@wanadoo.fr