Luxury Consumption: The Hidden Dynamics of Turkish Veiled Women’s Consumption of Luxury Apparel

Nazlı Alimen, PhD Candidate Izmir University of Economics Okan Tuna, PhD Dokuz Eylul University Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Introduction In addition to political and social arguments on veiling in Turkey, the Islamists’ consumption practices and lifestyles have raised interest and conflicts (Ger and Sandıkçı, 2006).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Introduction • Since the religious identity of women in Islam is more visible by reason of veil (Ger and Sandıkçı, 2006) ▫ the consumption practices of the Islamists are mostly debated over the women.

• Especially their veiling and clothing preferences are questioned by both the seculars and Islamists. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Introduction • The aim of this paper is to reveal the hidden dynamics of Turkish veiled women’s luxury consumption ▫ the reasons for these women to consume luxury apparel, and ▫ how they connect their consumption and fashion practices with Islam.

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey • Muslim women use a veil for diverse reasons: ▫ due to the religion’s orders, ▫ as a political or status symbols, and ▫ a sign of difference or a new consumption form (Kılıçbay and Binark, 2002).

• Two forms of veiling have been used and debated in Turkey. ▫ Başörtüsü ▫ Türban Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey • Başörtüsü is • covering the head and half of the shoulders, • used by traditional and elderly women, housewives and peasants (Barbarosoğlu, 2006).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey Türban • started in the early 1970s (Kılıçbay and Binark, 2002, p.498), • worn by the young, educated and urban women (Göle, 1991). • larger scarves cover all their hair and shoulders (Barbarosoğlu, 2006; Secor, 2002).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey • Additionally, the textile companies owned by the Islamists offered an alternative market for those veiled women, called tesettür giyim (NavaroYashin, 2002; Sandıkçı and Ger, 2002).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey • Clothing styles and consumption patterns of veiled women were also affected by the economic and social changes in the 1980s (Barbarosoğlu, 2006), ▫ liberal economic policies, such as privatization, entrance of international companies into the country, free market and import, ▫ a migration from rural to urban areas, especially to Istanbul, ▫ women’s larger participation to the workforce and demand for a more space in the public domain, and ▫ an increase in both quantity and importance in consumption (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001, 2002, 2007; Navaro-Yashin, 2002). Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey • Even though, in the 1980s, türban was introduced as a modern form of veiling (Özdalga, 1998), it has soon started to be perceived as a symbol of political Islam (Aksoy, 2005; Kılıçbay and Binark, 2002; Sandıkçı and Ger, 2005, 2007; Secor, 2002). • The alteration of türban to a modest form of veiling is explained as a result of ▫ the headscarf ban in Turkey (Barbarosoğlu, 2005), ▫ February 28, 1997 military memorandum in Turkey, and ▫ September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey

• Consequently they preferred to moderate themselves by adapting “a pleasant, elegant and modern appearance” in order not to be viewed as ugly, backward or threatening ( Sandıkçı and Ger, 2007, p. 149).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Tesettür Giyim Companies

• The tesettür giyim companies, by following the latest trends in Turkey and abroad, ▫ offered a wide range of clothing styles and scarves to the veiled women (Gökarıksel and Secor, 2009; Sandıkçı and Ger, 2007).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Consumption Culture and the Islamist Bourgeois

• Large scarves and long coats of the 1980s, were out of fashion in the 1990s and spread through lower status women (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001, 2007). • Instead, “colourful, stylized pants and long jackets, skirts and blazers, long vests, above-theknee coats, and smaller more tightly tied scarves placed inside the jacket” became fashionable (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001, p. 148). Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Tesettür Giyim Companies

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Tesettür Giyim Companies

• Tesettür giyim companies altered and shared many similarities with modern marketing (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001, 2007) that the increased variety of products provided their consumers to differentiate themselves from other veiled women (Kılıçbay and Binark, 2002). • Therefore, the postmodern market directed the desire of consumers for experiencing different lifestyles toward the products (Firat and Dholakia, 2003). Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey • While the main idea of türban was to create an alternative style for the veiled women resisting the western practices, it has become a type of clothing that would change due to fashion. • Their apparels and consumption patterns were similar to the secularists, but, the products they consumed were of these Islamist, tesettür giyim companies (Barbarosoğlu, 2006; Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey

• Later, some veiled women did not want to follow the given categories, such as the apparel for the secularist or modern women and the traditional religious women, but they started to choose and adapt the parts they liked. • They would buy apparel from both secular and Islamist brands and combine them.

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Veiling Practices in Turkey

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Consumption Culture

• A new consumer category, “conservative in values but avant-garde in consumption practices, started to emerge” (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001), and • Islamist consumption culture has increased since the 1990s (Genel and Karaosmanoğlu, 2006; Göle, 2000; Kılıçbay and Binark, 2002; Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001, 2002, 2005).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

The Islamist Bourgeoisie

• The government’s support, starting in the 1980s, enhanced the small companies’ owners in Anatolia to grow their businesses, accumulate wealth and to create an Islamist bourgeoisie (Genel and Karaosmanoğlu, 2006; Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001, 2002).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Consumption Culture and the Islamist Bourgeois • A higher level of consumption is considered as a good life (Firat and Dholakia, 1998). • Also by the Islamist bourgeois consumption is viewed as a good life, “a measure of happiness and success” (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Consumption Culture and the Islamist Bourgeois

• For the early capitalists of the western world values and tastes were crucial to the social economy of prestige and class distinction. Consequently, the bourgeois class differentiated itself with its fashion style (Wilson, 2003).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Consumption Culture and the Islamist Bourgeois • Similarly, the Islamist bourgeois want to differentiate themselves from the secularists and other veiled women (Genel and Karaosmanoğlu, 2006; Göle, 1991; Kılıçbay and Binark, 2002) by wearing clothes from world-wide known foreign brands (Doğan, 2006; Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001, 2007).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Consumption Culture and the Islamist Bourgeois

• The distinction between the middle and high level veiled women is advanced that apparel between them has become a status symbol (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2002, 2007).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Luxury and the Islamist Bourgeois • In the luxury consumption of the Islamist bourgeois; women are in the forefront. • They buy scarves from Dior, Longchamp, Hermes and Burberry, and over coats from Escada, Ferre and Burbery. • Gucci, Dior, Armani, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tod’s and Ralph Lauren are the preferred brands for shoes. • Their favourite watch brands are Rolex, Dior, Longines, Tag Heure and Chopard (Doğan, 2006). Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Luxury and the Islamist Bourgeois

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Luxury and the Islamist Bourgeois • The consumption practices of the Islamist bourgeois tended to be also conspicuous (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2002).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Conspicuous Consumption • Conspicuous consumption, introduced by Veblen (1994), is wealthy persons’ consume ostentatious goods to display their wealth and reach higher social status. • Two incentives for conspicuous consumption are distinguished: ▫ “invidious comparison” that refers to the higher status’ consumption conspicuously to differentiate themselves from the lower status, and ▫ “pecuniary emulation” which is the lower level’s conspicuous consumption in order to be perceived as a member of a higher class. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Conspicuous Consumption and Luxury • The “Veblen effect” ▫ represents the consumers’ willingness to pay a higher price for a tantamount good (Bagwell and Bernheim 1996), and ▫ could be considerable in markets for luxury goods (Bagwell and Bernheim, 1996) since the luxury consumers discern high price as high quality (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999; Wiedmann et al., 2007).

Contradictions • Consumption culture, according to the Islamist writers, is a part of capitalist system and contrast to the Islamic faith, which would consequently be ruined (Kılıçbay and Binark, 2002). • While both these tesettür giyim companies and their consumers were encouraged to create a modern Muslim woman image such as being well-educated and career oriented, they were criticized to become a part of Western consumerism and culture. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Contradictions • There are significant differences between the western and Islamic clothing styles that ▫ The apparel would often change especially after the rise of capitalism and bourgeoisie in the west while there was almost no conversion in clothing in the Asian cultures. ▫ Especially, the golden age of Islam already existed and Muslims should adapt their clothing in accordance with the rules and habits of that term. ▫ Furthermore, considering the Quran and religious texts, a Muslim woman should be unique, not similar to the non-Muslims (Meriç, 2005). Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Contradictions

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Contradictions • For example; ▫ Denim is a western product, therefore, the veiled women wearing jeans should decide to which world they belong (Meriç, 2005).

• Also other clothing items and consumption behaviors of the veiled women are questioned: ▫ It is claimed that those women  had no taste, and  were more attractive than unveiled women.

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Objective • This study attempts to reveal ▫ the reasons for these women to consume luxury apparel, and ▫ how they connect their consumption and fashion practices with Islam.

• that could provide the luxury goods’ producers to gain deepen knowledge on these consumers and a guide for the marketing activities.

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Research Questions

• What are the reasons for them to prefer luxury? • Which luxury brands do they prefer? Why? • How do they evaluate consumption and fashion according to Islam? • What do they think about tesettür giyim brands?

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Methodology • Qualitative research ▫ the most appropriate method to gather data when it is attempted to understand consumer desire .

• In-depth interviewing is ▫ a conversation based on predetermined questions to discover the interviewee’s perception. ▫ a useful way to get large amounts and wide variety of data that provides follow-up and clarification in the instant (Marshall and Rossman, 1995). Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Methodology • Open-ended questions could provide the most effective way to gather an authentic understanding of participants’ opinions and experiences via in-depth interviews (Silverman, 1993). • Moreover, the audio-recorded interviews enhance researchers to analyze and the data, and selectively used them to form a cogent evidence to strengthen the argument (Calder and Tybout, 1987). Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Data Collection • The pre-planned questions, such as “which brands do you prefer?”, “how do you combine your clothes?” and “do you shop from tesettür giyim brands?” enabled the interview to flow naturally and broaden the subjects. • Following the interviewee’s responses, additional questions were asked to comprehend their perceptions in detail. • Several questions were asked to gather info about the demographics and socioeconomic levels of the interviewees, such as age, marital status, education, car ownership, and internet use. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Data Collection • Data collection procedure is held in two shopping malls in Istanbul; ▫ İstinye Park is the most prestigious shopping mall of the city, where luxury stores such as Gucci, Burberry and Louis Vuitton are located, and ▫ Fly Inn shopping mall in Florya, which is one of the districts in Istanbul preferred by the Islamist bourgeois.

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Data Collection • One intervieww is a friend of one of the authors, and three interviewees were met in shopping malls and agreed to participate for an interview. These four interviewees became primary contacts. • The other five interviewees were introduced by the primary contacts. • Total 9 interviewees. • The audio recorded interviews, which lasted between twenty minutes to one and a half hour, are transcribed and translated into English. The related literature, developed earlier, is used to analyze the data. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Sample Age

Education

Marital Status

Children

Car ownership

Countries visited

Saliha

23

University graduate

Single

-

Yes

-

Nuray

19

University student

Single

-

-

-

Canan

26

University graduate

Single

-

Yes

France, Saudi Arabia

Miray

24

University graduate

Single

-

Yes

Saudi Arabia

Gamze

23

University graduate

Single

-

Yes

Spain, France, UK

Beyza

22

University graduate

Single

-

-

Saudi Arabia

Derya

23

University student

Married

1

Yes

Italy

Hande

23

High school graduate

Single

-

Yes

-

Yes

UK, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Belgium, France and other European countries

Interviewees

Semra

34

University graduate

Divorced

2

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Findings • The analysis of the data shows the findings can be categorized under four categories: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Faithful Consumption Desire for (Being) Modern Desire for Affiliation Desire for Harmony

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Faithful Consumption “... I think Muslims deserve the best.” (Saliha, 23)

People might be morally sceptical about materialism and conformism offered by modern consumption because of a religion they belong to. However, they can find a way to consume them while they are religious (Bocock, 1993).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Faithful Consumption • The interviewees claim that if a Moslem fulfils all of the requirements of Islam, he or she can spend money as how he or she wants to. “If your income allows you to do so, if you earn a lot of money, it is okey; you can drive a nice car. I think you can. For example, Mercedes and Doğan are not comparable in terms of safety. If you are rich, why would you live in shanty houses? If you earn what you deserve, without stealing from others, you can get whatever you want. You should know how to spend it too. Of course, as long as you give alms.” (Semra, 34)

• The important thing for them is to obey Islamic rules: earn honestly, give alms and not to waste. “People should consume. People can consume whatever they wish in accordance with their income. On condition that they give alms.” (Canan, 26) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Faithful Consumption • Similarly, they rationalize and approve luxury consumption by clarifying it according to Islamic rules. • According to the interviewees since luxury goods’ having high quality enable them to use those products for a longer time, luxury consumption is acceptable in Islam. “If I want to use a durable product, I want it to be high quality, it is appropriate to Islamic law. A Muslim is supposed to be sharp, clean and distinguishable in everywhere according to Islamic rules.” (Beyza, 22) “Luxury consumption is not only consuming high priced goods, it is also the attempt to possess the high quality one. In Islam, not luxury consumption, over wasting is not appropriate.” (Gamze, 23) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Faithful Consumption • Nuray, on the other hand, thinks that luxury consumption’s acceptability in Islam is a controversial topic. But, she also elucidates this controversy by making it suitable to God’s wishes. “Surely, luxury consumption is not appropriate according to Islamic rules because it is like waste of money... However, according to Islam, Allah wishes to see his blessings on his creatures. That is why it is controversial. But I think that it may be appropriate as long as a person gives alms of what she/he spends.” (Nuray, 19)

Faithful Consumption • Consumption provides happiness and success to consumers (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2001). One of the interviewees, Gamze, developed an argument toward Islam that consumption could provide happiness to God. “It is said that God is happy only when men use his blessings he gave them. If men are grateful for their existence, avoid over wasting, and spends a lot of money on something qualified that they need, I do not think that it is a waste. Consequently, consumption is not harmful as long as it is done responsibly.” (Gamze, 23)

Desire for (Being) Modern “Fashion is what I am comfortable wearing, the clothes that have modern lines. Those which are up to our date.” (Gamze, 23)

There is a collision between fashion, which stands upon alteration, and the constancy of divine that religions have sanctions on clothing which should not attract attention in contrast to fashion (Barbarosoğlu, 2009).

Desire for (Being) Modern The interviewees emphasize no harm to Islam while describing their view of fashion. In contrast, they are more likely to ascribe humanistic and hedonic meanings to fashion, which was enjoyable and applicable practice also for them. “Veiled women are also human beings. A human being is simply a human being no matter where they are. Woman is a woman and man is a man everywhere. A veiled woman desires to look good too. She is a human being too, also a woman.” (Miray, 24) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for (Being) Modern

Also the jeans and other denim products are viewed as modern unless mentioning any harm. “I like not only jeans but also other denim products. For example, a skirt or a jacket. Because I can combine them with any colour. Besides they are both chic and modern.” (Hande, 23) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for (Being) Modern Not only jeans but also pants were not approved in the past times. I think tesettür giyim companies have an effect on this change. They produced coats, skirts and so on with denim fabric and these were sold out. Also these companies produced long tunics to wear on pants and consumers liked them. They were both modern and applied to Islam. But they do not do new things anymore.” (Canan, 26)

While tesettür giyim brands claim that they present modern styles to veiled women, the interviewees stated that those brands were out of fashion and high priced with iterant styles that is to say they were not modern. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for (Being) Modern “I don’t shop from those tesettür giyim brands because for me they are not modern…” (Nuray, 19) “I don’t like them… because I don’t think they adapt to fashion…” (Miray, 24) None of the interviewees liked tesettür giyim brands although their products were appropriate to the Islamic rules. “They are completely a fiasco, absolutely terrible. Because their styles are always the same and they have no desirableness. And unnecessarily expensive. I never shop from them.” (Gamze, 23) “Unfortunately, tesettür giyim companies cannot produce apparels that appeal to all segments. Their products are way too beyond today's trends. I don’t shop from those brands.” (Beyza, 22) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for (Being) Modern Instead of those tesettür giyim brands, the interviewees shop from other brands, which are either Turkish or foreign:

Zara, İpekyol, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Park Bravo, Koton, Massimo Dutti, Roman, Polo Garage and Home Store.

“…The shirt and belt I am wearing are of Massimo Dutti, and my pants are from Vekem. Vekem is not a brand that I am familiar with, but I found the boot flare pants I had been looking for. So, when I find the apparel that I am looking for, I don’t miss it. Its brand and price are not important at all, I instantly buy it. I get dressed in accordance with Islamic rules, and prefer clothes that don't show off my body figure.” (Semra, 34)

They would buy from any store when they find an item at any price that is appropriate to Islamic rules Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation • There is a distinction creating categories among the veiled women due to their apparel (Sandıkçı and Ger, 2002, 2007). • The veiled women of the Islamist high status differentiate themselves by possessing luxury brands, called invidious comparison. • The lower status veiled women, on the other hand, try to give the message that they belong to the high status by having at least a petite, hereby a cheaper product such as a scarf, or counterfeits of those luxury brands, which is pecuniary emulation. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation “This whole desire for luxury is caused by Islamic high society. It starts from the top to the bottom. People with lower income prefer imitations of luxury goods. Because certain brands are in fashion such as Burberry. When I said it starts from the top, I mean people like Emine Erdoğan. She always uses Gucci, Burberry.” (Derya, 23)

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation • There are specific brands which are in vogue and commonly used since they are worn by those women’s role model, Emine Erdoğan, the wife of the current Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erdoğan. • As it was previously mentioned, those veiled women, who have a desire for the modern, position themselves in higher status, to which the modern veiled women belong, by aping those higher status’ fashions, namely their consumption patterns. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation • Fashion is generally described by emphasizing its belonging to high status (Barbarosoğlu, 2009), from which it is spread among lower ones (Simmel, 1957). High status, as a consequence of their education and cultural accumulation, would have the aesthetic taste (Bourdieu, 1984).

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation • The luxury brand preferences of the Islamist bourgeoisie signal not only their taste but also their wealth (Veblen, 1994). Therefore, possessing those brands would alter the status of their user. “...When I see a person wearing luxury goods, I can tell that she/he is in a good financial condition, harmonizes her/his clothes and gives importance to her/his looks.” (Hande, 23)

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation • The luxury brands favoured by the Islamist bourgeois would confirm having good taste. • The luxury brands preferred by the interviewees are Hermes, Burberry, Coach, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Ralph Lauren.

Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Affiliation • On the other hand, one interviewee also criticizes the people obsessed about brands which she calls as lack of self confidence that would be gained through conspicuously consumed brands. “People always prefer products that show off the brand, such as Beymen and Lacoste. Because they make you look rich and prestigious from the outside. For instance, take a look around. Everybody has a Yves Saint Lauren bag on their shoulder. Leather? No, they are plastic. What happens when you have one? It shows that you are not an ordinary person. I assume that they attempt to hide their lack of confidence with the bag. Like compensating. Indicating something.” (Semra, 34) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Harmony • Harmony is so crucial for the interviewees that they match whether brand or colour of their clothes and accessories. “I combine whatever matches, harmonizes with each other. But I am not obsessed. I may sometimes wear a Nike sneakers with Gucci scarf. Of course they should be in the same colour.” (Beyza, 22)

“I combine whatever matches with each other, colour or brand.” (Gamze, 23) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Harmony • Their brand preferences depend on whether a brand has products that complete each other such as the same colour, pattern, and texture. “I prefer them because they match, such as this scarf and bag are Coach and they match. Burberry also has matching products, that is why I prefer…I usually like combining products of same brands. For example, when I like a bag I instantly wonder if it has a matching scarf. When it is matching, I can’t help but buying them. I saw this Coach bag and scarf on a website and liked it because they match. I would probably not buy this bag if it was just it. I liked it because it has a matching product.” (Derya, 23) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

Desire for Harmony • Their appearance is usually based on two main colours; one is the colour of their accessories such as scarf, bag, shoes and so on, and the other is the colour of their clothes. “... Usually, harmony of the colours is important for me. They do not have to be products of the same brand.” (Hande, 23) • Harmony of colours is more crucial in case they do not have matching products of the same brand that they combine the products from diverse brands but in the same colour.

“…I have a lot of scarves. But I do not have bags matching all of them. In fact, I cannot find their matches. Then I match the colours of the scarf and the bag.” (Derya, 23) Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

References • • •

• • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

Aksoy, M. (2005). Başörtüsü-türban: Batılılaşma-modernleşme, laiklik ve örtünme. Istanbul: Kitap Yayinevi. Bagwell, L. S.& Bernheim, B. D. (1996). Veblen effects in a theory of conspicuous consumption. The American Economic Review, 86 (3), 349-373. Barbarosoğlu, F. K. (2005, 25 November). Tesettür defilelerinde ‘öteki’ üzerinden şov. Yeni Şafak. Retrieved from http://www.yenisafak.com.tr/diziler/basortu/basortu03.html Barbarosoğlu, F. K. (2006). Şov ve mahrem. Istanbul: Timaş Yayınları. Barbarosoğlu, F. K. (2009). Moda ve zihniyet. Istanbul: İz Yayıncılık. Bocock, R. (1993). Consumption. Oxon, UK: Routledge. Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A social critique of the judgment of taste. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Calder, B. J. & Tybout, A. M. (1987). “What Consumer Research is”, Journal of Consumer Research, 14 (1), 136140. Doğan, O. (2006, 26 September). İslami sosyete nasıl yaşıyor?. Vatan. Fırat, A. F., & Dholakia, N. (2003). Consuming people: From political economy to theaters of consumption. New York: Routledge. Genel, S., & Karaosmanoğlu, K. (2006). A New Islamic Individualism in Turkey: Headscarved Women in the City. Turkish Studies, 7 (3), 473-488. Gökarıksel, B., & Secor, A. J. (2009). New transnational geographies of Islamism, capitalism and subjectivity: The veiling-fashion Industry in Turkey. Area, 41 (1), 6-18. Göle, N. (1991). Modern mahrem. Istanbul: Metis Yayinlari. Göle, N. (2000). Snapshots of Islamic modernities. Daedalus, 129 (1), 91-117. Kılıçbay, B., & Binark, M. (2002). Consumer culture, Islam and the politics of lifestyle: Fashion for veiling in contemporary Turkey. European Journal of Communication, 17 (4), 495-511. Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (1995). Designing qualitative research (2nd ed). California : Sage Publications. Meriç, Ü. (2005). Sosyolojik açıdan kılık-kıyafet ve İslam’da örtünme. In İ. Kurt & S. A. Tüz (Eds.), İslam’da kılık-kıyafet ve örtünme (pp. 29-36). Istanbul: Ensar Neşriyat. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK

References •

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Navaro-Yashin, Y. (2002). The market for identities: Secularism, Islamism, commodities. In D. Kandiyoti & Ayse Saktanber (Eds.), Fragments of culture: The everyday of modern Turkey (pp. 221253). London: I.B. Özdalga, E. (1998). The veiling issue, official secularism and popular Islam in modern Turkey. Surrey: Curzon. Sandıkçı, Ö., & Ger, G. (2001). Fundamental fashions: The cultural politics of the turban and the Levi’s. In M. C. Gilly & J. Meyers-Levy (Eds.), Advances in consumer research Vol. 28 (pp. 146-150). Valdosta, GA : Association for Consumer Research. Sandıkçı, Ö., & Ger, G. (2002). In-between modernities and postmodernities: Investigating Turkish consumptionscape. In S. M. Broniarczyk & K. Nakamoto (Eds.), Advances in consumer research Vol. 29 (pp. 465-470). Valdosta, GA : Association for Consumer Research. Sandıkçı, Ö., & Ger, G. (2005). Aesthetics, ethics and politics of the Turkish headscarf. In S. Kuchler & D. Miller (Eds.), Clothing as material culture (pp. 61-82). Oxford: Berg. Sandıkçı, Ö., & Ger, G. (2007). Constructing and representing the Islamic consumer in Turkey, Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body&Culture, 11 (2-3), 189-210. Secor, A. J. (2002). The veil and urban space in Istanbul: Women’s dress, mobility and Islamic knowledge. Gender, Place and Culture, 9 (1), 5-22. Silverman, D. (1993). Interpreting qualitative data: Methods for analysing talk, text and interaction. London: Sage. Simmel, G. (1957). Fashion. American Journal of Sociology ,62, 541-558. Reprinted from International Quarterly 10 (1904), 130-155. Spiggle, S. (1994). Analysis and interpretation of qualitative data in consumer research. Journal of Consumer Research, 21 (3), 491-503. Veblen, T. (1994). The theory of the leisure class. New York, NY: Dover. Vigneron, F. & Johnson, L. W. (1999). A review and a conceptual framework of prestige-seeking consumer behavior. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 1, 1-15. Wiedman, K. P., Hennigs, N., & Siebels, A. (2007). Measuring consumers’ luxury value perception: A cross-cultural framework. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 7, 1-21. Wilson, E. (2003). Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity. New York, NY: IB Tauris. Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September 2009, Cambridge University, UK