Design Preferences of Non-Caucasian Working Women: A Business Jacket Focus

Based on the latest U.S. Census report, in the near future, African, Asian, and Hispanic-Americans will accumulate substantial income and possess increased purchase power as a result of their economic necessity and higher educational attainment. The purpose of this study was to identify consumer characteristics that are related to the clothing design preferences of non-Caucasian working women as they have the potential to become a valuable target market. The final sample included non-Caucasian working women who wear business jackets to work at least once a week. Although the study did not find significant differences in design preferences affected by ethnicity, the findings displayed the importance of consumer characteristics on design preference formations for the selected minority groups. The results showed a relatively high preference for a loosely fitted, bust and waist deep neckline jacket style by older respondents. Respondents who work in a larger department with more colleagues preferred a loosely fitted, hip length, waist deep neckline style. Larger consumers displayed a relatively high preference for a semi-fitted, short length, above bust neckline, and a notched collar jacket style. Taller consumers preferred a tunic level, fitted, bust deep neckline, and rounded collar jacket style. Introduction In the foreseeable future, according to the figures in the 2002 U.S. Census Bureau, African, Asian, and Hispanic Americans will accumulate substantial disposable income that will result in increased purchasing power. A report by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia (as cited in Gardyn & Fetto, 2003) also demonstrated that in 2002 the buying power of African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans reached $646 billion, $581 billion, and $296 billion respectively. The same source predicts that the ethnic consumers’ share in the marketplace will continue to increase and in 2007 the disposable income of Hispanic Americans will total $927 billion and the disposable income of African-Americans will total $853 billion. In addition, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that in 2002 females accounted for 43% of the full-time work force and 66 % of the part-time work force. The statistics imply that working women have accrued significant revenue leading to increased importance of women as consumers. Women of ethnic backgrounds make for an important part of the total female work force. In the previous years, several reports (Chang, 2001; Khan, Chawla, & Devine, 1996; O’Neal, 1998a) indicated that African, Asian, and Hispanic American working women represent a lucrative niche for apparel manufacturers. However, prevailing fashion and styles are in accordance with the physical characteristics and design preferences of American women of European origin, not necessarily the ones with various ethnic origins (O’Neal, 1998a). With this in mind, the purpose of the study was to analyze the effect of personal, physical, psychosocial, and job-related characteristics of African, Asian, and Hispanic-American working women on their apparel design preferences. Literature Review The higher growth rate of these three ethnic groups, as compared to the growth rate of the Caucasian-American population, would result in increased ethnic and racial diversity in the emerging workforce. In addition, higher educational attainment of women and economic necessity will provide women of varying ethnic backgrounds with more career opportunities (Chang, 2001; Khan, Chawla, & Devine, 1996). According to a report by Cotton Inc. (as cited in “African American,” 2001), 28% of African-American women and 14% of Hispanic-American women spent more than $200 a month on clothing as compared to 12% of Caucasian women. According to the same report, 24% of Hispanic women and 19% of African-American women purchased clothes in the price range of $101-$200 a month, whereas only 15% of Caucasian women spent the same amount of money per month. A survey done by Simmons Market Research Bureau (as cited in “Feho, Whelan, & Yin,” 2001) showed that 38% of Asian women, 36% of young African-American women, and 32% of Hispanic women are “fashion conscious” as compared to 29% of Caucasian women. Another study by the Simmons Market Research Bureau in the first half of 2002 (as cited in Gardyn & Fetto, 2003) stated that 58% of African-Americans, 46% of Hispanic-Americans, and 46% of Asian-Americans like to dress in the latest fashion compared to only 36% of Caucasians. The reported statistics indicate that, for apparel manufacturers, non-Caucasian working women are worth targeting. However, these particular consumer groups display major physical differences from Caucasian-American women. More over, design preferences of African, Asian, and Hispanic-American women slightly vary in accordance with their historic and ethnic heritage (Yoo, 2003). African-American Women African-American aesthetics of dress includes individual expression, the tendency to dress up, as well as partiality for bold colors of high visual impact (O’Neal, 1998a). As a result of the distinct African-American cultural background, African-Americans use dress as a display of emotional and symbolic messages as well as solidarity and group belonging (Daniels, 2002; O’Neal, 1998a). However, African-American women are influenced by the standards of beauty imposed by the dominant fashion industry and exhibit high preference for trendy clothes (Gardyn & Fetto, 2003). The 2002 Simmons Market Research Study (as cited in Gardyn & Fetto) showed that keeping up with the latest trends in fashion is important for 34% of African-Americans as compared to 28% of Asian-Americans, 27% of Hispanics, and 25% of Caucasians. Once appropriated, however, trendy clothes are personalized and modified to express individual style and preferences (O’Neal, 1998a, O’Neal, 1998b). Hamilton (1999) points out that empirical research has overlooked the central role the physical body had played in defining the African-American aesthetics. She claims that sensuality and worship of the body were expressed through cultural artifacts such as clothing.