Social and Psychological Aspects

It IS a Fashion Show: A Pilot Analysis Investigating How Collegiate Female Athletes Develop their Personal Brands

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Abstract

This research advances the research about intersectionality of being an athlete and being female with a new lens addressing the research question: How do collegiate female athletes develop their personal brands that evoke fashion communication style narratives? Fashion often emerges from sport. The purposes of this research are to (1) make the case that women's highly visible athletic competition is in fact a celebration of fashion and (2) to analyze how female collegiate athletes are navigating the development of their personal brands in response to their roles "on the stage" (or court or field). This qualitative and exploratory study employed four participants who were NCAA athletes. Coaches, parents, and athletic administrators who work with elite female athletes will benefit from understanding how appearance management and subsequent development of personal branding is part of athletic competition preparation.

Keywords: appearance management, fashion through sport, female athletes, personal brand

How to Cite:

Paulins, V. A., Malcom, N. L., Hillery, J. L., Mikulášiková, R. L. & Shahzad, A., (2025) “It IS a Fashion Show: A Pilot Analysis Investigating How Collegiate Female Athletes Develop their Personal Brands”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 81(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18590