Abstract

This paper analyzes how socio-cultural structures shape the interpretation and consumption of western luxury fashion brands among Kuwaiti Muslim women. Synthesizing solutions, which is the notion of two opposing ideas being resolved within consumption, is employed as a theoretical framework. Qualitative research consisting of in-depth semi-structured interviews guided by photo elicitation was employed as the data collection method. The findings show that Muslim women in Kuwait “unveil” the sexual symbolic meanings of luxury brands through their interpretation of advertising. However, they then “veil” this sexual symbolism by drawing attention to their own modesty and utilizing the status of the brands to communicate their family name. The western luxury fashion brand offers a synthesizing solution; a delicate balance between constraint and choice, allowing Kuwaiti women to “unveil” sex appeals, yet also re-constructing such appeals to represent socio-cultural structures. Understanding socio-cultural dynamics of Kuwaiti women’s fashion consumption extends marketing theory and practice.

摘要

本文分析了社会文化结构如何影响科威特穆斯林女性对西方奢侈时尚品牌的解读和消费。综合解决方案是在消费中解决两种对立想法的概念，被用作理论框架。采用由照片启发引导的深入半结构化访谈组成的定性研究作为数据收集方法。研究结果表明，科威特的穆斯林女性通过对广告的解读“揭示”了奢侈品牌的性象征意义。然而，他们随后通过引起人们对自己谦虚的关注并利用品牌的地位来传达他们的姓氏来“掩盖”这种性象征意义。这个西方奢侈时尚品牌提供了一个综合的解决方案；约束与选择之间的微妙平衡，允许科威特妇女“揭开”性吸引力，同时也重建这种吸引力以代表社会文化结构。了解科威特女性时尚消费的社会文化动态可以扩展营销理论和实践。