From the Back Cover
This book provides essential insights into Chinese consumer behaviors in the growing and dynamic fashion market. With increasing consumer purchasing power, readily accessible global brands, heavy application of digital technology and social media, as well as growing awareness of environmental issues, the Chinese fashion industry faces great opportunities and challenges at the same time. The contributing authors provide observations and address issues related to middle class fashion consumption, sustainable apparel consumption, technology application in fashion retailing, and the select traditional and new industry segments in the context of China's recent and massive economic boom. As such, the book offers an invaluable reference guide for all academics and practitioners interested in the Chinese fashion market.
Dr. Xu is an associate professor at the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, part of the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University (NC State). Dr. Xu holds a B.S. degree in Textile Engineering from Donghua University (China) and an M.S. degree in Merchandising from Renmin University of China. While completing her doctoral degree in Human Ecology (with a focus on Consumer Behavior) at Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2000, Dr. Xu also received her M.S. degree in Applied Statistics from LSU. Prior to joining NC State in her current position, Dr. Xu worked at the Department of Human and Consumer Sciences at Ohio University for 10 years, as an assistant professor and then associate professor. With over 20 years of experience in research as well as teaching in the field of consumer behavior, Dr. Xu has made great contributions to the field through her research publications, conference presentations, and reviews for journals, as well as mentoring graduate students entering the field. Her research on consumer behavior has a strong focus on individuals' social and psychological motivations. Dr. Xu's work has been published in premier journals in the field including Journal of Business Research, Clothing and Textile Research Journal, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, and others. Dr. Chi received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from China Textile University and Donghua University with an emphasis on Textile and Clothing Engineering in 1999 and 2002, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2006, with a dissertation focused on supply chain management and strategic management. He worked as a general manager at the Apparel Technology & Research Center and as a research fellow at the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Management of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona from 2006 to 2008. He subsequently worked as anassistant professor (from 2008 to 2014) and then as a tenured associate professor at the Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles of Washington State University. Dr. Chi has published 60+ refereed journal articles and conference proceedings and two full-length market research reports, and successfully completed 12 internally and externally funded research or education projects in the past decade. His research has been published in Journal of Business Research, International Business Review, Management Decision, Journal of the Textile Institute, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, International Journal of Sustainable Society, etc.
Dr. Su is an associate professor at the Department of Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies, Bryan School of Business and Economics, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Dr. Su holds a B.E. degree in Textile Products Design from Tianjin Polytechnic University and an M.S. degree in Business Management from Renmin University of China. She received her Ph.D. degree in Textile Products Marketing from UNCG in 2004. Prior to joining UNCG in her current position, Dr. Su worked as an assistant professor at the Department of Consumer and Family Sciences at Western Kentucky University from 2005-2007, as an assistant professor (2008-2013) and then a tenured associate professor (2013-2016) at the Department of Human Development and Environmental Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Su's research interests include dynamics in the global textile, apparel, fashion, and retail industries, global supply chain management and global sourcing strategies in the textile, apparel, fashion, and retail industries, brand marketing, sustainability and sustainable consumption. Dr. Su has published research papers in journals such as Journal of Product & Brand Management, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Clothing & Textiles Research Journal, and The Journal of The Textile Institute, etc.
