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Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Management

An Exploratory Study of Fashion Brands’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts in the Workforce Using Topic Modeling and Computer Vision

Authors
  • Ran Huang (Indiana University - Bloomington)
  • Minjeong Kim (Indiana University Bloomington)
  • Yunhe Feng (University of North Texas)
  • Andrea Chung (Indiana University Bloomington)
  • Gowtham Medisetti (University of North Texas)

Abstract

This study examines fashion brands’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) progress by analyzing companies’ DEI statements using topic modeling and visual representations of fashion workers (models) using computer vision. The dimensionality of social inclusion (acceptance, belongingness, empowerment, equality, and respect) offers conceptual guidance to interpret DEI statements. Furthermore, using age as one of the diversity representations, we perform computer vision analyses to capture the age distribution of models in the photos of fashion brands. First, 121 DEI statements were scraped from brands’ official websites for topic modeling analysis. Three topics emerged from topic modeling – community, equality, and women-focused, which were consistent with the dimensionality of social inclusion. Second, 14,763 unique person images collected from WindowsWear were used for computer vision analyses. Results indicated that brands’ visual presentations lack the representation of advanced-age fashion workers in practice. 

Keywords: Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), fashion brand management, topic modeling, computer vision

How to Cite:

Huang, R., Kim, M., Feng, Y., Chung, A. & Medisetti, G., (2025) “An Exploratory Study of Fashion Brands’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts in the Workforce Using Topic Modeling and Computer Vision”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 81(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.18783

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Published on
2025-01-18

Peer Reviewed