The Effortless Fashionista: A Study of Lead Consumers Production of Subjectivities Through the Adaption of Fast Fashion on Instagram

Abstract: Thesis Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to investigate what ideals lead consumers produce through the adoption of subjective positions that they offer to consumers. Thus, the research aims to contribute to existing theoretical knowledge of the production of consumer subjectivities. Methodology: This present study adopts an ontological relativism position, followed by a social constructionist view. The philosophical standpoint leads to the research following an abductive approach with a qualitative research design. Moreover, the study combines netnography conducted on social media and a case study approach to gather empirical data. Theoretical Perspective: To answer the research question, the study bases its fundamental standpoint on Michael Foucault's theoretical contribution of governmentality, combined with discourse theory, framing and self-presentation theory, and a collection of theoretical contributions within postmodern fashion consumption. Conclusion: The empirical findings reveal that influencers produce ideals that construct subjectivities that consumers voluntarily mold themselves into, ultimately benefiting fast fashion brands. Moreover, three critical areas of the influencers' subjectivity construction were identified where the findings illustrate how influencers become both consumers and producers of subjective consumer ideals, which lay as the foreground for corporations selling their products. Contribution: This study contributes to existing consumer-produced subjectivity literature and how influencers’ adoption of fashion constructs subjective ideals to their followers mediated through Instagram. Moreover, a conceptual framework was developed that illustrates the subjectivity construction process and its theoretical framework that lay as a foundation for future research. Additionally, the study contributes with an analytical tool suitable for emerging in critical discourse analysis of visual images and text.