Emotional fashion design is a complex and subjective concept that has received limited empirical research. Reasons for this include the lack of understanding of emotional design and a lack of research interest in the fashion field. This study examines the impact of different sensory modalities (olfaction, vision, audition, touch, and gustation) on emotional responses to fashion design. The research was divided into three phases: online preliminary studies, an interactive exploratory study, and garment design (main study). In the online preliminary studies, participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of different fabric colours, textures, scents, fabric friction sounds, and tastes. The exploratory study involved sensory testing sessions where participants were exposed to different fabric sensory stimuli and asked to rate their emotional responses. Finally, in the fashion design evaluation stage (main study), participants evaluated the attractiveness of garment designs with varying sensory experiences. The purpose of the study was to determine which modalities contribute most to the overall attractiveness of a garment and investigate how variations in sensory experiences can influence emotional responses to fashion designs. The study consistently examined both ends of the preference spectrum (unattractive-attractive) across all senses. The results show that visual attractiveness has the greatest influence on emotional responses to fashion design. The sense of sight is identified in this study as the most important sense for evaluating garments because it provides the most immediate and obvious information about the garment, including colour, pattern, texture, and overall attractiveness. The findings of the study may be useful for fashion designers, as it highlights the importance of considering different sensory experiences when creating emotional clothing designs that trigger a positive emotional response. The original contribution of this study lies in the empirical investigation of emotional design in fashion, and it suggests potential avenues for future research in this area.
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