My Focus Group - Primary Research

Focus group: I have conducted my own source of research by asking 17-22-year-old fashion students as a part of my own primary research.

Because my piece is based on ‘inclusive fashion’ highlighting individuality, I felt as though putting together a focus group full of fashion students would fit perfectly.

My focus group ran for approximately 15 minutes long with six people in total. I directed with the following questions:

1. Do you feel pressured to look a certain way by society?

For e.g. on social media

Why?

Who?

How?

2. As fashion students do you think there is pressure to dress a certain way?

3. Do you follow fast fashion trends?

Why or why not?

4. Have you ever received any negatively surrounding what you wear?

Comments?

Stares?

Being judged?

Why was this?

5. Why do you dress the way you dress?

6. How has your style changed over the years?

When and how?

7. How does what you wear impact how you feel?

8. What’s your opinion on Instagram models?

Do you think they are a good or bad influence on young people?

9. Do you think body image and fashion are linked?

10. What do you think about sexualisation?

Can you have fashion without sexualisation?

I recorded the audio for my focus group as some people decided they only wanted to take part anonymously, which is completely understandable, so I decided to do an audio tape rather than a video tape. The feedback I received backed up my points particularly behind the impact of social media on young people e.g. themselves. Another question that distinctly stood out to me was their stories behind how and why their style has changed? With all candidates agreeing confidence being the main cause.

The fashion students have a well-known reputation to dress out there, unique and diverse with 90% of them agreeing they find their best outfits in charity shops. Talking to the fashion students has influenced my research a great deal by opening my eyes to the reasoning behind more expressive and experimental dressing. Allowing me to understand why and how it is going to be best represented throughout my video.