Global trends and hotspots in the research on fashion and gender

This bibliometric study examines the evolution of scholarly research on fashion and gender over a thirty-year period, with the aim of identifying key trends, intellectual structures, and emerging research hotspots in the field. Accordingly, 1,940 documents on fashion and gender were indexed in the Web of Science database between 1990 and 2022 were analyzed. Network visualization and in-depth bibliometric analyses were conducted using the CiteSpace software. The results indicate that the USA, the UK, Canada, and Australia are not only the most prolific contributors to the literature but also serve as central hubs connecting other countries engaged in fashion and gender research. The most highly cited journals include Journal of Consumer Research, Fashion Theory, Sex Roles, and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, highlighting the interdisciplinary character of the field, which spans fashion studies, consumer research, social psychology, business, marketing, and management. Citation burst analysis reveals that authors such as D. Crane, R. Lewis, and B. Barry have recently gained increased scholarly attention. Furthermore, keyword burst analysis demonstrates a clear shift in research focus toward themes such as social media, politics, and antecedents, reflecting broader sociocultural and technological transformations. Overall, the findings provide valuable insights for researchers by illustrating how fashion, gender, sustainability, and social media are increasingly interconnected, and how these intersections contribute to ongoing debates on inclusion and diversity within the fashion industry.