Women’s empowerment for sale: An analysis of the representation of women’s empowerment in the promotional fashion film
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2025-09-01
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en
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This thesis explores the dominant presence of a postfeminist sensibility in promotional fashion films
from the early 2000s to the late 2010s, analyzing its implications for the commercialization of
feminist ideas and symbols, such as women’s empowerment, to benefit luxury fashion brands.
Through semiotic and discourse analysis, the study compares postfeminist themes derived from the
examination of signs in these fashion films with feminist theories and film studies. This comparison
reveals the contradictory nature of a postfeminist sensibility, where the films’ portrayal of women
suggests empowerment but also confines them to patriarchal gender norms and beauty standards.
Therefore, it argues that the representation of feminism as a movement for social justice and gender
equity in the fashion film is often transformed into a depoliticized marketing tool that persuades
consumers to purchase products or emotionally connect with the brand. This thesis questions this
phenomenon and asserts that these representations of women should be critically examined to raise
awareness and prevent the internalization of antifeminist attitudes.
Keywords: promotional fashion film, postfeminist sensibility, women’s empowerment, feminism,
desire for newness, consumerism, luxury fashion brands
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