Social Network Analysis in Fashion Research: A Systematic Literature Review

Social Network Analysis (SNA), a research method that focuses on the perspective of networks consisting of interconnected entities (e.g., individuals, organizations, countries, concepts), has been applied widely in multiple disciplines and is particularly suitable for interdisciplinary research, including fashion research, in this digital era. The purpose of this study is to examine the application of SNA in fashion studies published between 2000 and 2023, focusing on the topics, SNA purposes, and research designs. A systematic literature review on eligible articles was conducted using bibliometric analysis and content analysis. Findings indicated that the SNA application in fashion research is in its initial stage, primarily used as an inductive approach with limited network types and relationships. Suggestions for future research for deepening theoretical contribution and broadening topic areas were proposed along with a research process to help fashion scholars apply SNA to its fullest potential and expand the research scopes.