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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

Table 1 The categories and their definitions for the images

From: On the fashionalization of digital devices: a study of the representation of mobile phones in fashion magazines

 

Categories and sub-categories

Definition

1

 Institutional elements

The visual or textual elements that connect to the social world of fashion, including fashion institutions and professionals

 1.1

Designer clothing collection

The model holding a mobile phone is wearing designer clothing. The image is combined with textual description of the clothes and brands

 1.2

Designer branded phones

The phone is the product of a collaboration between mobile companies and fashion designer brands. Sometimes the image of the phone is complemented by the textual information on fashion designers’ names; sometimes the logo of a fashion designer’s brand is visible on the hardware of the phone

 1.3

Trends and news

The image is located in a news section introducing the latest trendy products. The image is combined with brief textual information, e.g. brand, price and where to buy

 1.4

Celebrities

The phone is held by film stars, musicians or top models

 1.5

Name of photographer

The name of the photographer is presented in the images

 1.6

Fashion professionals

The image features what phone an experienced fashion professional uses, as a real-life example to show what phone is fashionable

 2

Setting

The contexts where the mobile phones are located in the images

 2.1

Glamorous

The image depicts a sparkling moment, a glamorous event or a scene of fashion activities

 2.2

Unrealistic and imaginary

The image presents a completely imaginary environment, such as a futuristic or surreal setting

 2.3

Realistic and ordinary

The image features an everyday context that is ordinary and trivial

 3

Clothing and styling

The images that display a relationship between mobile phones and clothing/outfits

 3.1

Phones in stylish outfits

The model holding a mobile phone is wearing a stylish outfit. The cover of the phone often matches the outfit. Sometimes a short textual description in the image describes how they match

 3.2

Curated display of many fashion accessories

The phone is aesthetically photographed and displayed among a series of fashion accessories

 3.3

Phone displayed in parallel to an accessory

The phone is displayed in parallel to a clothing accessory

 4

Characteristics of mobile phones

The aesthetic features of the mobile phone in the image, such as its decoration, its style and color variation

 4.1

Fashion accessories for phones

The image features stylish accessories for the phone, such as designer phone pouches, charms or wearable bands

 4.2

Realistic close-up

The image depicts only the phone without backgrounds. It is an idealized version of the mobile phone

 4.3

Glamorous close-up

The image depicts only the phone. The close-up shot presents a desirable image of the phone by using visual techniques such as a colorful or dreamy background

 4.4

Color variation

Various images of the same phone in different colors are presented. The picture is combined with textual statement about selecting colors for different moods

 4.5

Illustration

The image features an illustrated representation of the phone. It can be abstract, emphasizing a visual feature of the phone, or lifelike, depicting a real phone

 5

Representation of the persons

How the models in the image interact with each other, display their bodies, and their facial expressions

 5.1

Intimate

The image features a male model and a female model, whose bodily interaction, e.g. hugging, kissing, looking at each other, shows intimacy. It creates an atmosphere of romance

 5.2

Nude and sexy

The model carrying a phone is wearing a swimsuit or little clothing, showing the sexy nude body

 5.3

Facial expression

The phone is close to a model’s face. The model’s facial expression is the focus of the image. It usually shows a happy smile

 6

Utility

The textual information concerns functionality in social situations and new technical features that improve the quality of people’s everyday life

 6.1

Functionality

The accompanying texts describe what the phone can be used for in specific social contexts, such as video-calling your family, booking tickets, and playing games on the go

 6.2

High-tech as title

The mobile phone is displayed together with other electronic devices. The page has a title of “High-tech”

 6.3

Technical features

The accompanying texts describe the main technical features of the phone, e.g. high-quality camera, color screen, games