Religiosity and acculturation through apparel consumption amongst North African migrant women in France

Migration challenges the cultural, religious and social values associated with consumption for both the migrant and the recipient society. Previous studies have tended to focus on multi-cultural societies that take a melting pot perspective that recognizes and accepts difference, such as the USA and UK (Peñaloza, 1994; Gbadamos, 2012). However what happens when migrants are faced with a society that openly rejects cultural and religious differences? And how is this rejection acted through consumption? This paper mobilize post colonial theory which shows a perspective of the subordinated and marginalized (Brace-Govan and Burgh Woodman, 2008) to explore these themes through the role of Islam amongst North African female migrants living in France. A strongly secular country that legally prohibits public displays of religious symbolism (Tahran, 2011) and views ethnic marketing as an irrelevance (Héran, 2007). How female migrants and their daughters, who represent the most visible cultural difference, resolve potential conflict between personal religious and societal beliefs forms the focus of this paper. In doing so we address calls for further research into inter-generational influences (IGI) amongst immigrant family settings (O’guinn et al, 1986) and religiosity within consumer research (Cleveland and Chang, 2009; Sandicki, 2006). We also explore how stigmatized consumers differentiate themselves through customizing their traditional ethnic dress in an established market (Sandicki and and Ger, 2010).