Walking Mannequins

"This is a major contribution to the research on work, consumption, and aesthetic labor in the modern economy. It's a compelling read that will have a significant impact on how we think about the racial and gendered dynamics of workplace inequality."--Adia Harvey Wingfield, Mary Tileston Hemenway Professor of Arts and Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis "Joya Misra and Kyla Walters offer important, unprecedented insights into work and inequality in an often overlooked sector: fashion retail. The book casts a bright light on how status-infused workplaces thoroughly discipline low-wage workers to promote sales and maintain the image of the brand, paying consistent attention to race. Walking Mannequins updates our knowledge of how technology and accelerated product cycles affect work processes in fast-fashion."--Eileen Otis, author of Markets and Bodies: Women, Service Work, and the Making of Inequality in Chin​a "This outstanding book is essential reading for anyone interested in interactive service work. It offers new theoretical insights and rich empirical data in an accessible and engaging text, highlighting how gender, race, class, and sexuality intersect to illuminate the stark reality of working in clothing retail."--Dennis Nickson, coauthor of Aesthetic Labour