Dr Nazlı Alimen
Dr. Nazlı Alimen teaches on MA Luxury Brand Management and MA Fashion Management courses and supervises PhD projects at BCU. Before joining BCU in 2019, she taught at London College of Fashion (UAL) and Helsinki and Aalto universities in Finland.
She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from London College of Fashion, and her academic background uniquely blends Fashion and Business Studies with Cultural, Postcolonial, and Decolonial Studies. Her research interests include consumer cultures, material and visual cultures—particularly historical and contemporary fashion and dress—, and marketing and management in creative industries. Her first book, Faith and Fashion in Turkey: Consumption Politics and Islamic Identities (Bloomsbury, 2018), has contributed across multiple fields, including fashion and clothing, subcultures, sociology of religion, and consumer culture. She continues to publish widely in academic journals and is working on multiple research projects, including an AHRC-funded project (2024–2027), exploring sustainability and equitability in the Indian textile and handicraft sectors.
Her teaching philosophy focuses on fostering critical thinking, adaptability, and cultural awareness through an interdisciplinary approach. She has been instrumental in curriculum development, contributing to the creation of degree programs at Helsinki University and the revalidation of postgraduate courses at BCU.
Dr. Alimen is also actively involved in equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives at BCU and holds several professional memberships, including Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and member of the UK Research and Innovation Talent Peer Review College.
Current Activity
Dr. Alimen is currently involved in an AHRC-funded project, “Crafting Sustainability and Equitability: Reconstructing Pasts and Futures in the Indian Creative Economy”, in collaboration with Dr. Rohit Dasgupta (London School of Economics), Dr. Diviani Chaudhuri (Shiv Nadar University), and Dr. Vishnupriya Narayanan (National Institute of Design–Ahmedabad).
This three-year project (2024–2027) focuses on the traditional handicrafts and textiles sectors in India, exploring ways to preserve cultural integrity and promote equitable labour practices in these sectors while also adapting these practices into modern manufacturing to foster sustainability. Moreover, it investigates trade relations between the UK and India within the creative industries, with the goal of developing long-term, sustainable, and ethical trade partnerships between the two countries. The project outcomes will include conference presentations, journal articles, a monograph, community and stakeholder workshops, policy briefs and workshop, open access repository, and a popular article.
Areas of Expertise
- Modest fashion
- Historical and contemporary fashion and dress outside the ‘West’
- Fashion/dress/hair and identity, particularly the role of gender, religion, ethnicity, and nationality from an intersectional perspective
- Marketing and management in creative industries, with a focus on consumer cultures, entrepreneurship, brand management, and brand cultures
- Ethical and inclusive practices and sustainability in fashion, textiles and handicrafts outside the ‘West’ and within the Global Majority in the West
- Research methodologies and methods, particularly qualitative research methods such as ethnography and visual analysis.
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Cultural Studies, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), Izmir University of Economics
- MA in Brand Management, Istituto Marangoni
- BA in Fashion Design and Manufacturing, Gazi University
Memberships
- Higher Education Academy (HEA) Fellow
- Member of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Talent Peer Review College
- Book Reviews Editor of Dress: The Journal of the Costume Society of America
- Member of the Editorial Board of Critical Studies in Fashion & Beauty
- Member of Consumer Culture Theory Consortium (CCTC)
- Member of the Costume Society of America (CSA)
Teaching
Dr. Nazlı Alimen leads three modules in the MA Luxury Brand Management and MA Fashion Management courses:
- ADM7010 Analysis and Planning for Management
- ADM7004 Research and Professional Skills
- FAS7040/FAS7041 Major Project
Her teaching approach emphasizes the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical application, fostering critical thinking and creativity among her students. She is also highly regarded for her supportive mentorship, offering guidance and pastoral care to students.
“Nazlı is the best feature I’ve experienced on the course. She gave very detailed and professional advice on my major project. Meanwhile, I gained so many benefits from all the literature she recommended, which gave me new insights on the subject I was working on. The key takeaway I most benefitted from was the research methods I learned from her and even shared this knowledge with my peers. The rigorous, detailed requirements will assist me in so many ways in my future career. Even her advice on my future career in fashion and luxury truly inspires me. Personally, I would think of her as knowledgeable and helpful as my major project tutor, while being funny and open-minded as a person.”
MA Fashion Management student (2020/21)
Research
Dr. Alimen’s current research concentrates on:
- Sustainability and equitability in traditional textiles and handicrafts sectors
- Fashion and dress in the Ottoman lands
- AI and digital technologies in traditional craftsmanship and dress collections
- Research methods in visual arts and creative industries
Postgraduate Supervision
Dr. Alimen is interested in supervising research students in the areas of:
- Modest fashion
- Historical and contemporary fashion and dress, particularly those outside the ‘West’
- Consumer cultures
- Marketing and management in creative industries, particularly brand management, brand cultures, entrepreneurship, consumer behaviour, and digital marketing.
Publications
Book
Alimen, N. (2018) Faith and Fashion in Turkey: Consumption, Politics and Islamic Identities. London: Bloomsbury.
Book Chapters
Alimen, N. (2025) “Masculinities and Men’s Accessories in Turkey: Differentiations and Intersections of Religion and Political ideologies” for The Handbook of Men’s Fashion, Ben Berry, José Blanco and Andrew Reilly (eds), Intellect.
Alimen, N. (2022) “Manu Atelier: A Turkish Brand in the ‘Top’ Fashion Fields”, in Fashion & Luxury Marketing for Consumers, Michael R. Solomon and Mona Mrad (eds) Sage.
Alimen, N. (2018) “The Fashions and Politics of Facial Hair in Turkey: The Case of Islamic Men”, in The Routledge International Handbook to Veils and Veiling, Anna-Mari Almila and David Inglis (eds.), Oxon, UK: Routledge, 116-24. bit.ly/36uGzbM
Journal Articles
Alimen, N. (Forthcoming) “Stitching Tradition and Fashion: The Evolution of Ottoman Women’s Ferâces, the 16th–19th Century”.
Alimen, N. and Dasgupta, R. (2024) “Consuming and Retailing Fashion: South Asian Diaspora Negotiating Clothing Practices, Identities, and Community Making in Glasgow, UK”, Social Identities: Journal for the Study of Race, Nation and Culture. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504630.2024.2382865
Alimen, N. and Askegaard, S. (2020) “Religious Ritual and Sociopolitical Identities: Circumcision Costumes in the Turkish Marketplace”, International Journal of Fashion Studies, 7 (2), 211–36. https://doi.org/10.1386/infs_00027_1
Alimen, N. and Kütük-Kuriş, M. (2020) “A Snapshot of the Fashion Field in Contemporary Turkey”, International Journal of Fashion Studies, 7 (2), 133–45. https://doi.org/10.1386/infs_00023_2
Alimen, N. and G. Bayraktaroğlu (2011) “Consumption Adjustments of Turkish Consumers during the Global Financial Crisis”, Ege Academic Review, 11 (2), 193–203. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/eab/issue/39889/473476
Alimen, N. and G. Cerit (2010) “Dimensions of Brand Knowledge: Turkish University Students’ Consumption of International Fashion Brands”, Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 23 (4), 538–58. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410391011061807
Other Published Work
Alimen, N. (2020) “Sadberk Hanım Museum: An Interview with Lâle Görünür, Museum Specialist”, International Journal of Fashion Studies, 7 (2), 247–53. https://doi.org/10.1386/infs_00029_7
Alimen, N. (2020) “Ottoman Design in the West: A Visual History of Cultural Exchange by Charlotte A. Jirousek”, International Journal of Fashion Studies, 7 (2), 267–70. https://doi.org/10.1386/infs_00032_5
Alimen, N. (2019) “Modern Fashion Traditions: Negotiating Tradition and Modernity through Fashion, edited by M. Angela Jansen and Jennifer Craik”, International Journal of Fashion Studies, 6 (2), 303–5. https://doi.org/10.1386/infs_00013_5
Alimen, N. (2017) “Review of Yılmaz, Hale, Becoming Turkish: Nationalist Reforms Cultural Negotiations in Early Republican Turkey, 1923–1945”. H-Nationalism, H-Net Reviews. November 2017. https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=50490
Alimen, N. (2015) “Book Review: Islamic Masculinities by Amanullah de Sondy”, Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography, 22 (8), 1197–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/0966369X.2015.1020138
Conference Presentations
Alimen, N. (2023) “Fashion and Dress in the Ottoman Public Sphere: Jewish Women’s Ferâces, 17th-19th Century”, The Eleventh Annual Conference the Society for Sephardic Studies, 9-13 October, Izmir, Turkey.
Alimen, N. and Dasgupta, R. (2022) “Decolonising Fashion: Fashion Consumption and Clothing Practices of the South Asian Muslim Communities in Glasgow”, 117th ASA (American Sociological Association) Annual Meeting, 5–9 August, Los Angeles, CA.
Alimen, N. and Rajapakse, D. (2022) “Blended Teaching and Learning: An Investigation of Student and Staff Experiences of a Co-Taught Module”, Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2022, 5–7 July, Northumbria University, UK.
Alimen, N. (2021) “Ottoman Ferâces: An Investigation of Outer Garments, 16th-20th Century”, Costume Society of America’s 47th Annual Meeting and Symposium, 25–30 May, online.
Alimen, N. (2020) “Historical Depictions of Ottoman Jewish Women’s Ferâces, 17th–19th Century”, Picturing Jewish Dress: Researching Belonging and Identification through Historical Visual Sources, 27 November, online workshop.
Alimen, N. (2020) “Muslim Men and Dress in Turkey”, Globalising Men’s Style Conference (online), 21-23 July, organised by London College of Fashion, Masculinities Hub.
Alimen, N. (2019) “The Investigation of an Ottoman Outer Garment: Feraces from the Sixteenth to the Early Twentieth Centuries”, the Second Annual Conference of the Fashion, Costume and Visual Cultures Network, 9-11 July, Roubaix, France.
Alimen, N. (2019) “Ottoman Feraces: An Investigation of Outer Garments, 16th–20th Century”, Culture, Costume and Dress 2019 Conference, 5-7 June, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK.
Alimen, N. and S. Askegaard (2018) “(Re)construction and (Re)presentation of Muslim Masculinities through Circumcision Costumes: Militarism, Nationalism and Neo-Ottomanism in the Turkish Consumption Space”, Consumer Culture Theory 2018 Conference, 28 June-1 July, Odense, Denmark.
Alimen, N. (2017) “Understandings and Practices of Veiling: Observant Muslim Women in Turkey”, Revisiting the Gaze: Feminism, Fashion and the Female Body, 28-29 June, Chelsea College of Arts, UK.
Alimen, N. (2016) “The (Re)appropriation and Distinction: Feraces and Abayas in the Religiously Related Fashion Field of Turkey”, Sociology of Religion Study Group (Socrel) Annual Conference, 12-14 July, Lancaster University, UK.
Alimen, N. and S. Askegaard (2016) “Consumption Objects of Circumcision Ceremonies in Turkey: The Context of Context”, Consumer Culture Theory 2016 Conference, 6-9 July, Lille, France.
Alimen, N. (2015) “Islamic Identities, Spaces, and Consumer Cultures: Male Members of the Menzil and Süleymanlı Communities in Turkey”, Middle East Studies Association (MESA) Annual Meeting, 21-24 November, Denver, CO, USA.
Alimen, N. (2015) “Islam, Gender, and the State Politics: Interviewing Islamic Men in Turkey”, Sociology of Religion Study Group (Socrel) Annual Conference, 7-9 July, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, UK.
Alimen, N. (2015) “Islamic Sub-Markets and Their Consumers: Faith-Inspired Communities in Turkey”, the 2nd BRAIS (British Association for Islamic Studies) Conference, 13-15 April, London, UK.
Alimen, N. (2014) “Islamic Masculinities in Turkey”, 1st International Symposium on Men and Masculinities: Identities, Cultures, Societies, 11-13 September, Izmir, Turkey.
Alimen, N. (2014) “This Little Prince is Becoming a Man: The Circumcision Ritual and Market Place”, the 3rd Annual Conference of the European Popular Culture Association, 29-31 July, London, UK.
Alimen, N. (2014) “Islam and the Market Place: Circumcision Ceremonies in Turkey”, Consumer Culture Theory Conference, 26-29 June, Helsinki, Finland.
Alimen, N. (2014) “Turkish Islamic Masculinities: The Investigation of Bodily Appearances”, 12th Conference on Gender, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, 24-26 June, Helsinki, Finland.
Alimen, N. (2014) “Faith and Consumption: The Menzil Community in Turkey”, BRAIS (British Association for Islamic Studies) Inaugural Conference, 10-11 April, Edinburgh, UK.
Alimen, N. (2014) “The Analysis of Fast Fashion Consumption: What Drives Consumers to Buy Fast Fashion Products?”, 2014 Global Fashion Management Conference, 13-15 February, London, UK.
Alimen, N., O. Tuna and T. Baltacıoğlu (2009) “Luxury Consumption: The Hidden Dynamics of Turkish Veiled Women’s Consumption of Luxury Apparel”, Academy of Marketing Brand Conference (Branding&Society), 1-3 September, Cambridge University, UK.
Work With Industry
Dr. Alimen has provided consultancy in business development and modest fashion, with a focus on digital marketing, market research, and consumer insights.
Before pursuing her doctoral studies, she worked in visual merchandising, marketing and PR, and international sales for several fashion companies, including Benetton and Vakko, in Italy and Turkey.
Links and Social Media
- LinkedIn profile
- Website: https://nazlialimen.wordpress.com/
- X/Twitter profile: @nazlialimen