modular jewelry as a medium for fluid identity: co-creation and self-expression in iranian gen z

Generation z, characterized as digital natives, navigates a phygital existence where consumption serves as aprimary mechanism for identity construction. in the contemporary iranian jewelry market, despite a rich historyof craftsmanship, there is a significant functional gap regarding adaptable systems that meet this generation's need forco-creation and differentiation. drawing on the theories of extended self and value co-creation, this studyinvestigates the relationship between modular jewelry personalization capabilities and satisfaction with self-identityexpression among iranian youth (aged 18-29). the research employs an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design.initially, qualitative content analysis was used to extract aesthetic codes. subsequently, data from a validated onlinequestionnaire (n=68, α=0.826) were analyzed using spearman's rank-order correlation. findings reveal a robustdemand for co-creation, with high personalization propensity (m=4.43, sd=0.68). a significant positive correlation(r=0.657, p<0.01) was established between interchangeability and user's perception of identity alignment. responsepatterns suggest that participants orient toward both functional adaptability and symbolic meaning, though largersamples are needed to confirm these trends. the study concludes that modular design transcends static ornamentation,fostering psychological ownership and deeper emotional bonding. for the iranian gold and jewelry industry,transitioning toward hybrid modular systems, combining precious bases with interchangeable add-ons, is recommended.this strategy not only satisfies the fluid identity needs of gen z but also promotes sustainable consumption by extendingproduct lifecycles through functional adaptability.