S/he styles: narcissistic fashion apparel consumption in India

Purpose This research aims to investigate if consuming fashion apparel brands for the purpose of social appearance expressiveness may garner calculative brand commitment, through the mediation of narcissistic brand love. It also tests moderation of gender for the aforementioned mediated relationship. Design/methodology/approach The research has a core qualitative component (Study 1), which focuses on an interpretivist approach using a grounded theory paradigm to analyze data (N = 37) collected from semi-structured depth interviews. It is followed by a positivist survey based enquiry (study 2), and the data (N = 245) were analyzed using Haye’s (2017) process macro. Findings Analysis reveals that Indian consumers fall in narcissistic love with those apparel brands that aid their quest for maintaining desirable social appearances and develop a calculative commitment toward the brands, which aid this quest. The effect of social appearance expressiveness of apparel brand on consumers’ narcissistic brand love is moderated by gender, such that female consumers (as compared to males) are more invested in consuming fashion apparel brands as a means to enhance their social appearances. Originality/value The value of this study lies in extending self-presentation theory to understand the role of consumer narcissism in shaping Indian consumers’ fashion apparel consumption. The authors investigate the narcissistic consumption orientation that evolves as a result of consumers’ desire for social self-expression, irrespective of possessing narcissism as an enduring personality trait. Thus, the findings are relevant for possibly all consumers who, given certain conditions, may temporarily develop narcissistic brand love.

THE ROLE OF ONLINE CONSUMER REVIEW, SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISEMENT AND INFLUENCER ENDORSEMENT ON PURCHASE INTENTION OF FASHION APPAREL DURING COVID-19

Recent marketing research focuses on social media marketing as an essential tool for companies to fully utilise particularly with the increase of online and home-based consumption during pandemic. In particular, the authors hypothesize that online consumer review, social media advertisement and influencers endorsement may affect online purchase intention. The investigation of the hypotheses utilizes a sample of 163 customers who shop for fashion apparel via online platforms during the pandemic. In order to assess the relationships between these variables, the current research used quantitative methods through an online self-administered questionnaire, in which the scale items were derived from existing literature. These results suggest that ‘Online Consumer Review’, ‘Social Media Advertisement’, and ‘Influencer Endorsement’ have a positive and significant correlation with online purchase intention of fashion apparel during pandemic (r = .25; r = .35; r = .48, respectively). The researcher deliberates the implications for marketing research and practice which include addressing the literature gap in understanding online purchase intention of fashion apparel during the pandemic and highlighting the importance of social media marketing for companies to survive in the 21st century of online-based consumption and consumer-oriented social media.

Social and environmental concerns within ethical fashion: general consumer cognitions, attitudes and behaviours

PurposeAlthough interest in sustainability within the fashion apparel industry has increased over the last decade, ethical fashion remains a minority trend due to low consumer awareness and consumption behaviour. The aim of the paper is to explore empirically the relationships between general consumer support for ethical fashion, buying intention and willingness to pay, focussing on the effect that consumer concern and knowledge and beliefs have on these variables.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 450 general consumers in Spain, who are not specifically dedicated buyers of fashion apparel goods. Responses were collected with a structured questionnaire that included multi-item scales to measure all the variables of the causal model. After corroborating the reliability and validity of the measurement scales with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), 11 research hypotheses were explored using a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that whilst beliefs are not predictors of consumer support for either social or environmental issues, concern and knowledge are antecedents of consumer social and environmental support, which determine general support for ethical fashion, intention to buy and willingness to pay. Consumer social support has a slightly higher impact on consumer support for ethical fashion, intention to buy and willingness to pay than environmental support.Originality/valueThe purpose of the paper is to contribute to the literature by empirically comparing general consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviours towards the social and environmental dimensions of ethical fashion. In doing so, the authors aim at shedding light on the complex concept of ethical fashion and how general consumers understand it. The findings suggest that promoting educational marketing especially focussed on environmental issues is necessary to raise consumer awareness, knowledge and ethical consumption.

A Presence of Ariā - Within the Indigenous corporate body

<p>“Without consciously looking at them, we breath in our surroundings with all our senses.” - Christopher Day Te Aō Māori revolves around a holistic world view and similarly, this paper too begins there. There is this opportunity here to understand that there is more to a space than just architectural form, especially an interior. These spaces encapsulate an atmosphere that is created by people, expressed through art; both visual and haptic. Theoretical views that share this perspective all seem to converge at a point that describes these spaces through a more embodied outlook. A stronger appreciation is placed on the abilities of our suppressed bodily senses and the strength of presence in creating a spatial identity that places itself among our bodies memory. Interior capacities that are full of atmosphere are like creative expressive mediums of simple translation between mind and body. Māori people convey this innate ability to shape space in a way that touches the skin with a presence and engraves a footprint memory in the mind. Embodiment is something recognized in Māoridom through this understanding of Te Aō Māori however it is missing from the interior spaces which Māori organizations are currently inhabiting in the corporate realm. This culture proudly structures itself around holistic values within a unique world of symbolism (Marsden, 1992, p12) and while being intricately informed by a cultural lense, this perspective isn’t conveyed within western dominated corporate building facilities (see appendix 01). Māori organizations are now finding themselves climbing higher within an economic domain that is prevalent to Western corporations (Berl). This is creating a scenario where cultural symbolism and values, all that contributes to this cultural identity seems compromised. (Marsden, 2003, p24-25) One of the higher three indigenous entrepreneurial persons in the world, (Himona) Māori people are quietly succeeding with credit to culturally embedded values. Within this context there is a varying degree of material that ranges from design and research approached through purposeful intentions, to understanding the body and space in this scenario through a cultural lense, and implementing this into a western corporate structure. This context is complex and so the path of this research paper too should respond in such a way, before a finalized outcome can be sought and produced. Miromoda, the Indigenous Māori Fashion Apparel Board (IMFAB) is one example, of a non-profit organization that strives to raise the standards and awareness for those in the Māori Fashion industry. Without a permanent physical site, as Miromoda crew co-ordinate during their spare time, the identity of this Māori organization becomes prevalent only at events and gatherings. Challenging and questioning how the presence of their entities essence can be portrayed in such a situation and temporary context. It is inadequate to continue efforts of Western corporate framework application into an indigenous domain that deserves more distinction. There is disconnection within this economic society that differs to that of Māori culture (Marsden, 2003, p125-126). Their value of capitalizing overrides any spiritual and cultural considerations because profit is end game. To understand what is being compromised, leads to comprehension that cultural identity shouldn’t be morphed for acceptance. There is a difference between applying superficial visual touches to a space to tick the correct boxes of acknowledgement than designing with more purposeful intent.</p>

A Presence of Ariā - Within the Indigenous corporate body

<p>“Without consciously looking at them, we breath in our surroundings with all our senses.” - Christopher Day Te Aō Māori revolves around a holistic world view and similarly, this paper too begins there. There is this opportunity here to understand that there is more to a space than just architectural form, especially an interior. These spaces encapsulate an atmosphere that is created by people, expressed through art; both visual and haptic. Theoretical views that share this perspective all seem to converge at a point that describes these spaces through a more embodied outlook. A stronger appreciation is placed on the abilities of our suppressed bodily senses and the strength of presence in creating a spatial identity that places itself among our bodies memory. Interior capacities that are full of atmosphere are like creative expressive mediums of simple translation between mind and body. Māori people convey this innate ability to shape space in a way that touches the skin with a presence and engraves a footprint memory in the mind. Embodiment is something recognized in Māoridom through this understanding of Te Aō Māori however it is missing from the interior spaces which Māori organizations are currently inhabiting in the corporate realm. This culture proudly structures itself around holistic values within a unique world of symbolism (Marsden, 1992, p12) and while being intricately informed by a cultural lense, this perspective isn’t conveyed within western dominated corporate building facilities (see appendix 01). Māori organizations are now finding themselves climbing higher within an economic domain that is prevalent to Western corporations (Berl). This is creating a scenario where cultural symbolism and values, all that contributes to this cultural identity seems compromised. (Marsden, 2003, p24-25) One of the higher three indigenous entrepreneurial persons in the world, (Himona) Māori people are quietly succeeding with credit to culturally embedded values. Within this context there is a varying degree of material that ranges from design and research approached through purposeful intentions, to understanding the body and space in this scenario through a cultural lense, and implementing this into a western corporate structure. This context is complex and so the path of this research paper too should respond in such a way, before a finalized outcome can be sought and produced. Miromoda, the Indigenous Māori Fashion Apparel Board (IMFAB) is one example, of a non-profit organization that strives to raise the standards and awareness for those in the Māori Fashion industry. Without a permanent physical site, as Miromoda crew co-ordinate during their spare time, the identity of this Māori organization becomes prevalent only at events and gatherings. Challenging and questioning how the presence of their entities essence can be portrayed in such a situation and temporary context. It is inadequate to continue efforts of Western corporate framework application into an indigenous domain that deserves more distinction. There is disconnection within this economic society that differs to that of Māori culture (Marsden, 2003, p125-126). Their value of capitalizing overrides any spiritual and cultural considerations because profit is end game. To understand what is being compromised, leads to comprehension that cultural identity shouldn’t be morphed for acceptance. There is a difference between applying superficial visual touches to a space to tick the correct boxes of acknowledgement than designing with more purposeful intent.</p>

Exploration of dissonance segments among fashion apparel consumers: Evidence from a developing nation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the existence and profile consumer segments based on dissonance in Indian apparel fashion retail market.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on cognitive dissonance theory (CDT) and analyses data using cluster and discriminant analysis on a sample (n = 354) from India.FindingsThe findings revealed three dissonance segments among consumers based on the intensity of dissonance experienced. This study also validated the clusters and profiled each segment. In doing so, the three clusters exhibited unique differences with respect to purchase and socio-demographic characteristics. Moreover, high dissonance segments were found to inversely impact customer’s satisfaction, loyalty and overall perceived value and positively impact tendency to switch.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the existence of cognitive dissonance (CD) patterns among consumers is critical for fashion apparel retailers. This paper offers unique insights into the specialties of each dissonance segment that assists the marketers to frame appropriate strategies to target them.Originality/valueThis paper advances knowledge on consumer behavior by highlighting the significance of CD.

Towards a Comprehensive Model of SCM Adoption and Practice in the Fast Fashion Apparel Industry

Along with the phenomenal growth in fast fashion, the industry is beset with many challenges. Topping the list are design, production, and supply of the fast fashion apparel (FFA). Adoption and effective use of supply chain management (SCM) practices in the FFA industry have become indispensable to achieve this. However, there is a gap in the fast fashion literature on the appropriate modeling of adoption and practice of SCM. In addressing this research gap, this study builds a comprehensive model of SCM adoption and practice by extracting relevant factors and variables from FFA manufacturing firms via qualitative field study. This study is one of the first to analyze SCM adoption from the diffusion of innovation theory perspective in the fashion industry. While existing literature does not clearly differentiate between SCM adoption and practice, this research underpins that the diffusion of SCM practices within FFA firms must go through stages of adoption and practice for successful wide-scale implementation.

E-business Through Social Media: An Instagram Page Attribute-Conversion Model in Context of Fashion Apparel Industry

Instagram is a highly favoured platform for visual businesses, particularly fashion apparel industry. There are increasing number of fashion apparel businesses that are growing without any physical presence, solely on the basis of their online platforms. To explore the role of Instagram in consumer engagement for this sector, this article aims to empirically test an Instagram business page attribute-conversion model to examine how attributes of a business Instagram page can influence the purchase decision of a consumer, and subsequently result in conversion. First, based on focus group interviews, four Instagram page attributes relevant for an online fashion apparel business were identified. These were instant popularity gauge, influencer appeal, visual aesthetic and an interactive forum. The final model was tested among 327 consumers using structural equation modelling (SEM). Further, moderating role of gender was investigated. Results show that having a visually aesthetic and an interactive forum with active participation (followers/comments/likes/views) and collaboration with trusted brands/admired social media influencers should form an important component of Instagram sales conversion strategy for online retail businesses.

Analysis of Impulse Buying Behaviour of Consumer During COVID-19: An Empirical Study

This article attempts to analyse the changes occurred in the behaviour of the customer for online buying of fashion products. The prime objective of this study is to bridge the gap by contributing to the literature about the impact of pandemic on consumer buying tendencies for fashion industry. This study proposes a model for impulse buying of fashion apparel based on consumers’ shopping behaviour during COVID-19 pandemic. The conceptual model was developed using stimulus organism response (S-O-R) theory using fashion involvement (FI), hedonic shopping value (HSV) and sales promotion (SP) as independent variables, positive emotions (PE) as a mediating variable and impulse buying (IB) as a dependent variable. The data was collected from 569 respondents from central Indian region, the collected data was analysed using PLS-SEM 3 software. The importance performance map analysis (IPMA) was used to understand the accurate performance of variables. The result shows the significant and positive impact of HSV and PE on IB, unlike FI and SP which were not showing significant impact. Moreover, PE is a significant mediator in the relationship of the constructs. This study contributes by providing original insights into the IB literature. The analyses of IPMA will help the fashion industry to rebound after COVID-19.

Linkages between market orientation and brand performance with positioning strategies of significant fashion apparels in Pakistan

The study explores the importance of market orientation strategy to enhance brand performance and the mediating role of positioning strategies. The researcher used questionnaires to collect data from the managers of middle and high fashion apparel manufacturing firms based on the quantitative research approach. The data was collected from 220 managers who were directly involved in the decision-making process. The analysis has revealed a significant impact of market orientation strategy on Pakistan’s fashion brands' performance, with the mediating effect of positioning strategies. The management of firms must give considerable importance to market orientation strategies to enhance overall brand performance. The market orientation strategies’ development is also helpful in building different positioning strategies through which performance gets enhanced. This study contributes valuable literature because it focuses on the fashion apparel industry's context, which is almost most important for everyone in the present era. Firms can focus on tight product quality control, innovative manufacturing processes, trained and experienced personnel, and extensive customer service.