Fashion Innovativeness and Materialism

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-22-2013

Abstract

The purpose of the study described here was to investigate the relationship between materialism and fashion innovativeness in two consumer societies, the US and South Korea. The data came from surveys of 259 US student consumers and 225 South Korean student consumers. Correlation and regression analysis tested the hypotheses. Materialism was positively associated in both samples of consumers with fashion innovativeness at the total scale level and with most of the subdimensions of both scales, but only the centrality, happiness and attractiveness subscales were positively related to fashion innovativeness in the regression analysis, suggesting that these are the dominant motivators. Although the findings are limited to the countries and measures used, they imply that fashion innovativeness is positively associated with at least some aspects of materialism. We can surmise that some consumers satisfy aspects of their materialistic needs by purchasing fashionable clothing. Marketers of new fashion can enhance the appeal of their products by stressing materialistic themes, such as centrality, happiness and attractiveness, in their promotions. Cross-cultural marketing efforts may be similar in this regard. The study is original in that there are very few studies of materialism, a powerful influence on a variety of consumer behaviors and fashion innovativeness. None compare countries; none use the newer Kasser Aspiration Index to measure materialism; and few examine subscale relationships.

Publication Title

Journal of Global Fashion Marketing

Volume

4

Issue

4

First Page

266

Last Page

283

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