As the consumption trend have changed recently, the consumer values on famous fashion brands have changed accordingly. Especially, the recent consumption trends are closely tied to product designs, and it is important to understand consumer values on ...
As the consumption trend have changed recently, the consumer values on famous fashion brands have changed accordingly. Especially, the recent consumption trends are closely tied to product designs, and it is important to understand consumer values on designs of famous fashion brands in grasping consumer attitudes. This study intended to examine the changing consumer values using literature reviews and empirical analysis on the images and product designs of famous fashion brands based on Holbrook's typology of consumer values.
The literature review showed that the modern consumption trends reflected emotional aspects and the product designs aimed mainly to satisfy consumer's psychological needs along with the increased quality of life. This tendency is shown in the product designs combined with various emotional concepts. Based on this review, the consumer perception and values on famous fashion brands were examined empirically.
The results are as follows. First, the 2/3 of the respondents are quite interested in famous fashion brands, and the 3/4 has the experience of purchasing those products. Also the 2/3 of those had purchasing experience has the intention of buying famous fashion brand products. This reveals that the customers have very favorable attitude toward famous fashion brands. In the past, the expensive famous fashion brand products were a kind of status symbols. However, the consumers put more emphasis on the product quality and aesthetic aspects of the products in these days.
Second, the respondents possess the products from Polo Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, and the half of the respondents have purchased famous fashion brands about once a year, while the half of the respondents have monthly income less than 400 thousand won. With respect to the shopping place of these products, those with previous purchasing experience prefer duty-free stores and department stores, while those without previous experience prefer department stores to duty-free stores. As for the reasons for purchasing famous fashion products, those with previous purchasing experience values the refined designs of those products most, and the superiority of product quality, which showed that they have self-oriented values toward product designs of famous fashion brands. Those without previous experience put more emphasis on the product quality, the values of products compared to their prices, the change of fashion trends, and the refined designs.
Third, the consumers chose the high-class nature and refined design as the image of famous fashion brands. As for the design characteristics of famous fashion brands, the consumer values their scarcity most, and aesthetic aspects, efficiency. However, they showed no significant difference in terms of the materials, color and shape of those products. The consumers preferred black and brown color most, and white and red as the representative color of famous fashion brands. With respect to materials, they preferred leather for bag, purse and shoes, silk, cotton, and wool for clothing.
Fourth, 5 common factors were extracted from the 38 questions asking consumer values. These factors were named as efficiency, aesthetics, fun, status, esteem. Among these the consumers valued efficiency and aesthetics as most important.
Fifth, those with previous purchasing experience showed high levels on these 5 values compared to those without previous experiences. Unlike those days when famous fashion brands were treated as status symbol, the recent trend is that these products are the means of expressing self-identity among the consumers.
In summary, the consumption trends has changed as the social environments have changed, and the famous fashion brands have become more popular, and the consumer's attitude toward them have become more favorable. This study showed that the consumers value the self-oriented aspects of product designs which can express self-identity and satisfy emotional needs, rather than the means of status symbols of the famous fashion brands.