Examining the Dynamics of Fashion Trends, Self-Brand Congruence, and Consumer Engagement, with a Mediating Lens on Brand Trust in Customer-Brand Relationships

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This study examines the intricate relationship between fashion trends, self-brand congruence, brand trust, and the customer-brand relationship within the context of Pakistani consumers' interactions with clothing brands. Furthermore, the study objectives are to examine the mediating role of brand trust between observed variables. The objectives include the clarification of the collective influence of these aspects, filling a theoretical gap within the framework of Pakistan, and providing marketers with practical insights. The study used a quantitative research approach, using a convenience sampling technique to choose a sample of 300 participants. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is a statistical technique that is often used for the interpretation of data obtained from an online survey. The findings illustrate the interconnectedness of these dimensions by the observation of robust positive associations across fashion trends, self-brand congruency, brand trust, and customer engagement. Furthermore, the findings indicated that there is a significant mediating role of brand trust between Fashion Trends, Self-Brand Congruence, and Consumer Engagement, with a Mediating Lens on Brand Trust in Customer-Brand Relationships. This research has a distinctive quality since it specifically investigates these interactions within the Pakistani garment business, hence offering implications for consumer engagement initiatives and brand strategy. However, the use of cross-sectional data in this research imposes constraints on the capacity to establish causal relationships between the variables. This study is novel in the context of Pakistan as it is significant for customers, marketers, and policy makers for taking prudent decisions based on current research findings.