Factors influencing Generation Y male students’ fashion leadership: A marketing case

Abstract

Fashion leaders significantly contribute to an economy’s clothing segment, given their unique role in influencing fashion followers to purchase fashion clothing. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors that influence the sizeable and lucrative Generation Y male student cohort’s fashion leadership. The study conveniently sampled 400 Generation Y male students between 18 and 24 years old enrolled at two public South African higher education institutions. The study used a descriptive research design. A standardized self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data analysis included computing the descriptive statistics, the internal consistency reliability, the nomological validity, collinearity diagnostics, and multiple linear regression. The study results suggest that although product knowledge, fashion consciousness, mood enhancement, and brand switching behavior have a statistically significant favorable influence on Generation Y male students’ fashion leadership tendencies, decision-making confidence was not a statistically significant predictor. The study offers valuable insights that could assist marketing practitioners and fashion retail stores in understanding and better influencing the Generation Y male cohort’s fashion leadership. This, in turn, will aid them in rethinking and adapting their marketing endeavors to appeal to this market segment.