Perception of appearance and use of appearance products among Chinese women

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine and assess generational differences in Chinese women's perception of appearance and appearance products that can be explained by the political, economic, and social policies of China over the past 40 years.Design/methodology/approachThis is an exploratory research using focus groups and a survey. Three age cohorts of Chinese women, those who came of age during the Cultural Revolution, those who came of age during the early and mid years of China's economic reforms, and those born after the implementation of China's one‐child policy and the market economy, are assessed as to their perception of appearance and use of appearance‐related products. Six cohort differences that could be attributable to these socio‐economic‐political events are found.FindingsSignificant differences between the age cohorts are found on four of six appearance‐related factors – sources of fashion information, happiness in purchasing new apparel, confidence in appearance, and preference for purchasing luxury goods.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the study identifies cultural and generational constructs of Chinese women's perception of appearance and use of appearance products, due to its exploratory nature the findings are not generalizable to the larger Chinese community. In addition, to provide a more complete understanding of the generational differences, future research needs to take into account additional demographic information such as education and income.Originality/valueNo previous study has attempted to determine the impact of China's economic, social, and political policies on generational cohorts of Chinese women as to their perception of appearance and use of appearance products. Fashion marketers will benefit, as understanding these powerful determinants of purchasing behaviour are paramount to successfully planning, developing and marketing of apparel products.