Personal Luxury Values Associated with Fashion Brand Consumption: An Exploratory Analysis of Demographic Variations in the United States

Abstract

Abstract Researchers have focused on the explanation that consumers buy luxury brands ‘to impress others’ (Tsai, 2005; O’Cass & Frost, 2002; Wiedmann, Hennigs, & Siebels, 2009). Marketers have designed branding strategies that reflect the idea that consumer purchasing is affected by an internal drive to create a favorable social image (Tsai, 2005). However, researchers exploring customer perceptions of and motives for purchasing luxury brands have suggested that socially-oriented motives are insufficient explanations for luxury brand consumption (Wiedmann et al., 2009). These researchers stress that personally-oriented motives have been overlooked in the marketing management of luxury brands. Additionally, empirical research focusing on personal motives is comparatively scarce (Tsai, 2005; Wiedmann et al., 2009). Our study attempted to address this research void by identifying personal luxury values U.S. consumers’ associated with their fashion brand consumption. Specific research questions examined were:...