The Ethics of Consumer Involvement with Fashion: A Freedom under Social Pressure

Abstract

The aim of this work was not only to estimate a model based on the variables of motivation and emotion that underlie the process of interest in new trends, but also to explore the moderating role of socio-demographic characteristics. An empirical work was conducted based on structural equation modeling with a sample of 341 individuals, using path modeling with a multigroup analysis. It was demonstrated that involvement with new fashion is not only a personal more than social need, but also that it is addressed more from an emotional than a cognitive perspective. Moreover, it was demonstrated that involvement with new fashion shows a negative emotional valence when social need is working on the consumer adoption model. In addition, it was shown that there are different ways in which consumers become interested in fashion according to their socio-demographic characteristics. This research lead to recommendations that may serve to improve fashion houses' plans, by considering the consumer from an ethical perspective. This is a heterodox paper that contradicts the dominant paradigm of the diffusion of fashion since it does not recognize and accept the predominant role of personal influence on social influence but also the antecedent role of emotion on cognition to develop the involvement with new trends.