Fashion consumption during economic crisis: Emerging practices and feelings of consumers

Abstract

Economic crisis has a significant impact on consumption practices and the way consumers justify their consumption patterns. Particularly in the field of fashion, consumers face a conflict between desire to consume due to rapidly changing fashion trends and coping with the decrease in purchasing power due to the economic crisis. Semi-structured interviews were carried out to gain a deeper understanding of how the economic crisis affects consumers’ fashion consumption behavior and the alternative consumption practices that emerge. The research further sheds light on the underlying feelings involved due to changes in consumption patterns. Some of the themes that emerge—reuse, reduce, and reject—are in line with earlier findings on anti-consumption but this time the motives of the consumers are non-voluntary. The findings also contribute to anti-consumption literature by introducing three new themes: refind alternative channels, reconsider, and rely on discounts. The study further shows that there are both positive and negative feelings associated with changes in consumption behavior due to economic crisis. Along with understanding the adaptations in consumption behavior, anticipating these conflicting emotions resulting from crisis related anti-consumption is important for marketers and retailers who are concerned about developing appropriate responsive strategies.