A Study of Demand in Association with Luxury Apparels

• Main Authors: CHEN, I-CHUN, 陳怡君
• Other Authors: Chiou, Shang-Chia
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/cj879m

博士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 設計學研究所 === 106 === Luxury apparels are not only hidden symbols for individuals to show their tastes among groups, but also an important embodiment that reflects specific groups’ lifestyle. China is currently an important country in the global market for luxury goods. When social and economic development reaches a certain stage, luxury apparel design becomes more complex and changeable. Though there are inseparable relationships among fashion trends, social changes, and consumer demands, due to the ambiguous definition of luxury, boutique brands are regarded as a synonym for luxury. The literature currently lacks any comprehensive and timely research for the impacts of complex and ever-changing social events in China on the apparel industry. Moreover, major consumer groups' high expectations of and demand for apparel design make it difficult for designers to master luxury apparel design. Thus, this study’s purpose is to explore the younger generation's needs for luxury apparel design and to establish differences in customers' design needs across age groups by conducting investigations from three major directions. First, historical research methods and case analysis methods are used to collect and verify data and to re-interpret the concept of luxury. Further employing information on social events in China from 1978 to 2017 as the data collection goal, historical research methods and text analysis are then adopted to establish a Chinese social event database on luxury apparel influences. Social facts are applied as the basis for expert interviews and questionnaire design. Taking female consumers born in 1980-1999 in Shanghai, China as the samples, the study conducts expert interviews and questionnaire surveys to present the differences in customers' preferences for the design of luxury apparel. Finally, this paper discusses in greater detail the younger generation's demand for luxury apparel design. In addition to seeking the new definition of luxury, this study establishes a Chinese social events database on luxury apparel influences covering 1978-2017. The study results show that the younger generation demands a metaphysical aesthetic performance in association with luxury apparel design. High-level demand elements such as self-esteem, aesthetic feeling, perception, and self-actualization in Maslow's hierarchy of needs encompass the basic design requirements of the younger generation for luxury apparel. The design elements of "style, cloth and delicacy" of clothing were popular with consumers in the 1980s and 1990. Customers in the 1990s attached more importance to creation and fashion in any one season, while consumers born in the 1980s care more about color and practicability. Producers of luxury apparel should thus be more concrete about their brand value and design and target more diversified, rational, and complex young consumers with exclusive and quality designs. This study offers designers an understanding about the design requirements by young people for luxury apparel and highlights the significance of establishing a Fashion Social Events Information Story Database. Social events affecting costume fashion can henceforth be stored permanently and systematically in the database, which can then be used for future research. The data therein, equipped with rainbow hierarchy figures, contribute to designers' knowledge about the design preferences of different consumer age groups and assist in comprehensive and effective research on the design requirements for luxury apparel.