Evaluative criteria for sleepwear: A study of privately consumed product in the People’s Republic of China

The purpose of this study is to explore and investigate Chinese male consumers’ perceptions and behaviours towards low involvement and privately consumed product – pyjamas. According to our literature review, little research has been devoted to this particular topic. In this study, multiple product cues were used to measure and uncover what constitute consumers’ evaluation and purchase decisions. The questionnaire survey for this study was conducted in a second-tier city by using the convenience sampling method. In total, 256 useable questionnaires were collected and analysed. This study shows evidence that a majority of the Chinese male respondents did not wear pyjamas for sleeping. The intrinsic cues of sleepwear were ranked relatively higher than extrinsic cues, and the comfort cue was the most important criterion for product evaluation. Further research on this topic focusing on different products, samples and cities are recommended. The findings of this study provide insight and implications for fashion practitioners to develop their product and business in China.</p

A study of the pyjamas purchasing behaviour of Chinese consumers in Hangzhou, China

This study aims to explore and understand consumers’ perceptions and behaviour towards pyjamas in the People’s Republic of China (China). This study is one of the few consumer research studies on a low-involvement and privately consumed apparel product – pyjamas. The findings of this study provide insight and implications for fashion practitioners to develop their product and business in China. A quantitative analysis and comparative methods were used for this study. From a large body of literature, seven product attributes were identified and used to measure and evaluate what constitutes consumers’ purchasing decision for pyjamas. A total of 203 usable surveys were compiled, analyzed and collated. This study shows evidence that consumers are more conscious of the functional values of a low-involvement product than the symbolic values. The results of this survey indicate that comfort, fabric and quality are significant attributes, whereas country-of-origin and brand are relatively insignificant determinants for purchasing a pair of pyjamas. Limitations of this study include the use of a convenience sample of female college students and confinement to a specific product – pyjamas. The results of this study are useful for fashion designers and marketers to understand Chinese consumers’ perceptions of pyjamas.</p

Using data mining to analyze fashion consumers’ preferences from a cross-national perspective

The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to cluster the respondents into three consumer groups – fashion innovator, fashion follower and laggard and (2) to extract association rules from the data set in order to understand consumers’ preferences. A data-mining method was employed to analyse considerable amount of data collected from four cities as well as to understand the complexity of the diffusion process of multiple apparel products. According to the results of the present study, style was not an important factor for the fashion leaders to purchase socks in Toronto, Hangzhou and Johor Bahru. In terms of t-shirts and evening dresses/suits, 53% and 51% of fashion laggards in China had shown their strong preferences for fit and comfort, respectively. Additionally, 60% of the fashion leaders in Canada had shown a strong preference for fit and style of t-shirts. Although this study is exploratory in nature, we believe that data mining has great potential for investigating fashion diffusion of innovativeness, and more replication of this type of research will be worthwhile and meaningful.</p

Cosplay: Imaginative self and performing identity

This study examines the emerging cosplay subculture in Hong Kong. A quasi-ethnographic approach including participation, observation, photography, and in-depth interviews was employed to understand the underlying motives and experiences of those engaged in cosplay activities. Authenticity, affective attachment, the extended self, and the negotiation of boundaries are also discussed in this article. From this study, it is evident that cosplay can give participants pleasurable experiences, meaningful memories, self-gratification, and personal fulfillment. Through this participatory activity, cosplayers can momentarily escape from reality and enter into their imaginative world. It is a form of role/identity-transformation from an “ordinary person” to a “super hero,” from a “game player” to a “performer,” and from “adulthood” to “childhood.”</p

Lolita: Imaginative self and elusive consumption

Although the term “Lolita” originates from Vladimir Nabakov’s novel Lolita (1955), the current Lolita subculture has no direct reference to this novel or with any sexual connotation. It is more about personal expression and manifestation. It is a form of escapism—a way of taking flight from adolescence or adulthood and returning to childhood. By wearing a childlike Lolita style in a fantasy setting, the wearer may enter into an imaginary world and momentarily remove her/himself from everyday reality. Lolita subculturists “wear more than one hat in life” and their lives are filled with performance, imagination, illusions, and even confusion. In order to understand this fluid, contingent, and contradictory identity, a research project was initiated to investigate the significance of this subculture in Hong Kong, with an emphasis on Lolita behaviors and attitudes in particular. In-depth interviews, virtual ethnography and daily observations were employed to uncover the underlying motives of those engaged in the Lolita subculture. According to this study, it is evident that today’s young consumers are constantly searching for and constructing a personal and social identity through symbolic consumption. A Lolita style enables young people to achieve an image for which they would not be accepted in everyday life. In short, Lolita consumption is a great source of pleasure, exhilaration, and delight for many Lolita subculturists in Hong Kong.</p