• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.195-215
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• 2010

The emergence of the luxury market has led numerous academic researchers, as well as marketers in the luxury market, to pay attention to both identifying luxury brand features and measuring perceptions toward luxury brands. Especially, Korea is a significant emerging market for luxury goods. Young consumers and male consumers are getting into the luxury market fast and these new segments will keep increasing. There are only a few studies related to distinctive definitions of luxury brands and measurement development for the Korean market. However, there are some limitations in these previous studies in that they did not capture the nature of luxury due to their inappropriate of subjects and approach in data collection and to lack of a perspective of Korean specific features. Thus, the purpose of this research is to identify Korean consumers' perceptions toward luxury products and, ultimately, to develop a reliable and valid measurement items for the luxury products' features for the Korean market. Defining the three high constructs(functional, emotional, and symbolic aspects) as a key needs and benefits on luxury brands, we looked at four stages of development for generating and deducting items by luxury industry experts and luxury consumers, as well as for testing measures by 20th~60th consumers. As a result, this study confirmed that luxury brands consists of high quality, high price, unique design, and luxury store; the emotional aspect construct combines craftsmanship, VIP service, and high social status; and the symbolic construct includes brand heritage and being a well-known brand. Finally, 22 measurement items (Measures of Luxury Brand for Korea: LBK) were developed for the conceptual features for luxury brands from a Korean perspective. This study provided understanding of Korean consumers' perceptions toward luxury brands from an academic perspective. For the managerial implication of this study, LBK can be utilized to judge both luxury brands and mass brands, to diagnose current a brand's luxuriousness, from the customer's point-of-view, and, finally, to measure a Key Performance Index (KPI) of luxury brand companies.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2008

A cross-cultural study was carried out in Germany and in South Korea in order to investigate the relationship between brand personality and product personality facilitating the three dimensions of personality agreeableness, excitement, and extroversion. Two pairs of shoes were prepared across categories of product function symbolic (a pair of high-heeled shoes) versus utilitarian (a pair of sport shoes). In experiments, each pair of shoes was labeled as a luxury brand ("Versace") or a casual brand ("C&A", Germany; "Migliore", South Korea) or left unlabeled. Prior to the experiments, an expert group in each country evaluated the brand personality in terms of "cheerful" (agreeableness), "honest"(conscientiousness), and "provocative" (extroversion) and the results were considered as a baseline. In Experiment I and II, subjects were exposed to two pairs of shoes labeled in one of the three ways and assessed the personality of both pairs of shoes using the personality traits, cheerful, honest, and provocative. Identical versions of the experiment were conveyed in Germany (N=56), an individualist culture, and in South Korea (N=72), a collectivist culture, and we purposed to find cultural differences in evaluating product personalities influenced by brands. The empirical results do not show any significant influence of brand personality on product personality in either cultural group (p>.05). Nevertheless, the subjects estimated the retail price of the shoes to be significantly different depending on the brands in both cultural groups (p<.001).

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.55-68
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• 2011

The purpose of this research is to study the visual characteristics of domestic national men's wear brand logos. For this purpose, 80 of national men's wear brands were selected from '2010/2011 Korea fashion brand Annual' For analysis, they were classified into three categories: logo types composed only with logomark or symbol and logomark together. Types of symbol were classified into word symbol, descriptive symbol, and abstractive symbol. And the used typefaces were classified into serif and san serif and acromatic and cromatic The results are as follows: The visual characteristics of domestic national men's wear brand logos, there were more brands that used logomark with symbol together than logomark only. And the type of symbols were appeared descriptive symbol(32% ) that meaned the men's power, nobleness and royalty. In domestic national men's wear brands, color of logos were more frequently used acromatic color as black and grey than cromatic color. Among the cromatic colors were more appeared to a kind of blue and green. And the used typefaces were the more frequently used to serif typeface of capital. As a result, the visual characteristics of domestic national men's wear brand logo were that they used the brand logos composed of descriptive logomark with symbol together, black serif typeface the most. From this results, we could find that visual stragety of domestic national men's wear brand logos had the tendency to emphasize the function of conveying information, brand concept that men's wear. The specific and continuous following research in which psychological factor of consumer reflected was requested as a measure to seek brand logo that aid to establish brand power and reinforce brand image.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.16-29
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• 2016

The study aims to explore the impacts of types of consumer's self-construal, prices of brands, and types of discount-based sales promotion on consumers' purchase intention. For this study, a three-way mixed factor method was applied based on a formula, types of consumer's self-construal x prices of brands x types of discount-based sales promotion. The subjects were 218 females in their 20s to 30s living in seoul or Gyeonggi-do areas. For data analysis, three-way variate analysis, analysis of simple interactions and analysis of simple main impacts were conducted through use of the SPSS program. First, based on the impacts of types of consumer's self-construal, prices of brands, and types of discount-based sales promotions in the favor of consumers, there was a significant difference between higher and lower-priced brands. Second, comprehensive discounts rather than monopolistic discounts corresponded to higher favoring by consumers of interdependent self-construal. As for monopolistic discount, lower-priced products corresponded to higher favor than higher-priced ones. Third, there was a significant difference between consumers of independent self-construal and interdependent self-construal. Fourth, comprehensive discount, rather than monopolistic discount, corresponded to higher purchase intention regardless of prices of brands in the group of consumers with interdependent self-construal.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.91-101
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• 2004

This research classified fashion merchandisers into different categories depending on the type of companies they worked for and inquired into their line of work. In so doing, the authors attempted to outline the work for merchandise mix performed by each type of merchandiser and provide some raw data, which can be utilized to enhance their work efficiency. The evaluation tool used for this study was the questionnaire made on the basis of preceding studies, literature, and trade journals, which was then modified through one on one interviews with fashion merchandisers. The questionnaire contained 15 questions about merchandise mix. For data analysis, SPSS Package Program was used to conduct frequency analysis, ANOVA, and Tukey's test. The findings are as follows 1. National brand merchandisers spent most time on merchandise planning, then department store buyers, followed by imported brand merchandisers, and lastly buying office merchandisers. 2. In merchandise planning, National brand merchandisers did more work overall compared to other merchandisers. In production planning, buying office merchandisers spent more time than any others on searching for new suppliers and decision-making. 3. Production planning took up a greater portion of their work for National brand merchandisers and buying office merchandisers compared to department store buyers and imported brand merchandisers. 4. Imported brand merchandisers spent more time on purchase planning and actual purchase compared to any others.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.139-156
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate various information relating to research on the dimensions of clothing used in the sale of products via the internet that used to target global SPA((Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel) brands sold in Korea. A total of 12 SPA brands including seven global SPA brands and five national. SPA brands were surveyed in this study. Brands were chosen net sales and consumer preferences the last three years. In all SPA brands, literal size designation such as S, M, L and numeric size designation such as 0, 2, 4 or 32, 34, 36 etc. were mixed, but in case of Jean, the size codes mark waist circumference were dominant. European size codes were more common in case of European brands while literal codes were more dominantly used for American size codes with in the US brands. By reviewing the measurement information of the body and product size, the product measurement methods of UNIQLO, FOREVER 21 and TOPTEN were much more accountable and excellent than other brands. However, most of the others didn't offer proper information such as pictograms or figures about measurement methods relating body sizes and product sizes. In addition, most of global SPA brands offered size conversion chart which consumers could reference, however of none of the national SPA brands offered a conversion size chart on their website. Regardless of the type of clothing, the coverage of clothing size was higher than in global SPA brands such as H&M GAP compared to national SPA brands. In particular, 8seconds did not present apparel size ranges that fit consumers' individual clothes sizes.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.128-138
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to explore the characteristics and recent trends of Korean herbal medicine cosmetics brand logos and to shed light on the identities of herbal medicine cosmetics in Korea. Ultimately this study aims to seek ways to develop strategic global brands distinguished from other brands, and providing the basic data for such development. In order to investigate the characteristics of brand logos, the researcher of this study chose 11 Korean Herbal Medicine Cosmetics Brands marketed today and collected information related to the brands from their websites. The visual characteristics of the logos currently used by Korean herbal medicine cosmetics can be summarized as follows. Most brand logos include marks consisting of Chinese letters written in calligraphy styles to represent the brand information of'Korean herbal medicine.' As for colors, most brands use mostly black and gold to present luxurious images, or convey strong impressions through stark contrast between black, red and white, hoping to distinguish themselves from other cosmetic products. An analysis of the linguistic characteristics of herbal medicine cosmetics in South Korea revealed that most brands use associative and freestanding brand names which suggest that the user's appearance will improve by using the products they represent. Using such names that convey oriental purity and mysterious meanings, trying to capture the deepest beauty with the best quality, the brands construct brand images that are luxurious and high-class. Most of the brands currently used by Korean herbal medicine cosmetics employ components that emphasize the functional aspect of Korean herbal medicine cosmetics. To secure the status of world-class brands, however, it is imperative to conduct research on brand logos capable of establishing identities distinguished from others.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.69-84
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze examples of online fashion product planning of domestic fashion brands, to grasp the characteristics and step-by-step problems in product planning, and to suggest product planning methods. This study consists of a literature study and a case study. The results of th study are as follows. First, in the information analysis and product planning, product planning according to analysis and targeting of online consumers should be conducted separately from offline, and the proportion of online-only products should be expanded. Second, in the design planning and product development stages, it should be possible to secure the quantity through the pre-planning of fabrics, a to acquire the novelty of the material through the preemption of good fabrics and the pre-planning of colors to secure competitive design. Third, in the convention, a systematic review process involving company members and customer review teams should be conducted to ensure product quality and sales-ability Fourth, in the production stage, the production period must be to reduce cost. Fifth, differentiated services according to the characteristics of their products for each brand in the promotion and sales stages. Based on this analysis, a desirable approach online product planning should first run promotion phase, increasing pre-planning for the product, and organizing specialize work and manpower issues.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.67-76
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• 2008

The study surveyed preference and Actual Condition of wedding fashion masterpiece brand by consumer's lifestyle group. First, it was found that the brand preference by wedding fashion masterpiece consumer was Bulgari in precious metal, Burberry in scarf, Louisvuitton in bag and Chanel in cosmetics. Second, as a study result of purchase status, wedding fashion masterpiece brand consumers, who enjoy shopping about 1 time a month, usually purchased the masterpiece in masterpiece hall of department store. Their total purchase amount for wedding was less than 5 million in most cases. Third, regarding purchase-experience brand by consumer's lifestyle group, in clothes, there was significant difference between 4 groups such as shopping unconcerned type, reasonable economic type, self-focused brand-oriented type and social achievement type. In bag, slight difference appeared in 4 groups. Fourth, as a study result of the brand preference by consumer's lifestyle group, there was somewhat significant difference between precious metal, clothes, scarf, bag and cosmetic variables. Fifth, as a study result of the difference of information source use by consumer's lifestyle group, it was found that social achievement type used most various sources such as commerce, store and personnel information. Sixth, as a study result of shopping trend by consumer's lifestyle group, social achievement group searched for pleasure, unique personality and ostentation. Shopping unconcerned type searched for necessary shopping with comfortable style without sparing time in shopping.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.110-127
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to analyze the brand preference, the clothing pursuit benefits, and the purchasing behavior of Chinese women. A survey questionnaire was distributed to Chinese women in their 20s and 30s. The surveys period was from 9th January 9th to $21^{st}$ February 2016. The respondents were 343 Chinese women living in Henan. The collected data was analyzed by frequency analysis, factor analysis, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Duncan's multiple range of verification. The key results of this study are herein summarized. The brands examined, listed in order of preference, are Ochirly, Only, Zara, Uniqlo, La Chapelle, H&M, Peace bird, Vero Moda, JNBY, and The Basic House. The five most preferred brands were then selected and further analyzed. For purchasing, the design and price were considered to be important, while for product evaluation, importance was given to the style, price, quality, and color. Factors important in the clothing pursuit benefits were found to be price pursuit, trend pursuit, brand pursuit, individual pursuit, comfort pursuit, and quality pursuit. Also, clothing pursuit benefits depends on the average monthly income, monthly clothing purchasing cost, and the education level of the individual. Lastly, we observed that the sources and store selection made noticeable difference in clothing pursuit benefits.