Social fashion identity: definition, scale development and empirical validation

Purpose This study contributes to the conceptualization and measurement of how consumers use fashion to express multiple social identities. It aims to conceptualize social fashion identity, develop and validate its measurement scale and establish its dimensionality, reliability, convergent, discriminant and nomological validity. Design/methodology/approach Across two studies, social fashion identity is conceptualized, and a scale was developed and validated in a step-by-step process following Churchill (1979) and DeVellis (1991) procedures. Study 1 focused on construct conceptualization, item generation and scale validation, whereas Study 2 examined the nomological validity. Findings This paper validated the social fashion identity scale as a reliable two-dimensional construct consisting of fashion identity expression and fashion-based group belongingness. Social fashion identity was distinct from fashion consciousness and product involvement, positively associated with fashion consciousness, and positively related to consumers' willingness to pay more for fashion items. Practical implications The social fashion identity scale offers fashion companies a tool to segment their clients, enabling more personalized customer experiences within the fashion market. Furthermore, the findings can contribute to the effectiveness of fashion brands' product development, marketing and pricing strategies by providing a deeper understanding of social influences on consumer behavior. Originality/value This research introduces the novel construct and its measurement. Social fashion identity explains the capacity to select, coordinate and adapt clothing and accessories to express personal identity while signaling affiliation with social groups, thereby reflecting the dynamic interplay between individual self-expression and social circumstances.