Interpretation of Fashion Change through the Thoughts of Hong Kong Young Consumers

Fashion changes frequently, on monthly, seasonal to yearly basis. In different periods of time, people tried to use different theories to explain the concept of fashion change. Traditional views including trickle down theory, collective selection theory, mass market theory and subculture leadership theory. From the viewpoint of contemporary thoughts, symbolic interactionist theory of fashion and the power of the fashion industry were discussed and used to examine fashion images prevailing in Hong Kong. Hong Kong young consumers were selected as study samples. Focus group interviews and questionnaire survey were used as qualitative and quantitative method. Results shows that to accept fashion change, status (working or studying) had influence in interpreting fashion images. In addition, male and female students had different opinion on selected statements of the symbolic interactionist theory of fashion but no difference was found between working subjects. Marketing implications are discussed with refere