How do consumers engage with fashion, as a routine aspect of everyday Research Paper

How do consumers engage with fashion, as a routine aspect of everyday life - Research Paper Example oduction and display of new and emerging fashion styles, innovative and engaging consumers and their selections, and the urge to express the spirit of the times (Pink, 2001). Core in defining fashion is the interaction of fashion products, their distribution and the manner in which they are consumed. Several theories have been postulated to explain fashion, its momentum and influences on everyday life. Most of these theories envisage the expanse and distribution of fashion as a movement or trickle from one level or aspect of life in society to another (Felski, 2000). This trickle is viewed as being diffused from the center to the edge in either a hierarchical or horizontal manner. These perceptions of fashion trickle led to the three theories of fashion; the trickle-down, trickle-across, or trickle-up theories. In the trickle down theory, fashion movement is based on a hierarchical society, which supports the upward movement of fashion among social strata (Felski, 2000). According to this theory, people at the top of the societal strata are offered and accept a fashion styles and brands first. The style is then gradually accepted by those in lower strata. In other terms, this theory envisages a situation in which lower strata people seek to copy the affluence of upper strata people in society. Such consumers seek recognition and try to distance themselves from the lower cadre groups, where they actually belong. Those supporting the trickle-across theory feel that fashion runs horizontally among groups on the same social level. There is this little, if any lag time between the time of adoption by one group and another. In this theory, designers have prices for all the social levels. The reasons for which this theory is preferred include promotional or advertising benefits to designers, manufacturers and retailers, rapid mass communications benefits and exposure of design to all fashion levels and sectors (Pink, 2001). In the trickle up theory, the newest of the