A study of Capetonian individuals who wear vintage fashion and how they are perceived according to their peers and industry experts

Abstract

Vintage fashion is a global trend. Little is known about the perceptions that exist of the individuals who choose to wear vintage, as well as about the personal brand identity that these individuals create for themselves by wearing vintage fashion. Based on previous studies it is put forward by the Association for Consumer Research that vintage purchases require expertise that is not necessarily required when selecting luxury purchases (Morgan Ward, 2015, p. 143). This research approaches the perceptions of students as well industry experts in Cape Town to examine their perceptions on the knowledge and expertise of fashion of individuals who choose to wear vintage. Data was collected using semi- structured interviews and questionnaires as it allows respondents to elaborate on their responses and provide more detail on their opinions. It was found from this research that individuals who wear vintage fashions are perceived as being stylish by their peers and industry experts. They appear to create a distinct personal brand identity through what they wear. These individuals are perceived as knowledgeable about fashion, however they are not necessarily perceived as having a higher expertise of fashion because all fashion choices are said to require the same level of expertise.