A study probing the psychological effects of fashion consumption reveals a “positive relationship between happiness and those who consume slow fashion” with no significant well-being indicators on purchase of high-end or luxury brands.
- The study conducted in China by psychologists Lis Ku, designer Emily Baines and An Liu at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU), asked consumers about the kinds of fashion bought, what they looked for in clothing as well as measures of wellbeing such as engagement, meaning and achievement.
The Findings: Interviews of more than 700 consumers found:
- positive correlations between people’s wellbeing and slow fashion;
- data does show the positive relationship between happiness and those who consume slow fashion;
- fashion items that consumers typically spend a lot of money on do not necessarily make them happier, nor do they contribute to consumers’ senses of achievement, meaning and engagement;
- the study highlighted that people involved in the design process, either by helping to create the pieces, or through hands-on workshops, were more likely to be attached to an item of clothing;
- high-end fashion, such as international luxury brands and high quality local brands did not significantly predict any of the well-being indicators, they do not contribute to consumers’ sense of achievement, meaning and engagement.
The backdrop: The business of fashion involves huge environmental challenges. Fast fashion ensures producers create new collections every month, selling cheap and creating a throwaway culture.
- A study by environmental charity WRAP found 45% of people bought new clothes at least once a month and one in eight did so every week.
- The study will soon be replicated in the UK.
WHAT THEY SAID:
There have been lots of studies which look at the consumption of fashion, but there are few which include the psychological aspect. Fast fashion is extremely wasteful from an ecological point of view, and psychologically speaking consistently trying to keep up with trends can be a problem. People can feel they have to have the latest look, maintain an image and this can be exhausting. We cannot claim buying slow fashion makes you happier from the study of Chinese consumers, but the data does show the positive relationship between happiness and those who consume slow fashion.
— Lis Ku
Lecturer in Psychology
De Montfort University, Leicester
