Could Fashion Influencers Be Masstige Brands?

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether fashion influencers can be considered masstige brands. Addressing a gap in the literature, this research explores the influence of factors such as perceived credibility, tendency to conform, attitude toward influencers, material value, brand consciousness, purchase intention, and masstige perception on the consumption of fashion influencers as masstige brands. A quantitative methodology was employed, using a questionnaire that garnered 153 responses from Portuguese consumers. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS, applying exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and regression models to examine the relationships between variables. The results indicate that the tendency to conform, material value, brand consciousness, and masstige perception positively affect purchase intention toward fashion influencers. Consequently, the study concludes that fashion influencers can indeed be considered masstige brands. Theoretically, this study fills a critical gap by extending the masstige concept to fashion influencers, offering insights into consumer behavior in this context. Managerially, these findings provide valuable implications for fashion companies employing influencers as part of their marketing strategy, highlighting the importance of building brand consciousness and understanding material values to drive purchase intention. This research lays the foundation for future studies in the field of masstige brand consumption and influencer marketing.