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Is fashion promoting counterfeit brands?

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Abstract

The aim of this conceptual paper is to address how the role of fashion and the public display of high fashion brands have contributed to the development of counterfeited brands. The fashion industry is a multimillion pound industry, and many consumers use branded commodities as a way of creating identity. The consumption of high-fashion brands can hold social meaning, allowing consumers to express to others and themselves their individual and social characteristics through material possessions. High-fashion brands have instant global recognition, although the desire for these brands has opened up a market for counterfeited versions. This paper focuses on the demand side of high-fashion brands. In order to fully understand the context of fashion, a review of the abstract symbolic appeals aims to provide insight into the role of fashion and the antecedents of consumers opting for high-fashion brands and high-fashion counterfeit brands. It concludes with new insights into consumer behaviour, and highlights managerial strategies for marketers of high-fashion brands.

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  1. Brunel Business School, Chadwick Building, Room 201, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

    Joshie Juggessur

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  1. Joshie Juggessur
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  2. Geraldine Cohen
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Juggessur, J., Cohen, G. Is fashion promoting counterfeit brands?. J Brand Manag 16, 383–394 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2008.46

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