Men’s Fashion : A Study of the Fashion Consuming Behaviour of Swedish Men

Abstract: Even though the fashion consumption of men has increased there are differences in consumption in relation to women. Men’s consumer behaviour becomes more similar to women’s consumer behaviour, which is an important moment in men’s fashion. The literature review is based on fashion and consumer behaviour. In this thesis consumer behaviour is concerned with subcultures such as male consumers, Sweden and the Generation Y. The consumers of the Generation Y consume differently compared to former generations and it is the most consumption orientated generation. A qualitative research was conducted to understand how men of the Generation Y consume fashion. In-depth interviews with eight Swedish men of the Generation Y were directed to understand what is important to them when consuming fashion. Further, the purpose was to find out what Swedish men want to express through their clothing, what influences them concerning their consumption decisions and why men think that they consume fashion differently than women. It was found out that their purchasing decisions are based on a combination of the fit, price and quality of the garment. Additionally, self-expression through clothing is important for the respondents. The pressure in the Swedish society to fit in has also an influence on their decisions. Regarding consumption differences between men and women the participants think that the price gap is the most important factor.