Ideal social self

In addition, by engaging with certain LFBs, participants seek to transfer the aspired brand character-istics to them.

I said that I think I’m creative or want to be perceived as creative, but I also want to be perceived as clear thinking, stringent or something like that and I think that you can achieve this partly by a coherent outfit. So, if someone sees, ‘oh, he is dealing with fashion’ or ‘his outfit is coherent’, I think it can trigger such associations. (Int. 14)

The data shows that such characteristics are not only transferred and perceived as an influence, but also that they make participants feel closer to or feel connected with people who share similar interests and preferences for fashion or even specific brands. Thus, one can speak of a connection to like-minded people. Participants emphasize that not everyone can necessarily recognize this type connec-tion, but rather those who are like-minded and who have an eye for LFBs and certain fashion ele-ments.

I think I would like to transfer to myself that other people see, but only the kind of people who are also into these brands, that I also deal with them, you know? So maybe that’s what this niche brand is all about, there are some smaller brands in the streetwear sector, which are not really known at all, but if you deal with this field, you will recognize it anyways. You can also recognize it by a small mini-logo or something like that. I like that, so when other people who deal with it see what it is. But the multitude of people doesn’t see it. That’s actually the most important thing to me, so it’s even more important. (Int. 14)

Well, I became part of the community to a certain degree. You have the feeling that you are now part of a style or a brand, among others, because you get a card when you buy something and you have a contact point where you can get in touch, in case something happens with your bag. You’re no longer a non-customer but a customer and I think that makes a difference whether you’ve already bought something or not. (Int. 4)

Well, it certainly gives me… just walking around with a shopping bag, I like to see when also other people are carrying the bag. You can see that they’re really proud. It’s quite funny to watch, I think, I guess I am also myself. But they give you a certain like group you belong to, or a segment. (Int. 12)

6 Conclusion

The research at hand aims to investigate on the different types of CE with LFBs and on how CE with such LFBs influences the customer’s SC by particularly focusing on the generation of Millennials. In this regard, a qualitative and explorative approach amongst a sample of twelve participants between the age of 21 and 32 is carried out applying the GT strategy.

Following this research approach, a conceptual model based on the generated data is developed. Tak-ing into consideration the previously listed and analyzed types of CE and the different influences on the different dimensions of the customer’s SC, it is concluded in the following conceptual framework.

Figure 14 thereby shows a detailed version of this conceptual model and lists the several findings identified in the previously carried out analysis.

Figure 14: The detailed conceptual framework

Throughout the study, 19 different types of CE with LFBs emerge, which are, in turn, assigned to four different categories – namely, Offline, Online, Offline & Online, and Mind. CE types which are solely carried out offline amongst the participants are wearing products, visiting stores, window shop-ping, attending events, reading magazines & books, and observing people. Merely online performed CE types, however, turn out to be following LFBs and influencers, liking and commenting on social media, posting and sharing on social media, visiting websites, receiving newsletters, and writing re-views. Additionally, CE types are found which are carried out in both ways, offline and online. As

ACTUAL SELF

IDEAL SELF

SOCIAL SELF

IDEAL SOCIAL SELF

SELF-CONCEPT

• Rewards oneself

• Boosts self-confidence

• Enriches personality

• Helps to define own self

• Increases knowledge

• Provides mean to express oneself

• Helps to get closer to desired values

• Transfers LFB’s image to own image

• Provides differentiation

• Puts label on one

• Communicates professional appearance

• Communicates success

• Communicates sense of fashion

• Adds aspired associations to one’s image

• Connects one to like-minded people CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT WITH LUXURY

FASHION BRANDS

CE TYPES

• Wearing products

• Visiting stores

• Window shopping

• Attending events

• Reading fashion-related magazines and books

• Observing people

• Following LFBs & influencers

• Liking & commenting on SoMe

• Posting & sharing on SoMe

• Visiting websites

• Receiving newsletters

• Writing reviews

• Purchasing products

• Contacting LFBs

• Researching

• Word of mouth

• Recognizing features of LFBs

• Dreaming about LFBs

• LFB remaining permanently in mind

OFFLINEOFF-& ONLINEONLINEMIND

such, purchasing products, contacting LFBs, researching, and WoM emerge. Lastly, CE types which solely take place in the customer’s mind and oftentimes function as a starting point of CE are recog-nizing features of LFBs, dreaming about LFBs, and the LFB remaining permanently in mind.

Amongst those CE types, researching and the different types regarding social media activities are assigned a prominent role. Furthermore, it the findings reveal that executed CE types with LFBs are relevant in the offline- as well as in the online domain.

In addition to identifying the relevant CE types with LFBs amongst the Millennials, the influence of CE with LFBs on the customer’s SC was explored. Thereby, a total of 15 different ways of influenc-ing the customer’s SC emerges. Those different influences are, in turn, assigned to the four regarded dimensions of the respective SC: the actual self, the ideal self, the social self, and the ideal social self.

With regard to the actual self, CE with LFBs influences the customer’s SC in the way that it rewards oneself, boosts the self-confidence, enriches the customer’s personality, and helps to define the own self. Furthermore, it increases the knowledge and provides a mean to express oneself and thereby influences the customer’s SC. The ideal self is influenced in the way that CE with the LFBs helps to get closer to desired values and transfers the LFB’s image to the own image. Furthermore, CE with LFBs shows an influence on the social self in the way that it provides differentiation for the customer, puts a label on one, and communicates professional appearance, success, and lastly a sense of fash-ion. Finally, the ideal social self is influenced in the way that aspired associations are added to the customer’s image and that the customer is perceived as connected to like-minded people, which can be traced back to the CE with LFBs amongst the generation of Millennials. Comparing the influences on the actual- and the social self with the remaining dimensions, it becomes apparent that these two dimensions are impacted by a relatively wider variety of influences.

7 Discussion

Drawing on a qualitative approach, this study identifies CE types in the context of LFBs and analyzed how such CE influences the SC from the perspective of Millennials. Following a customer-centered approach in combination with a holistic consideration of CE, as defined by Hollebeek (2011a, 2011b), and the integration of the four-dimensional concept of the self, introduced by Sirgy (1980), this study faces the previously identified gap (see chapter 3). Accordingly, the subsequent chapter serves to discuss the findings with regard to their theoretical contribution and their respective managerial im-plications. Furthermore, the limitations of the research are highlighted and subsequent possibilities for future research are proposed.