Conspicuous parental consumption : Antecedents of luxury brand preference for parents as consumers

Abstract

The market of luxury apparel for children has grown at a rapid pace over the last decade. Only ten years ago, the market was dominated by a few major actors, whereas today a continuously increasing number of fashion designers have discovered this prosperous market. Despite the evident development in this market, very little research has been devoted to explaining the motivation behind parents’ consumption of luxury items for children. Parents are the central benefactors behind children’s consumption, and parents’ values and consumer behavior influences children’s attitudes and behavior in the marketplace. Examining what motivates parents to spend outrageous sums of money to have their children dressed in the latest couture is the central focus of this thesis.