Abstract
This study examines the underwear purchase behaviors of female consumers based on fashion leadership. Data research was conducted on 348 females in their 20s and 30s located in the city of Seoul & the surrounding Gyeonggi provincial area. The SPSS 17.0 software program was used to conduct data analyses such as descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, ANOVA, and Scheffe's test as a post-hoc analysis. The results of this study are as follow. 1. Fashion leadership was identified with four factors; fashion opinion leadership, fashion innovation, confidence of fashion, and potential fashion leadership. Customers were segmented into the following three subdivisions: fashion leaders, fashion followers, and fashion laggards. 2. The factors derived from the factor analysis of underwear purchase motive included pursuit of fashion, economic, and fashion coordination. Fashion leaders highly regarded the pursuit of fashion & fashion coordination, but fashion laggards regarded economics highly. 3. The factors derived from the factor analysis of selection criteria included design attributes, brand attributes, functionality of clothes, and practicality. Fashion leaders regarded the attributes of design and brands highly; fashion followers regarded design attributes highly. 4. The factors derived from the factor analysis of underwear attitude included fashion/shopping orientation, fashion coordination orientation, and wear sensation/modesty orientation. Fashion leaders regarded fashion, shopping, design, and fashion coordination orientation highly relative to fashion followers and fashion laggards. 5. Fashion leadership showed significant differences in purchase motives, selection criteria, and underwear attitude.
