Diana Alexandra MICH1
Abstract. The paper analyzes consumer perception (Generations Y and Z) of the marketing mix in fashion retail, comparing the strategies of fast fashion and luxury fashion brands. The study starts from the observation that both segments rely on the digital environment but use marketing levers for divergent purposes: promoting speed and accessibility versus consolidating exclusivity and status. The central objective of the research was to investigate the perceptions and preferences of young Romanian consumers towards the marketing strategies of the two types of brands. To this end, quantitative research was conducted using an online questionnaire, with 147 responses from Generation Y (Millennials) and Generation Z respondents. Statistical analyses focused on how elements such as price, product quality, visual content, and values conveyed influence purchasing decisions. The results confirmed that price perception is a determining factor in the choice of fast fashion brands, while luxury brands generate a significant impact, especially through physical evidence (packaging and ambiance) and visual storytelling. Although theoretically Generation Z was expected to be more receptive to fast fashion items, the data indicated a balanced openness to both types of marketing, highlighting a strong aspirational dimension of luxury brands. It was determined that the strongest lever for consumers to identify with the values of a luxury brand is repeated purchasing behavior, not just passive exposure on social media. These conclusions offer distinct strategic directions, emphasizing transparent financial communication for fast fashion and meticulous management of the tangible experience for luxury fashion.
Keywords: fashion; fast fashion; luxury fashion; marketing mix.
1 Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai from Cluj-Napoca, România
diana.mich@econ.ubbcluj.ro
PUBLISHED in Journal of Knowledge Dynamics, Volume 2, No2