Fashion attentiveness and influencer engagement: exploring social media appropriation in South Korea

Purpose This study extended the theoretical concept and measurement of fashion attentiveness into the context of social media appropriation and further analyzed how social media appropriation relates to fashion influencer engagement. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of Korean social media users (N = 450) was utilized to examine such relationships and how participants' social network characteristics were associated with fashion attentiveness and influencer engagement. Findings Controlling for the effects of individuals' demographics and social networks, hierarchical regression results showed that participants who were younger and relatively newer users of social media and who believed they could authentically express themselves via social media were attentive to fashion and actively engaging with fashion influencers on social media. Originality/value The findings have theoretical implications for digitally mediated fashion system and how consumers experience their subjectivities in the networks of fashion, social media, and their bodies.