The role of clothing brands’ brand Image in fashion style perspective in building consumers’ brand preference - A research on fashion self-congruity of different brand images towards consumers’ brand preference with a mediating role of social self-esteem in Indonesian young adults

Abstract

This study investigates how clothing brand image influences brand preference among Indonesian young adults, focusing on the roles of fashion self-congruity and social self-esteem. Clothing has long been recognised as both functional and symbolic, shaping identity and social belonging. Grounded in self-congruity theory, enclothed cognition, and sociometer theory, the research examines how ideal fashion self-congruity and ideal social fashion self-congruity interact with social self-esteem to predict brand preference across four fashion style categories: athleisure, streetwear, vintage academia, and minimalist. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 145 respondents aged 18–26, recruited through purposive and convenience sampling. Participants completed validated scales for fashion self-congruity, social self-esteem, and brand preference, all demonstrating strong reliability. Data were analysed using multiple regression and Hayes’ PROCESS macro model 4 to test direct and mediating effects. The results reveal that the influence of self-congruity varies by style. For athleisure and streetwear, self-congruity does not directly affect brand preference but operates fully through social self-esteem. In vintage academia, ideal fashion self-congruity significantly predicts brand preference directly, while ideal-social works indirectly. For minimalist fashion, both dimensions of self-congruity significantly predict brand preference, with partial mediation through social self-esteem. Across all styles, social self-esteem consistently emerges as both a mediator and a direct predictor of brand preference. Theoretically, the study refines self-congruity theory by showing style-contingent pathways and confirms the role of social self-esteem as a psychological mechanism linking clothing to consumer-brand relationships. Practically, the findings suggest that brands should tailor their positioning to the symbolic meanings of different fashion styles while leveraging clothing’s power to enhance consumers’ social confidence.