Research related to the fashion domain may have much to contribute to the understanding of the processes of consumption of symbolic goods. In order to help the designer pole to be more in tune with consumers' expectations, this study aimed to examine how the perception of the symbolic values of clothing may affect the consumer's involvement with clothing and influence the perception of the importance of the various attributes of the product. The field research, with 233 participants, was restricted to male consumers residing in Rio de Janeiro. The technique of the Structural Equation Modeling tested a theoretical model linking the main concepts and indicated that the model had a good general fit. The test found the perception of symbolic values exerting a significant influence on the levels of involvement with clothing and highlighted their involvement as a mediator of the relationship between the perception of the symbolic values and the perception of the importance of the various attributes of clothes.
Consumption of symbolic goods; Perception of the symbolic values of clothes; Clothing involvement; Male consumer; Structural equation modeling
