Cosmopolitanism Orientation and Fashion Consciousness of Educated Young Consumers of Fashion Related Products in Sri Lanka

Abstract

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Cosmopolitanism has become an integral part o f social systems. Fashion consciousness is also a central aspect o f the se lf o f the fashion consumer. Thus, cosmopolitanism orientation may be one o f the main determinants o f fashion consciousness in the world at large regardless the geographical proximity. Most o f the studies centred on cosmopolitanism, fashion consciousness, and fashion related products are based upon developed countries reflecting the seldom o f developing coimtry-based research. Addressing such gaps in the literature this scrutiny firstly aims to assess the degree o f cosmopolitanism orientation in Sri Lankan young consumers, secondly to examine whether or not cosmopolitism orientation varies across the different ethnic groups, and thirdly to examine whether cosmopolitanism orientation discriminates the high from moderate, and moderate from low degree o f fashion consciousness o f Sri Lankan young educated consumers by performing Multiple Discriminant Analysis. A survey was carried out taking university students as the proxy fo r Sri Lankan younger generation. 663 usable questionnaires were used fo r the analysis. The result uncovers that Sri Lankan educated young consumers possess moderate degree o f cosmopolitanism orientation and that Sinhalese are more open to Western Values than Tamil and Muslim Community. The results o f Multiple Discriminant Analysis divulge that cosmopolitanism orientation discriminates the high from moderate, and moderate from low degree o f fashion consciousness though the discriminating power is weak. Finally the paper makes important implications and suggestions fo r practitioners as well as fo r academics in the field offashion andfashion related products