J Brand Manag https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-018-00146-2

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

From Karl Lagerfeld to Erdem: a series of collaborations between designer luxury brands and fast-fashion brands

1 1 1 Mona Mrad • Maya F. Farah • Stephanie Haddad

Revised: 2 June 2018 Ó Springer Nature Limited 2018

Abstract Numerous designer luxury brands have been Introduction interested in creating co-branding partnerships with the fast-fashion retailer H&M. Despite the recognition by some Fierce competition and dynamic marketing environments researchers of the value of examining whether consumer steadily pressure companies to adopt innovative branding reactions to the co-partnering luxury brands will be affec- strategies to capitalize on their brand equity (Ko et al. ted by the collaboration, to the best of our knowledge, no 2016; Nobre and Ferreira 2017). As a response to current research to date has examined luxury consumer reactions to market instabilities, companies are increasingly interested such partnerships. Accordingly, this research specifically in establishing co-branding partnerships (Shen et al. 2017; explores how the collaboration between a luxury brand and Voss and Mohan 2016). The purpose of such partnerships a fast-fashion brand impacts on consumer reactions to the is to benefit from the likely positive spillover associations luxury brand. Considering the exploratory nature of this between the allying brands, which could enhance brand study, thirty face-to-face in-depth interviews were con- image and awareness (Oeppen and Jamal 2014; Xiao et al. ducted in the UK to reveal insights into consumer reac- 2014). tions, given the limited knowledge on the subject matter. Co-branding is considered as a form of brand alliance, Six themes emerged from this study: (a) enhanced brand whereby two or more brands collaborate and form a part- awareness, (b) impaired perception, (c) word-of-mouth, nership (Besharat 2010; Kupfer et al. 2018; Voss and (d) consumer engagement, (e) perceived self-expressive- Gammoh 2004). Since the beginning of the century, note- ness and (f) brand avoidance. worthy collaborations between designer luxury and other fast-fashion brands have been attracting considerable Keywords Co-branding Á Fashion Á Luxury brands Á Fast- media attention (Lee and Decker 2016). The Italian luxury fashion brands brand Missoni, for instance, joined forces with the mass market brand Target with respect to 400 pieces including non-fashion-related product categories. This alliance resulted in a remarkable 3.7% increase in Target’s net profits during the first quarter of 2011 (Bickers 2011). Numerous similar collaborations were established in the fashion industry, the most popular of which are those & Mona Mrad between the Swedish fast-fashion retailer Hennes & Mau- [email protected] ritz AB (H&M) and a number of designer luxury brands Maya F. Farah (Shen et al. 2017). H&M established its first collaboration [email protected] with Karl Lagerfeld in 2004 and thereafter a series of Stephanie Haddad yearly alliances with other designer luxury brands. In 2015, [email protected] as a result of its collaboration with the French luxury brand 1 Adnan Kassar School of Business, Lebanese American Balmain, H&M reported a 10% rise in sales during University, Beirut, Lebanon December, compared with the previous year (Lidbury M. Mrad et al.

2016). The common endeavour between H&M and Bal- of the need to explore potential negative spillover effects main was a stunning success, for which customers queued and consumer reactions to the partnering luxury brand (e.g. for 3 days prior to the launch of the collection (Brooks Besharat and Langan 2014; Shen et al. 2017). Previous 2015). International top models, such as Kendall Jenner research on brand alliances has mainly explored long- and Gigi Hadid, were modelling and promoting the col- rather than short-term alliances (Nabec et al. 2016), lection for some 58 million Instagram followers (Lidbury revealing a gap in exploring the consequences of limited- 2016). In November 2017, for its 19th consecutive season, edition designer collections resulting from such collabo- H&M formed a designer’s collaboration with the British rations. To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, apart luxury brand Erdem for its first menswear line, raising from the work of Amatulli et al. (2016), which explores the consumer excitement and anticipation (Carvell 2017), views of luxury brand representatives, no research has yet resulting in a 12-h overnight queue. All the established focused on luxury purchasers’ reactions to this form of collaborations between H&M and luxury brands from 2004 collaboration within the fashion industry. In fact, McEnally to date are shown in Table 1. and de Chernatony (1999) claim that companies must This form of collaboration between H&M and designer decide on the form of collaboration, based on the consumer luxury brands is referred to as joint venture co-branding, viewpoint, emphasizing that they should only be involved whereby the two brands create a joint collection (Shen in such partnerships when this enables them ‘‘to create et al. 2017). Previous research indicates that co-branding value for the consumer where and when, and under what may affect consumer attitudes towards the individual conditions, the consumer desires that value’’ (p. 18). brands either positively or negatively (e.g. Balachander and Moreover, Walchli (2007) proposes that brands entering Ghose 2003; Geylani et al. 2008; Votola and Unnava into a partnership should not consider only the outcomes of 2006). The literature in the field suggests that designer the synergetic relationship between the two entities, but collaborations help brands to attract media attention by also their respective consumers’ responses. Based on the creating buzz for both the retailer and the brand alike (Shen above gaps in the literature, this research explores how the et al. 2017). Collaborations are also considered an impor- perceived collaboration between a luxury and a fast-fash- tant way to increase both revenue and consumer awareness ion brand impacts consumer reactions to the luxury brand. (Rollet et al. 2013). Interestingly, attracting media attention rather than profits seems to be the key measure of success (Friedman 2010). Forming such co-brand partnerships may Literature review additionally help in responding to emerging market trends and enhance brand loyalty (Voss and Mohan 2016; Shen The literature on co-branding remains inconclusive with et al. 2017). regard to defining this type of marketing strategy (Besharat Nevertheless, although brand collaborations promise 2010; Leuthesser et al. 2003; Wright et al. 2007). Different positive outcomes for mass market fashion labels (Shen terms are used to refer to co-branding, including brand et al. 2017; Simonin and Ruth 1998), their impact on alliance (Park et al. 1996; Washburn et al. 2004; Kupfer partnering luxury brands is controversial. According to et al. 2018), ingredient branding (Leuthesser et al. 2003), Geylani et al. (2008), co-branding may impair brand image. and joint branding (Levin and Levin 2000; Rao et al. 1999; This statement is confirmed from research on luxury brand Rao and Ruekert 1994). Nevertheless, for any type of co- extensions, which proposes that downward brand stretching branding agreement to exist, the following conditions attracts consumer attention, yet may devalue and dilute the should be met: (1) the collaboration should be based on an image of the luxury brand (Cheng-Hsui Chen and Chen estimated partnership duration, (2) the main aim should be 2000). The collaboration experience that led the legendary to enter a new or an existing market by jointly developing a creative director Karl Lagerfeld to state that he ‘‘would new product and (3) the names of both brands should never work with H&M again’’ (Vogue 2004) highlights the appear on the product (Besharat 2010). importance of exploring whether such collaboration would Co-branding may take any of the following forms: joint have the same negative impact on a luxury brand as with venture, same company or ingredient co-branding (Shen brand extensions. Indeed, recent studies question whether et al. 2017). Joint venture co-branding is a form of col- this form of joint partnership is a wise co-branding strat- laboration whereby two or more manufacturers collaborate egy. Along these lines, Shen et al. (2017) explore the and release their products under both brand names effects of brand loyalty on revenue obtained from luxury (Blackett and Board 1999). This form of partnership is and fast-fashion collaborations. applied by H&M and Stella McCartney, Balmain, Erdem, A thorough examination of the literature indicates that etc. In the latter case, the fast-fashion brand H&M is the study of joint partnerships between luxury and mass considered to be the parent brand, while the co-partnering fashion brands is still nascent, despite the wide recognition designer luxury brand is considered to be the participant From Karl Lagerfeld to Erdem: a series of collaborations between designer luxury brands and…

Table 1 List of collaborations between H&M and designer luxury brands Year Designer luxury Collaboration outcome References brand

2004 Karl Lagerfeld 1500–2000 pieces sold/hour Yotka (2017) Monthly revenue increased by 24% 2005 Stella McCartney Collection sold out within hours Fashionunited (2018) Revenues increased by 11% 2006 Viktor & Rolf More than 200 people lining up prior to their opening Weinstein (2007) 2007 Roberto Cavalli Shoppers lining up from 5 a.m. Ballinger (2007) Collection sold out within 20 min in Birmingham branch and within the first 40 min in Dublin 14% sales growth 2008 Comme des 12-h line-up in Tokyo during the launching Fashionunited (2018) Garc¸ons 7% sales growth 2009 Matthew Shoppers competing to bag the best buys The Guardian (2009) Williamson 2009 Jimmy Choo Thousands of people line-up for 12 h Collins (2009) 1% sales growth 2009 Sonia Rykiel Mostly female’s queue Schweitzer (2014) 2010 Sonia Rykiel Website crashing within an hour after selling out kids’ wear collection Scandinavian Mum (2010) 2010 Lanvin Successful collaboration in all countries Fashionunited (2018) 2011 Versace Collection sold out in Dubai and Beijing within 30 min Wischhover (2011) 2012 Versace Hours of line-up during the launch Cartner-Morley (2011) 2012 Maison Martin Collaboration resulted in unexpected poor sales Alexander (2017) Margiela 2012 Marni Long line-up Bearne (2012) 15% sales growth 2013 Isabel Marant Shoppers lining up from 4 a.m. Kirkova (2013) and 14% sales growth Bloomberg (2013) 2014 Alexander Wang Long line-up Akbareian (2014) Website crash 2015 Balmain Most remarkable line-ups 3 days prior the launch Sherman (2015) and Brooks Most successful collaboration with millennial celebrities sharing awareness on (2015) social media platforms 2016 Kenzo Line-ups from 8 a.m. 1 day prior the launch Woo (2016) More than 350 people lined up 2017 Erdem Overnight line-up Edmonds (2017) and Teather Collection sold out (2017) Overwhelming audience for online sales during the launch Website crash within 2 min brand (Labbrand 2011). Same company co-branding or been examined in the literature. In addition, consumer ‘‘intra-company co-branding’’ takes place when two brands attitudes and reactions to co-marketing alliances and belonging to the same corporation collaborate (Shen et al. associations (e.g. Ahn et al. 2010); the effect of alliances 2017). Ingredient co-branding takes place when two dif- between both identical and very different brands (e.g. Lee ferent brands cooperate on producing a product with two or and Decker 2016); and the effect of consumer co-branding more ingredients from the manufacturer brand (Desai and evaluations and loyalty (e.g. Xiao et al. 2014) have also Keller 2002; Oeppen and Jamal 2014), for instance, been examined. Other collaborative research has explored Splenda and Diet Coke. consumer responses to co-branding efforts (Motion et al. Co-branding partnerships can have various effects on 2003; Rao et al. 1999; Simonin and Ruth 1998; Washburn luxury fashion consumers, many of which have already M. Mrad et al. et al. 2004) and, in doing so, provided useful insights into yearly collaborations. All interviews were held in the last consumer reactions to brand cooperation. quarter of 2017. The UK market was deemed to be an Co-branding can have significant positive effects on effective test bed as it is the country of origin for a sig- both the participating luxury brand and the fast-fashion nificant number of luxury brands which, in the past few parent brand. Collaborations can positively affect con- years, have entered into collaborations with H&M. Their sumer attitudes to one of the partnering brands (Simonin latest collaboration took place in 2017 with ERDEM, the and Ruth 1998), influencing the perception towards the winner of a series of British Fashion Council awards. participating brand and producing related positive con- A purposeful sampling strategy was used as this method sumer responses (Labbrand 2011; Levin and Levin 2000; permits choosing the sample based specifically on research Simonin and Ruth 1998; Washburn et al. 2004). Some objectives (Suri 2011). The potential informants for this types of co-branding partnerships can constitute a potent study were selected through two different routes. First, a marketing strategy that enables the company to build cus- note was left at Selfridges (UK) explaining that research tomer satisfaction and increase brand loyalty (e.g. Kim was being conducted on the collaborations between the et al. 2007; Shen et al. 2017). fast-fashion retailer H&M and various designer luxury Although the literature highlights some benefits of such brands. Accordingly, interested respondents were asked to collaborations, inappropriate partnerships may have a sig- contact the researchers if they were willing partake in the nificant negative impact on the associated brands (Shen study. Second, a snowballing technique was used amongst et al. 2017). Helmig et al. (2008) argue that co-branding the researchers’ acquaintances to identify customers who might result in negative impacts when there is no or an had previously purchased a collaborated brand and were insufficient fit between the partnering brands or when willing to participate in the study. negative values are associated with one of them. Thus, such To identify qualified candidates who were willing to a collaboration may harm the image of the luxury brand provide the most useful information on the topic under and dilute its perceived quality (Labbrand 2011). On the study in an open and honest manner, criterion-based sam- other hand, collaborating with designer luxury brands can pling was further adopted, based on the two recommen- enhance the brand equity and the image of partnering fast- dations proposed by Creswell (2007). Accordingly, fashion brands (Okonkwo 2007). Hence, such collabora- participants were required to meet specific criteria to tions may be more beneficial to the parent brands. qualify as an informant for the study: (a) he/she must have While previous studies have researched co-branding previously purchased from any designer luxury brand partnerships between designer luxury brands and fast- company that has collaborated with the fast-fashion brand fashion retailers, no study to date has examined luxury H&M and/or (b) he/she must have heard about the col- purchaser responses to the luxury brand in the post-part- laboration between their preferred participant brand and the nership stage. Hence, the aim of this study is to explore parent brand. The sample comprised 14 male and 16 consumer reactions to the luxury brand after such female participants. The data saturation principle was used partnerships. to determine the appropriate sample size, and data satura- tion was reached after the 25th interview, as information became redundant afterwards (Fusch and Ness 2015; Guest Methodology et al. 2006); five supplementary interviews were conducted to ensure that no additional theme emerged thereafter. The Given the prerequisites for theory development in this age of the respondents ranged between 21 and 45 years. under-researched context, the present study could best be This is in line with recent research indicating that this age accomplished through an exploratory qualitative research range will approximately represent ‘‘45% of total high-end design (e.g. Doz 2011). Qualitative research allows spending by 2025’’ (Hoang 2017). Respondents’ details are researchers to acquire deeper insights on consumer atti- presented in Table 2. tudes and opinions (Bradley 2013) and thus their ensuing To gain a better understanding of the subject matter, a behaviour (Saunders et al. 2012). Since the co-branding semi-structured interview guide was developed from an strategy between fast-fashion and luxury brands has so far ordered set of questions (Galletta 2013). The guide was been mostly implemented by H&M (Shen et al. 2017), the structured so as to explore consumer reactions to the col- collaborations established with the latter brand were cho- laboration(s), allowing them to freely express their views in sen as the basis of this study. Face-to-face in-depth inter- their own terms. The interview design had an investiga- views were conducted in the UK to yield insights into tional perspective, using probing whenever necessary to consumer reactions to co-branding partnerships between obtain ‘‘thick and rich data’’ (Creswell 2007). The infor- the participant luxury and the parent fast-fashion brand. mants were guaranteed confidential use of their responses. Accordingly, H&M was examined given its continuous The names of all the interviewees were altered for From Karl Lagerfeld to Erdem: a series of collaborations between designer luxury brands and…

Table 2 Sample description themes. Also, following the recommended validation pro- Name Age Gender Designer Luxury Brand cedures from Creswell and Miller (2000), three procedures were implemented in the study: first, a triangulation tech- Kay 31 Female Victor & Rolf nique, whereby a systematic process was adopted to sort Steven 24 Male Comme des Garc¸ons through collected data and to find and extract common Emily 28 Female Karl Lagerfeld themes across the data sources (i.e. the 30 interviewees); Oliver 34 Male Erdem second, a member-checking procedure was performed, Valentina 24 Female Roberto Cavalli whereby 8 transcripts were sent back to the interviewees Joe 33 Male Balmain for them to comment on their accuracy; and last but not Jessica 23 Female Jimmy Choo least, the credibility of the study findings was confirmed by Ashley 32 Male Alexander Wang an expert in the field of luxury branding. Naomi 28 Female Kenzo Eleanor 25 Female Lanvin Joshua 35 Male Kenzo Findings Francesca 26 Female Versace Alfie 25 Male Maison Martin Margiela Data analysis was conducted to generate inferences on Emma 21 Female Jimmy Choo consumer reactions to the collaboration between the vari- Gregor 37 Male Robert Cavalli ous designers’ luxury brands and the fast-fashion retailer Charlotte 21 Female Balmain H&M. The analysis resulted in six major themes. Lewis 29 Male Erdem Charles 24 Male Alexander Wang Enhanced brand awareness Brandon 30 Male Matthew Williamson Catherine 23 Female Erdem The results of this study indicate that an established part- Harry 33 Male Karl Lagerfeld nership reinforces the visibility of the luxury brand at the Sophia 28 Female Jimmy Choo launch of the collaboration. Respondents believed that this form of collaboration offered the participating luxury Noah 24 Male Stella McCartney brands marketing exposure, creating a form of newness and Reena 33 Female Balmain surprise, providing them with a strong weapon to remain Joelle 45 Female Karl Lagerfeld present in the newsfeeds of consumers. In addition, Stephen 35 Male Comme des Garc¸ons respondents believed that the collaboration created an Paul 27 Male Kenzo opportunity for luxury brands to extend their business, Linda 35 Female Marni reaching new consumers and making them more familiar Tia 25 Female Jimmy Choo with the luxury brand. By creating buzz and generating Marc 37 Male Lanvin hype, the partnership between H&M and the various Informants’ names have been changed for privacy reasons designer luxury brands was deemed to be a clear oppor- tunity for the latter to expand into a new market segment that of the younger generation. Accordingly, this strategy anonymity purposes. The interviews lasted approximately created greater awareness for some of the participant 60 min (two were omitted from the sample analysis, given brands that initially were targeting a niche market and the brevity and the superficiality of the responses). which became recognizable across a broader market. All interviews were audio-recorded. The transcribed Luxury participants in this study believed that this applies data were analysed using NVivo 11 software package to to some of the luxury brands such as Balmain and Erdem. perform thematic content analysis, facilitating the recog- nition, examination and reporting of themes (Braun and It did a buzz in the market… when Balmain collab- Clarke 2006). Inductive analysis was utilized to extract orated with H&M, all the people knew about it. Not themes based on the collected data. Using this technique, everyone is educated about luxury brands. This col- themes were first derived from the literature and used to laboration helped to bring this brand to a new market, initiate content coding. Recursive reading and analysis of especially to young people.- Reena the data by the authors led to newly emerging themes. Two Previous research recognizes that the main value of such distinct researchers independently coded the verbatim collaboration stems from the fact that awareness of the transcripts; 94% inter-coder reliability was achieved. The participating brand instantly increases through directly two coders then discussed the evolving themes, challenging gaining access to the other brand’s customer base (Besharat each other and jointly agreeing on the latest emerging 2010; Leuthesser et al. 2003). In line with the literature, M. Mrad et al. some respondents confirmed that prior to the collaboration, luxury brands, it also raises some concerns related to they were not aware of all the luxury brands that have respondent perceptions of luxury brands. Consequently, partnered with H&M, although they could cite at least one. our results reveal that perceptions of the luxury brand fit, Furthermore, they indicated that the increased number of image and quality are typically affected when a partnership collaborative announcements has secured new opportuni- is built randomly with a fast-fashion brand. ties for luxury brands, enabling them to tap into a larger mass market. Some participants thought that emerging Fit impairment luxury brands which are not yet powerful enough in the market, use collaborations to make customers not only The literature on co-branding points out that the perceived recognize, but also recall the brand for their future fit between collaborating brands is a key determinant of purchases. consumer attitudes (Ahn and Sung 2012) and responses to brand partnerships (Simonin and Ruth 1998). The term This collaboration raised awareness for Erdem. It was brand fit is used to describe how two collaborating brands not really a known brand internationally, it was only are perceived to be congruent, similar and/or related (Si- known here in the UK. But when they collaborated monin and Ruth 1998; Zdravkovic et al. 2010). Brands who with H&M, it was all over the social media and blogs, want to partner-up should be compatible and consistent so it created a real buzz.- Lewis through sharing the same associations. If brands do not I think it elevates their awareness. I think before share similar associations, the collaboration may not be H&M, a lot of people did not know Marni or Erdem effective or favourable, often leading to counterproductive because they are small brands. I think the problem market outcomes (Desai and Keller 2002; Riley et al. 2015; with the luxury industry is that if you are not on the Zdravkovic et al. 2010). top tier it is not easy to get noticed. Obviously Marni The findings of this study indicate that the fit between is well known for those who seriously into fashion H&M and the numerous luxury brands was perceived as but the general public is not that aware of this brand.- largely negative. In fact, respondents recognized that the Linda cooperating brands were not complementary in terms of An interviewee who happened to be both a luxury attribute salience, delivered product quality, price points consumer and a salesperson at Selfridges stated that the and target markets. They highlighted that the overall brand launching of the collaborative collections increased peo- associations of the parent and the participating brands were ples’ interest and excitement in the partnering brands. This erratic and inconsistent. Therefore, the respondents were has increased store traffic amongst the younger generation, sceptical of the fact that luxury brands accepted collabo- who not only wanted to learn more about the luxury brand, rating with fashion brands that are even from a different, but also saw this collection as an opportunity to show off let alone, lower status. Respondents believed that H&M is amongst their peers. known for its stylish and up-to-date items that are not expensive, but often lacking an exclusive and original We at Selfridges do not see many young people on a image. Hence, respondents were interested in the com- regular basis. The situation was totally different monalities between the co-partnering brands, rather than during the collaboration. Young people started the exclusivity that this collaboration would bring. The flooding in, walking around Erdem, wearing the participants questioned there being a compelling reason for collaboration items… Kind of probably show off the luxury brand to participate in such collaborations, as their unusual outfit. It is a way to show that they these brands typically appeal to different target markets belong to this luxury market.- Catherine whose associations cannot be shared. Impaired perception From a luxury brand to such a mass brand?!- Stephen How can a fashion icon, a known one, a very pres- Luxury participants perceived luxury brands to be charac- tigious one like Karl, collaborate with a low-status terized by a mixture of superior quality, durability, pres- brand like H&M?! - Emily tige, exclusivity, emotions and experiences. These cannot It feels odd that the almighty Kenzo agreed to col- be sensed when a luxury brand associates its name with a laborate with the low-middle class H&M.- Naomi fast-fashion retailer that does not match these criteria. Previous studies demonstrated that even though accept- Many respondents reported that co-branding did not lead able quality is associated with items produced for the consistently to improved perceptions of the luxury brand. collaboration, the quality attributes are not sufficient to The results of this study indicate that although this form of create positive perceptions amongst consumers, as the partnerships could at times have a positive impact on the latter should be complemented with an acceptable fit and From Karl Lagerfeld to Erdem: a series of collaborations between designer luxury brands and… congruence (Aaker 1990). In line with these findings, luxury brand. Respondents insisted that such co-branding although some participants believed that the perceived strategies are not beneficial for luxury brands, as they quality of the products of the collaboration between H&M demean the perception of positive image and exclusivity. and some luxury brands were similar to the luxury brands’ As such, they stressed the importance of preserving the products quality, when probed further, they still showed image of the luxury brand by keeping intact its reputation concern about the fit and congruence. Participants contin- for exclusivity. uously revealed their negative sentiments towards this Negative, they ruined Comme des Garc¸ons’ brand collaboration, questioning the decision behind the collab- image. I do not see it as a high luxury brand any- oration strategy and recommending brands with which the more.- Stephen luxury company could have collaborated with. In the future I may not mind buying from Balmain, The Erdem collaboration was a bit surprising, like out but I won’t consider it as one of my top brands of all the available fashion brands, I didn’t expect anymore … When a luxury brand collaborates with a Erdem to collaborate with H&M. Like I would’ve high street retailer, it loses my respect… Everyone expected Erdem to collaborate with Ted Baker, since who collaborated with H&M, lost their image, we they both have their floral collections, but not with can’t count them as luxury anymore like Stella and H&M.- Catherine Roberto Cavalli.- Reena Wow, now I don’t see Versace as exclusive anymore, Participants went further in their analysis, indicating that knowing that H&M have collaborated with Versace.- the collaboration would have been more effective if the Francesca creative directors of luxury brands, instead of the brand itself, had collaborated with the fast-fashion retailer H&M. Moreover, authenticity was another concern raised by They believed that this could save the brand from losing its consumers. Some of the respondents argued that this value in the eyes of consumers. collaboration tarnished the luxury brand’s credibility. They believed that the collaboration should have something real I would say I really like Louis Vuitton, cause I like behind it, as consumers currently feel that those forms of Nicolas, but I think it would be good if he did the collaborations are simply fabricated for marketing pur- collection with H&M instead of Louis Vuitton doing poses. Accordingly, participants believed that this was the collaboration with H&M. I think that Karl affecting the image of the luxury brand negatively, and Lagerfeld collaborating with H&M instead of Chanel should not be used as part of their marketing strategy. is a great idea.- Marc There is no one brand strategy that can fit all brands. I think they just want more money and this is Like the Louis Vuitton and Supreme collaboration something we can feel as consumers. That is the only worked very well. So why not some brands go after reason why they are going into this collaboration. something that can be much more successful, instead Too bad for those luxury brands - Charles of destroying their image with the wrong fit.- Paul You can feel that all they are doing is for marketing. Should luxury brands do this? Do they really need Image impairment this? How can they maintain their image when they act like that? - Alfie Brand collaborations are viewed as a crucial branding The effect on the luxury brands’ perceived image was strategy that aims to strengthen the image of the co-part- another major concern, as the collaboration was undoubt- nering brands (Voss and Tansuhaj 1999; Besharat and edly cheapening the image of the participating luxury Langan 2014). When allying, fashion brands are mainly brand. Interviewees consistently revealed their negative concerned about maintaining their image and selecting the sentiments regarding such collaborations, despite their right brand with which to partner (Oeppen and Jamal varying emotional reactions. Respondents repetitively 2014). voiced their disbeliefs and disappointments from such Respondents largely shared a set of positive beliefs collaborations, affirming that such decisions damage the related to the co-partnering designer luxury brands. Con- image of the luxury brand to the extent that consumers stop sidering each luxury brand image, regardless of the agreed classifying them as a top luxury brands. collaboration, respondents thought that as a stand-alone brand, the latter was exclusive and unique. However, when I was surprised. Who would’ve expected Lanvin to the collaboration was actually launched, a commonly lower their standard?! – Eleanor voiced source of negative sentiments was identified. This There’s also a different experience and feeling from was manifested in respondents’ negative perceptions of the when you buy from Erdem separately and from when M. Mrad et al.

you buy from Erdem at H&M. It’s like Erdem went …quality was really cheap, like really cheap, I mean, low. I don’t want to offend the brand, but it’s how I nothing was right. I wasn’t happy with this. To tell feel.- Oliver you the truth, I never went back there again.- Jessica Everyone who did a collaboration with H&M lost I feel like they have devalued the brand so much. It their image; we can’t count them as good luxury became accessible to everyone. Also they didn’t have anymore. Like Stella and Roberto Cavalli aren’t good the same quality for the collaboration collection. luxury anymore… When I buy from Balmain, now I Even the texture was different.- Oliver feel like they lost their image, it’s still luxury but not Such collaborations seem to have systematically raised good luxury. So that’s the disadvantage when they consumer suspicions with regard to the previously pur- collaborated with H&M. They simply lost their chased items from the luxury brands; affecting their value.- Gregor perception of the items produced by the stand-alone luxury brand. Perceived quality impairment It felt like something is wrong. Now, I keep on The concept of perceived quality was discussed consis- checking if the items I bought are no good anymore. tently across the interviews. Because perceived quality is Even though, when I buy from Comme des Garc¸ons, I measured in terms of customer expectations in relation to love the design, but it feels weird, I am always con- the actual performance of a given product (Parasuraman cerned about the quality.- Stephen et al. 1985), interviewees claimed that prior to the collab- You can feel that their quality diminished because of oration, the luxury brand was associated with a high level H&M- Joe of expected quality, refined fabrics and materials, and distinguished craftsmanship. Some of the participants sta- Consumer engagement ted that some luxury brands such as Balmain have dresses and outfits that are famous in the celebrity world and are Consumer engagement is defined as ‘‘the intensity of an really known for their extreme attention to detail. individual’s participation and connection with the organi- zation’s offerings and activities, initiated either by the Kenzo’s quality is high, from clothes to sneakers to customer or the organization’’ (Vivek et al. 2012, p. 4). It perfumes.- Naomi consists of three dimensions namely immersion, passion I think that Erdem is really exclusive. You pay high and activation. While immersion is defined as ‘‘a cus- prices, but it is fair given their high quality.- Oliver tomer’s level of brand-related concentration in particular The results of this study indicate both positive and negative brand interactions’’ (Hollebeek 2011, p. 566), passion feelings towards the effectiveness of the collaboration. relates to the extent of individual emotional attachment to Nevertheless, overall, respondents believed that the col- relationships with a certain brand, and activation describes laboration offered products for luxury brands, perceived ‘‘a customer’s level of energy, effort and/or time spent on a not only to be of low quality, but also to lack a sense of brand in particular brand interactions’’ (Hollebeek 2011, exclusivity, design and creativity. p. 569). In line with the above literature, the results of this study indicate that participants were heavily engaged with I honestly didn’t like it at all. Their style turned odd the participant luxury brand before the collaboration. again, like you’d feel that their jackets are poor Immersion, passion and activation towards the luxury quality. I don’t know how to describe the texture, it’s brand were clearly sensed in their responses. like a nylon bag. As a luxury shopper, it was a neg- Respondents confirmed their regular engagement with ative collaboration for me. - Naomi the luxury brand-related social media content, their moti- The research findings show that through the collaboration, vation to check the brand’s latest collection and their the quality perception has been significantly altered, yet propensity to regularly read their posts and news on the inconsistently for each of the partnering brands. Luxury different social media platforms. Furthermore, some highly consumers revealed their disappointments with the luxury involved interviewees acknowledged their subscription to brands, questioning why a luxury brand would launch a the daily electronic messages of these brands. The results product that does not match its typical quality level. They also indicate that the luxury participant brand played a emphasized that, by forming such collaborations, the crucial role in the daily or weekly activities of some participant brand is offering lower-quality products, acces- respondents. These behaviours, known as consumer sible to a wider market with affordable prices, and resulting engagement, reveal luxury consumer ‘‘commitment and in downwards quality compensation. connection to an active relationship with various marketing From Karl Lagerfeld to Erdem: a series of collaborations between designer luxury brands and… offers such as advertising and brands’’ (Kim et al. 2016, reactions to the luxury brands partnering with H&M, some p. 305). respondents are still willing to spread positive word-of- mouth about the participating luxury brand and recommend I continuously follow their news. I follow them on it to their peers, as the possession of such perceived high- Instagram. I always wait for their emails. I’m an value products boosts their pride. eager follower of Cavalli. I always update myself with anything coming from them.- Valentina Like yeah, when someone compliments my bags or I’m going specifically to London just so I can check shoes, I’d say, oh it’s Jimmy Choo. They’re beautiful. Karl Lagerfeld’s collection and buy from it.- Joelle They are immortal. I still recommend it to others.- Jessica The findings indicate that, following the collaboration, the participants became less engaged with the participant In the consumption literature, researchers have identified luxury brand. Consequently, the consumers’ level of different motivators for word-of-mouth, including concern immersion, interaction and activation with the designer for others and message intrigue (Engel et al. 1993; luxury brand became more intermittent after the collabo- Sundaram et al. 1998). In line with this literature, the ration. In fact, participants revealed their concerns related findings indicate that some respondents developed positive to the resulting luxury brand’s image and quality, leading responses to the collaboration. When probed further, these to a notably diminished level of involvement with the interviewees confirmed being very positive about seeing luxury brand at times reaching total consumer other consumers, who typically could not afford luxury disengagement. brands, own items from such collaboration collections. Yet, they clearly stated that they would not consider buying I used to be very involved, but I’m no longer as I was from this brand again, as they firmly believe that the disappointed. But I still follow their news on social collaboration made the luxury brand lose its value and media from time to time but way less than before. - exclusivity. Steven Since their collaboration with H&M, I unfollowed I think that all brands that collaborated with H&M Erdem from all online platforms. - Oliver lost their image, and we can’t count them as good luxury anymore. For those who like to buy luxury Some respondents also explained that their passion for the brands but cannot afford it, I will be happy to tell brand weakened after the collaboration. They indicated that them about this collaboration… However, as a luxury their bond and emotional attachment to the participant shopper, I really care about the image of the brand. I luxury brand significantly diminished and for some to the will never buy from these brands again, as I think point of extinction. they are not good luxury brands anymore- Reena I am not fond of this brand anymore.- Sophia I would still recommend it to others, at the end of the I am no longer that attached to Stella. Why I would day; although it is less of a Kenzo, it is still Kenzo… invest in Stella McCartney when I can purchase But I personally will never buy it anymore- Joshua Prada.- Noah Furthermore, the findings indicated that the message intrigue related to the entertainment from this form of Word-of-mouth collaboration acts as a driver to some positive word-of- mouth. The results revealed that some participants were Word-of-mouth is critical for brands, as it can help them likely to engage in positive WOM related to the luxury spread their message exponentially, thus strengthening brand, given the consumer excitement about the novelty of their image (Klein et al. 2016). Indeed, luxury brands rely this form of collaboration and the buzz it received from the increasingly on word-of-mouth as a strategy for stimulating media and the press. A few participants stated that the the launch of their products and collections. According to a collaborations filled social media with pictures, comments recent survey on luxury consumers, 69% of the young and debates, communicating the access to unique designs generation link their awareness of luxury brands not only to within a limited quantity and period of time. The hype that trusted recommendations from friends and families, but was generated through social media with the top celebrity- also to word-of-mouth that is largely perpetrated through endorsed campaigns and advertisements made people more social media (Statista 2016). willing to talk about it as a way to reflect their remarkable The results of this study reveal the existence of two and trendy profiles. This was fundamental in motivating types of reaction to partnerships between luxury and fast- some respondents to spread positive related word-of- fashion brands, resulting in either positive or negative mouth, regardless of whether they would continue buying word-of-mouth. Interestingly, regardless of the negative the luxury brand or not. The main drive behind this WOM M. Mrad et al. is to convey their extensive knowledge about a particular Perceived self-expressiveness luxury brand, while spreading the word around their peer group and influencing them with their opinions and The literature indicates that a number of individuals pur- recommendations. chase popular luxury brands as a means of self-expression that enables them either to join or at least resemble a given Sometimes we really just want to talk about some- aspirational group (Kastanakis and Balabanis 2014). Self- thing different. Given that I have a lot of interest in expressive brands can be defined as ‘‘the customers’ per- the fashion industry, people trust my opinion. I would ception of the degree to which the specific brand enhances definitely recommend this brand to others, but one’s social self and/or reflects one’s inner self’’ (Carroll because of how cheap it became after the collabora- and Ahuvia 2006, p. 82). These brands are gladly adopted tion, I will never think of wearing it again myself. - by consumers, as they are linked to self-identity values Marc (Nieroda et al. 2018) allowing them to compare and assess Although some respondents stated their willingness to the degree of congruence between a specific luxury brand provide general positive word-of-mouth about the partici- and their actual or desired self-image (Vigneron and pant luxury brand, they emphasized that they would never Johnson 2004). The results of this present study indicate explicitly recommend the purchase of specific items from that respondents refer to the selected luxury brands as a the collaboration. means of manifesting their identity and lifestyle. Intervie- Contrary to this finding, other respondents revealed a wees mostly asserted that the luxury brand expresses who change in their views towards the luxury brand after its they are and speaks for them. They turn to luxury brands to partnership with the fast-fashion brand H&M, since they no signal to others the type of person they are. longer perceived the luxury brand as exclusive. Some of Kenzo reminds me of myself. When you purchase these interviewees were even keen to spread negative from a luxury brand, it’s like this brand describes word-of-mouth on the luxury brand, aiming to stop others you. You are what you wear, after all.- Naomi from purchasing or even considering the luxury brand in Their collection defines who I am - a strong and a the future. casual person. - Joelle I stopped recommending Balmain, it’s no longer Karl Lagerfeld truly reflects me. Look at this shirt, it exclusive anymore in my eyes.- Joe screams Emily.- Emily I’ll make sure to say to my friends that it has lost its The respondents use luxury brands to classify or dis- uniqueness.- Brandon tinguish themselves from others and to consolidate the Other respondents also described their negative sentiments symbolic meaning of the brand into their own identity. towards the luxury brand when they knew about the Some consumers believe that the luxury brand reinforces collaboration with H&M, clearly stating how disappointed their ideal self-image through revealing their desired self- they were, to the extent that they would no longer identity. recommend purchasing this luxury brand in the future. Sometimes what you wear speaks out for you.- However, when probed further, these interviewees men- Steven tioned that this active response is of limited duration, I would say, standing out there, like standing out. believing that they will no longer think about the collab- Like a fashion statement. Jimmy Choo helps me oration after a certain period of time. Thus, it can be explain myself.- Jessica inferred that their negative perception of the brand is Yesterday the shoes made me feel like I’m a fash- related to the launching of the collaboration, with respon- ionista, although I’m not.- Emma dents being still likely to reconsider the brand as a luxury one in the future. The feeling of self-expressiveness through the designer luxury brand was largely eroded after the collaboration I wouldn’t recommend Erdem alone anymore. Once with the fast-fashion retailer. Even more so, respondents it went low, you’ll always think of it as low, at least believed that once the collaboration had been established, until you forget about the collaboration. Maybe I am there was a conflict between the new luxury brand image saying that because it is still recent…. I don’t know, and their own self-image. As the consumption of the luxury but maybe when time passes, I will rebuy it again- brand no longer represented the social image they wanted Oliver. to convey, respondents reacted negatively to the collabo- ration, stating that the luxury brand does not reflect who they are. From Karl Lagerfeld to Erdem: a series of collaborations between designer luxury brands and…

Mathew Williamson used to express who I am, but This acts as a reassurance for them and the people around since the collaboration, it’s not me anymore, I’m not that what they are purchasing is still exclusive and not one of H&M. - Brandon associated with the collaboration. I would still recommend the classic lines from Bal- Brand avoidance main like the blazers. But I feel that after the col- laboration and the cheap prices of dresses with H&M, The findings of this study reveal a change in attitude no I wouldn’t buy dresses from Balmain anymore.- towards luxury brands prior to and after the collaboration. Charlotte Respondents shared their negative attitude towards the Jimmy Choo is selling shoes for 400 pounds, so I luxury brand as a result of such partnerships, disqualifying don’t think I would wear the similar type of shoes the latter brand from their list of preferred options during that the brand had for their collaboration with H&M the shopping spree. This reaction extends at times to pur- for 40 pounds. So now it will be different, I will chases performed prior to the collaboration, reflecting choose a different type of shoes, so that people know consumers’ feelings of retrospective regret and that what I am wearing is not the one of 40 pounds. - disappointment. Tia Yes, I’ve regrettably purchased from Kenzo before. Other respondents claimed that since the collaboration was Now that I think about it, it was not worth it. I am a one-off that was only for a very short period of time, they really disappointed with the worthless investment I will still buy from the luxury brand. They confirmed that if have made buying this jumper.- Naomi such collaborations were to be repeated continuously in the I’m angry with Comme des Garc¸ons… I felt sur- future with the same luxury brand, their purchase prised, shocked and disappointed. What! From a behaviour would definitely be affected. luxury brand to such a mass brand?!- Stephen This will affect my perception only for the collabo- Previous research indicates that an unpleasant experi- ration. At least in my mind, I know that this product ence with a brand can lead to consumer dissatisfaction, is H&Ms and will never be Lanvin. So I know that which can consequently result in brand avoidance (Lee the quality may not be the same, it’s only tempo- et al. 2009a, b). As a consequence of social or individual rary… - Marc concerns (Iyer and Muncy 2009), this conscious elimina- tion of the brand can take three main forms, based on the When asked to explain the temporary aspect mentioned intensity of negative consumer feelings and attitudes: above, the respondent clarified further that: avoidance, aversion and abandonment (Hogg et al. 2009). this collaboration will only be for 4 or 6 months, In line with the marketing literature, the results of this there will be limited lines and a number of outfits at study indicate that after the collaboration, customers star- least… I would not tolerate or like it, but I don’t have ted avoiding the luxury brand, often switching to an any other choice really. alternative. On the other hand, some respondents had a completely I thought it wouldn’t affect me, but I ended up not different perspective. Based on their experience, they purchasing Alexander Wang anymore. I looked for an realized that the collaboration between H&M and some alternative and I found it.- Ashley luxury brands had items whose quality was very similar to I would say that this collaboration has affected the items they had purchased from the luxury stand-alone Comme des Garc¸ons a lot. I personally switched brand, but with a significantly reduced price tag. Accord- instantly to Fendi.- Steven ingly, participants revealed that they have stopped buying Because of the disappointing collaboration, I stopped from the luxury brand, as they realized that this brand is not spending money on Balmain. I’m currently spending as credible as it used to be. on Fendi instead.- Joe I stopped buying from Balmain. I didn’t like Balmain While some respondents reacted to the post-collaboration with H&M, because the quality is the same as the real by avoiding only the luxury brand, others selectively Balmain, which is really upsetting.- Joe avoided some of the luxury brands’ product categories. As My friend always buy from Lanvin. When they did these collaborations typically included only a range of the collaboration with H&M, she realized that the specific products, respondents revealed their willingness to quality was the same as Lanvin. So now she com- keep purchasing the products categories that the luxury pletely stopped buying from Lanvin. She felt so bad brand did not incorporate into the collaboration with H&M. about it. - Harry M. Mrad et al.

Discussion and implications brands and the fast-fashion retailer, H&M. The resulting negative perceptions that emerged towards luxury brands The objective of this research was to explore consumer have demotivated consumers’ from future purchases of reactions to co-branding in terms of the interaction between their high-end lines. Likewise, as a result of the collabo- luxury and fast-fashion brands, and to acquire a deeper ration, respondents refrained from engaging in any forth- understanding of the likely consequences for the luxury coming activity associated with the luxury brand. While brand that may result from the adoption of such an inte- some respondents thought of generating negative word-of- grated strategy. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this mouth, others decided to stop buying from the luxury brand study is the first to examine the responses to such co- altogether, reflecting a major brand avoidance reaction, branding strategies from the perspective of designer luxury caused by a mismatch between customer expectations and consumers. Thus, it makes an original theoretical contri- the brand actual performance. bution, expanding the knowledge on co-branding alliances From a managerial perspective, this study offers a wide and adding to the literature which has previously examined range of contributions for managers in the process of only how this form of alliances typically benefits co-part- designing innovative marketing strategies. The results of nering entities in terms of brand loyalty and increased the study imply that, despite the enhanced brand awareness market share (Shen et al. 2017). The in-depth interviews opportunity that can emerge from such collaborations, for enabled the extraction of six different key themes, namely: luxury brands to prevent negative word-of-mouth, con- (a) enhanced brand awareness, (b) impaired perception, sumer disengagement and ultimately luxury brand avoid- (c) word-of-mouth, (d) consumer engagement, (e) per- ance, managers need to be vigilant about the value of their ceived self-expressiveness and (f) brand avoidance. brand, while taking into consideration, over time, the value The results reveal that collaborating with a fast-fashion of any possible partnership. The results indicate that the brand does indeed enhance luxury brand awareness. When compatibility of both collaborating brands constitutes a two different brands join forces, they attract additional crucial management principle for identifying a suit- attention from customers, due to the generated buzz and able brand or entity with which to collaborate. In addition, hype. In fact, co-branding awakens consumers’ senses, the findings reveal that brands should be aware of the revives the brands in their memory and encourages them to associations that consumers establish with each brand. re-evaluate the partnering brands. Accordingly, the luxury Through an enhanced understanding of how those associ- brand is likely to attract both greater media attention and ations are formed, marketing managers will be in a better previously untapped audiences, making it more recogniz- position to establish jointly beneficial co-branding prac- able and conspicuous in new markets. These results are in tices. As such, marketers should generally be cognizant of line with the literature, which indicates that co-branding the threats and risks of adopting co-branding strategies and, alliances increase awareness and sales and opens new therefore, should ensure that they are well equipped to market opportunities (Friedman 2010; Rollet et al. 2013). protect their brands. Furthermore, the findings of this study Nevertheless, the findings also highlight that perceptions reiterate the importance of keeping the concept of brand of brand fit, image and quality are significantly affected by equity at the core of the development of such marketing such collaborations. Unfortunately, sometimes, these col- strategies. laborations exert a serious negative impact on the overall Since the findings of this study provide managers with perception of luxury brands. Similarly to the findings from evidence that unsuccessful co-brand alliances lead to research on down-stretching strategies adopted by high- dilution effects on the luxury brand, managers need to align quality brands (e.g. Dubois and Paternault 1995; Hennigs the values of both brands, and consider this as a prelimi- et al. 2013), respondents in this present study indicated that nary but fundamental condition for the development of the established collaborations have led to a dilution of and brands’ collaborations with congruent image fit in the damage to the luxury brand’s image, and more specifically, future. As consumer reactions towards luxury brands may reduced its exclusivity. Contrary to Amatulli et al. (2016), switch from being particularly very positive towards the this study reveals that all the interviewees had a generally luxury brand to becoming very negative due to co-branding negative reaction towards this form of collaboration. This alliances, these findings have significant implications for might be due to the key fact that the respondents were all luxury brands, fashion marketers and merchandisers. The luxury purchasers, unlike previous studies, in which only study as a whole is a warning to practitioners that co- luxury sellers or representatives were approached. branding should not be applied with the main aim of cre- Moreover, consumer engagement with designer luxury ating awareness in any situation, as the negative effects of brands, and consequently the word-of-mouth, has also been the collaboration may be detrimental to the luxury brand affected by the various collaborations between the luxury reputation. In fact, luxury brands should be alerted to the likely consequences of collaborations with fast-fashion From Karl Lagerfeld to Erdem: a series of collaborations between designer luxury brands and… brands and rather favour horizontal alliances with brands of Kenzo equal market image and reputation. Furthermore, instead of Erdem forming co-brand alliances with fast-fashion retailers, it 2. What do you think and feel about (this X luxury may be safer for luxury brands to expand into different brand)? markets by extending their product offerings into bridge 3. Do you know H&M? lines, thus taking preventative actions against the dilution 4. What do you think and feel about this brand? of their perceived exclusivity and quality. To avoid nega- 5. Have you ever heard of the collaboration between tive consumer perceptions, co-branding strategies can be [the X (selected) luxury brand] and H&M? used to further exploit the introduction of a new product category, rather than co-branding an existing product that (If Yes), have you purchased from it? consumers can compare to the luxury brand product. (If No), what do you think and feel knowing that Although the findings of this research are rewarding, the H&M have collaborated with [the X (selected) results are not without limitations. This study was con- luxury brand]? ducted only in one geographic market, namely the UK. 6. What did you feel when this collaboration was Accordingly, it will be interesting for fashion marketing launched? practitioners and academics to examine consumer reactions 7. How would you describe this collaboration? to such collaborations in other markets. Given the quali- 8. How was the experience? tative nature of this study and the size of the interviewed 9. After this collaboration, did you buy from (this X sample, results cannot be generalized without further val- luxury brand) again? idation. Future research could extend this work by devising 10. If yes, did you have any different feeling when you a quantitative design, whereby data can be collected from a bought it? wider sample through a survey method. Last but not least, 11. Does (this luxury brand) remind you of anything in consumer perceptions of the luxury brands may change particular? over time. Therefore, it would be interesting to examine 12. Does (this luxury brand) make you feel connected consumer perceptions in both the short and the long run to anyone or anything in particular? after the launch of the collaboration through longitudinal 13. When going for shopping, does (this luxury brand) studies. comes first to your mind? Compliance with ethical standards 14. Do you feel like buying from (this luxury brand) again in the future? Conflict of interest On behalf of all authors, the corresponding 15. How involved are you with (your selected luxury author states that there is no conflict of interest. brand)? 16. How would you describe the feeling of owning an item of this collaboration? Appendix: Semi-structured interview questions 17. How does (this luxury brand) fit your personality? 18. Did you recommend to others around you to 1. Have you ever purchased any of those luxury consider buying from this collaboration? brands? 19. 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Wischhover, C. 2011. Versace for H&M sold out in 30 minutes in University of Manchester, UK. She has also obtained a degree in some locations—and people are already lining up for the fashion design from ESMOD and attended fashion courses at the madness here in the US (plus what everyone was buying). https:// London College of Fashion in the UK. Mona’s research interests fall fashionista.com/2011/11/versace-for-hm-sold-out-in-30-minutes-in- in the general area of consumer behaviour, fashion design and some-locations-and-people-are-already-lining-up-for-the-madness- branding. She is particularly interested in examining the different here-in-the-us-plus-what-everyone-was-buying. Accessed 25 facets of the relationships that consumers establish with their brands. Feb 2018. In addition to this, Mona is also interested in researching the Woo, A. 2016. Kenzo x H&M sale attracts queues of 350. http://www. excessive buying behaviour phenomena towards brands and products straitstimes.com/lifestyle/fashion/kenzo-x-hm-sale-attracts-queues- and in particular towards fashion brands. Her research has appeared in of-350. Accessed 25 Feb 2018. academic journals such as Journal of Business Research, European Wright, O., L. Frazer, and B. Merrilees. 2007. McCafe: The Journal of Marketing, Technology Analysis and Strategic Manage- McDonald’s co-branding experience. Journal of Brand Man- ment and Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal. agement 14(6): 442–457. Xiao, N., M. Hwan, and S. Lee. 2014. Brand identity fit in co- Dr. Maya Farah is an Associate Professor and the Chair of the branding: The moderating role of CB identification and Marketing Department at the Adnan Kassar School of Business. Maya consumer coping. European Journal of Marketing 48(7/8): has several years of undergraduate, graduate and executive teaching 1239–1254. experience at several AACSB accredited universities, including the Yotka, S. 2017. Karl Lagerfeld reinvents the power woman at Chanel Lebanese American University, the American University of Beirut Couture. https://www.vogue.com/article/chanel-haute-couture- and the Ecole Supe´rieure de Commerce in Toulouse (France). Key spring-2017/. Accessed 9 Mar 2018. areas in her research agenda include: omni-channel marketing and Zdravkovic, S., P. Magnusson, and S.M. Stanley. 2010. Dimensions online communities, tech disruptions, the consumer journey, Islamic of fit between a brand and a social cause and their influence on marketing and the application of socio-cognitive theories to consumer attitudes. International Journal of Research in Marketing 27(2): decision-making, mainly in the fields of boycotting and switching 151–160. behaviour.

Ms. Stephanie Haddad is an MBA graduate from the Lebanese Publisher’s Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to American University, Beirut. She received her bachelor of science in jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. auditing and accounting and another degree in finance and financial institutions from the Lebanese University with high distinction. She currently works as a research and teaching assistant at the Lebanese Dr. Mona Mrad is an Assistant Professor in Marketing at Lebanese American University. Her current research interests include an American University. She holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from the emphasis on fashion marketing and branding. 本文献由“学霸图书馆-文献云下载”收集自网络，仅供学习交流使用。

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