Globalization has received considerable attention in the past decades. Its effects are suggested to favor the emergence of an external pressure toward more competition fashion market environment and have catalyzed the demand for innovation. Mounting anecdotal and research in the aspect of fashion innovation from the perspective of designers and manufacturers have documented encouraging result. However, very few researches have comprehensively examined the influence of fashion innovations from the perspective of consumers. As a consequence, there is a critical need for research that focuses on the consumer oriented fashion innovation and it related characteristics. This study proposes to fill the gap in the knowledge of consumer oriented fashion innovation and its application. Specifically, in the relationship between fashion innovativeness, fashion involvement and impulse buying behaviors. Through a well-structured measuring instruction, fashion innovativeness was measured by the Domain Specific Innovativeness Scale developed by Goldsmith & Hofacker; fashion involvement was measured by the Fashion Involvement Index developed by Tigert, Ring & King and impulse buying behaviors was measured by the Buying Impulsiveness Scale developed by Rook & Fisher. Data were gathered via a personal survey of 600 randomly sampled respondents, resulted in 550 effective questionnaires. Significant, positive linear correlation can be detected between a composite measure of fashion innovativeness, fashion involvement and impulse buying behaviors are significantly correlated. Results shown conceptual and empirical evidence that consumers' fashion innovativeness, fashion involvement can moderate the link between the trait and behavioral aspects of impulse buying behaviors in purchases of fashion apparel. Particularly, this research success in filling the gap in the knowledge and its application of consumer oriented fashion innovation, fashion involvement and impulse buying behaviors. Finally, possible management implications of the empirical analysis were discussed and some worthwhile options for future research were identified.
