Ms Priyasha Mishra, Fashion Management Scholar, Department of Fashion Management Studies, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. Of India, Daman Campus.
Key Words: cultural identity and pride, sustainability consciousness, brand authenticity perception, social identity and peer influence
Abstract
This study explores how Generation Z consumers in India respond to streetwear brands that creatively reinterpret traditional crafts, including block printing and embroidery, employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates surveys with in-depth interviews. The results indicate that cultural identity and pride serve as primary motivators, as participants particularly value designs blending heritage motifs with contemporary urban styles, thereby nurturing deep emotional bonds. Sustainability awareness stands out strongly, with environmentally conscious Gen Z favouring organic materials and artisan empowerment in response to fast-fashion overload. Perceptions of brand authenticity play a crucial moderating role in fostering loyalty, where inauthenticity undermines trust. Meanwhile, social identity and peer influence, fuelled by social media endorsements, markedly enhance adoption and purchase intentions. Overall, the research highlights actionable strategies for brands seeking to harmonize tradition and modernity to engage this key demographic.
Introduction
India’s fashion scene is changing as streetwear brands reinterpret traditional crafts like block printing and embroidery. They mix heritage with an urban vibe to attract Gen Z consumers. This group, born between 1997 and 2012, is expected to make up 40% of India’s luxury market by 2030. They focus on cultural identity, sustainability, brand authenticity, social identity, and peer influence when making purchases. In a world dominated by fast fashion and a push for eco-friendly practices, young Indians want brands that genuinely merge traditional designs with modern styles. This combination builds emotional loyalty while addressing ethical production issues. This research looks into how Gen Z Indian consumers respond to streetwear brands through a mix of surveys and in-depth interviews. The findings show that cultural identity and pride are major factors, with respondents preferring designs that blend heritage with urban styles, creating emotional connections. Sustainability is also important, as eco-conscious Gen Z favours organic fabrics and supports artisans, especially as they grow tired of fast fashion. The perception of brand authenticity plays a key role in loyalty; if a brand feels inauthentic, trust diminishes. Social identity and peer influence further drive engagement through social media, where endorsements increase the likelihood of purchases. The study highlights important strategies for brands trying to balance tradition and modernity to attract this demographic.
Objectives
- To study cultural identity’s impact on Gen-Z responses to craft-reinterpreting streetwear.
- To assess sustainability consciousness as a mediator of purchase intentions.
- To investigate brand authenticity’s role in consumer attitudes.
Literature Reviews
(Liu, Lili.et.al) In this research paper, the impact of traditional cultural symbols on purchase intentions towards “National Tide” brands has been analysed with the help of the “Theory of Planned Behaviour Model”. A model has been developed in which cognition of cultural symbols affects “Emotional Value” and “Cultural Identity”, which in turn affects purchase intentions. These variables have been analysed in a survey conducted on 405 respondents. Key findings include both moderating and mediation effects in which “Emotional Value” partly mediates (18-38%) between “Cultural Symbols/Cultural Identity” and purchase intentions.
(Dong, Ping. et.al) The current research uses structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine direct relationships between cultural identities and purchase intentions regarding cultural creative products for 374 tourist samples collected from June to August 2024 at prime sites according to established Theory of Planned Behaviour models, where mediating effects of cultural value occur between perceived product quality and social value and tourist experience. The research covers significant research gaps by using psychological variables for subsequent buying actions and offering effective strategies for promoting a sustainable tourist system via culturally appealing product formulation. The current research is methodologically sound and uses updated information for successful model verification but has some restrictions with a singular tourist group address but limited overall generalization and uses self-report surveys susceptible to bias and subjectivity. Future research should be conducted at diverse international locations and involve designs examining the same subject over time for more comprehensive information about sustainability and cultural economy principles. The current research adds significantly to theory on consumer behaviour and strategies for a sustainable cultural economy.
(Anupama Prashar. et.al) Despite the increasing awareness of Generation Z (Gen Z) fashion consumer groups about the externalities of fast fashion, a value-attitude gap emerges in regard to their willingness to pay for sustainable fashion. Based on dual processing theories, in order to extend the understanding of how nudging communications in online fashion retail influence Gen Z’s sustainable fashion behaviour and their willingness to pay, the role of Gen Z’s sustainable fashion behaviour knowledge and involvement, and their ecological awareness, in moderating the effects of verbal and visual nudging, was also investigated in the study. Additionally, a vignette study on dummy webpages of a popular online fashion retail outlet of a leading online fashion brand in India was used in the research to test the effects of nudging on sustainable fashion brands. The participants in the study consisted of 252 Gen Z fashion consumer groups in India, and the findings indicated that a positive relationship existed between nudging conditions and participants’ fashion behaviour, where verbal nudging was found to be more influential in comparison to visual nudging.
(Palomo-Domínguez, et.al) The study clearly juxtaposes Gen Z’s sustainable ideals and fast fashion behaviours through Vinted as a case study of sustainable platforms in Industry 4.0. The convergence of focus group analysis and a pilot survey allow it to offer valuable inferences about motivations in confirming Vinted’s sustainable attributes despite greater draws of price and variety as factors. The study neglects autocorrelated biases in self-reported results and fails to adopt a longitudinal approach for monitoring sustainable behaviour change in Gen Z. The recommendations about sustaining a stronger sustainability focus in Vinted’s marketing campaigns are valid but unexciting in relation to its applicability as a case study.
(Ahmad, G et.al) This case study on Grassroot by Anita Dongre is a very effective way in which sustainable luxury can help Indian crafts flourish while overcoming challenges currently being faced by the global fashion industry. The transition of Anita Dongre from a fashion designer to a sustainable pioneer is also very effectively tracked while focusing on sustainable factors such as the use of organic cotton during challenging production conditions. The discussion very effectively gauges sustainable growth as a competitive factor within the arising market in India by targeting the dominance of Indian cotton in the global market for future sustainable policies. The discussion downplays sustainable quantifications such as measuring the supply chain or the consumption thereupon.
(Ashiq, R. et.al) This case study investigates Ponda. Bio’s (ex-SaltyCo) rebranding to integrate sustainability without losing its authenticity in the face of pressure by stakeholders through social media. It assesses, through social media communication analysis and interviews with the founders, how a brand-tied to Future Fashion Factory’s circular economy focus-maintains its DNA during transformation. Results reveal effective ways of stakeholder engagement while being true to one’s identity and inform the authenticity challenge of fashion in making sustainable shifts. This study provides practical recommendations for brands navigating demands at odds with core values. Strong points include a real-world case and mixed methods, but this is a single-case study, which reduces generalizability. Longitudinal comparison of multiple brands might be an interesting avenue for further research.
(Yim, Jaewoo) This paper examines the positive relationship that may exist between brand authentication credibility, integrity, symbol, and continuity and customer-based brand equity measures of loyalty, associations, awareness, and quality that apply to the fashion retail industry. This approach examines UNIQLO, SHEIN, and Patagonia on the basis of survey research of 118 University of Michigan students prepared and administered on Qualtrics and determines that it supports the hypothesis that increased brand authentication leads to increased brand equity due to increased ambiguity from social media consumers. It is helpful because it builds brand credibility for increased competitiveness.
(Mukherjee, Ishani) This research examines digital branding approaches of not-for-profit organizations of Bengal handicrafts with an accent on the concept of authenticity as the approach to reach worldwide consumers during the context of globalization. Based on the analysis of websites, this study has revealed three themes: Authenticity of place/production, Desire for reaching worldwide, and Socioeconomic awareness, formulated within the context of theories of intercultural communication. Conclusions of this study emphasis the increased ability of digital tools to make crafts contemporary and combine this with the goals of social justice, although it documents problems faced by NPOs regarding worldwide online marketing.
(Adani, Kavisha. et.al) This paper investigates how peer and social pressures, fueled by social influencers online, affect Generation Z’s conformity to fashion trends. Focusing on Gen Z consumers born from 1997 to 2012, it emphasizes their overdependence on SNS to gain peer acceptance, often to fit in and not feel like a freak. Using a mixed-descriptive method, questionnaires and observations of a convenience sample of 101 Gen Z respondents, it confirms that social influencers have a prominent lead over other social groups to change notions of beauty and fashion. The study verifies that social groups pressure young consumers to focus first and foremost on social acceptance to fit into society. Though it reaches valid conclusions, it has limited validity due to its small and non-representative sample. Though not many observations have been detailed about Gen Z’s behaviours, further studies can have more representative groups or track observations to derive valid conclusions.
(Das, M. et.al) The research examines on which dimensions of ethnic identity (EID) consumer ethnocentric tendencies (CET) for 385 Indian consumers are driven by globalisation. The results show that those related to, linked to, feelings for, and social relationships with local values increase CET for local brands. Materialism enhances relationships between EID & CET whereas Acculturation diminishes them, illustrating an identity-trade-off situation. Theoretical underpinnings include social identity theory; it contributes to existing paradigmatic developments while providing marketers with pointers for Indian value-oriented consumer research. Good sampling provides strong pointers, but self-reporting restricts direct generalisation.
(Del Olmo.et.al) In this research, the influence of digital communication, social media, and peer influence on Generation Z’s transition from fast fashion to sustainability is investigated using a mixed-methods design with content analysis and survey methods involving 202 participants. Findings based on the application of validated scales on exposure to digital influence, peer influence on sustainability content impact on behaviours show high correlations with peers’ mediation in sustainability behaviours’ impact on activities but lack clear associations between brand perceptions and purchasing behaviours with small sample sizes that hinder generalizations despite providing clear guidance for brands on successful digital approaches for sustainability in fashion industries. Standard parametric analyses like correlation testing, t-tests, ANOVA support male-female peer influence on sustainability activities with improvements in the theory on peer influence on fashion sustainability issues.
Research Methodology
This study adopts a mixed-methods design to comprehensively analyze Gen Z Indian consumers’ responses to streetwear brands reinterpreting traditional crafts, drawing methodological rigor from reviewed literature.
Findings
- Cultural identity and pride become one big factor behind the impact of these reinterpreting the craft designs on the youngest generation, as they prefer designs that combine elements of classic designs such as block printings and embroidery with urban designs, as in the case of emotional value mediation.
- Awareness of sustainability as an intermediary in purchase intentions, with eco-aware Generation Z being concerned with organic materials and artisans during fast fashion exhaustion, fosters value-attitude closure through nudging and resonance with peer-induced sustainability behaviour change.
- The Authenticity of brand influences consumer attitudes and brand loyalty, in that a lack of authenticity damages consumer trust, and authentic brand symbols strengthen brand equity; rebranding studies highlight the importance of maintaining brand identity in sustainability transitions.
Conclusion
This research affirms that cultural identity and pride, sustainability consciousness, and brand authenticity profoundly shape Gen Z Indian consumers’ affinity for streetwear brands reinterpreting traditional crafts like block printing and embroidery. These factors not only bridge heritage with urban modernity but also mediate purchase intentions amid fast-fashion fatigue, fostering loyalty when authenticity is upheld. Brands must strategically amplify these elements—through genuine artisan collaborations, eco-messaging, and peer-driven social media—to capture this demographic’s growing market dominance. Future studies could explore longitudinal effects and regional variations to refine these insights for scalable impact.
References
- Liu, Lili, and Hongxia Zhao. “Research on consumers’ purchase intention of cultural and creative products-Metaphor design based on traditional cultural symbols.” PloS one vol. 19,5 e0301678. 13 May. 2024
- Dong, Ping, and Xue Feng Li. 2025. “Cultural Identity and Value Perception as Drivers of Purchase Intention: A Structural Equation Model Analysis of Cultural Products in Luoyang City” Sustainability 17, no. 3: 1317. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17031317
- Anupama Prashar, Leena Ajit Kaushal, Nudging sustainable fashion choices: An experimental investigation on generation Z fashion consumers, Acta Psychologica, Volume 253, 2025, 104727, ISSN 0001-6918, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104727.
- Palomo-Domínguez, I.; Elías-Zambrano, R.; Álvarez-Rodríguez, V. Gen Z’s Motivations towards Sustainable Fashion and Eco-Friendly Brand Attributes: The Case of Vinted. Sustainability 2023, 15, 8753. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118753
- Ahmad, G., & Dubey, S. K. (2024). Sustainable Luxury Fashion in India: A Case of Grassroot by Anita Dongre. Emerging Economies Cases Journal, 6(1), 48-58. https://doi.org/10.1177/25166042231220196 (Original work published 2024)
- Ashiq, R., & Carnie, B. (2025). Maintaining Brand Authenticity Through Rebranding: A Case Study of Ponda. Bio. Fashion Practice, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/17569370.2025.2508819
- Yim, Jaewoo. “Brand Authenticity and Brand Equity in Fashion Retail.” Communication and Media Senior Thesis Program, University of Michigan, Apr. 2023, https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/commmediathesisprogram/wp-content/uploads/sites/1393/2025/01/YIM-2023.pdf
- Mukherjee, Ishani. Branding Authenticity, Global–Localization and Technology: Thematic Analysis of Two West Bengal Urban–Rural Handicrafts NPO Websites
- Adani, Kavisha & Mehta, Aditya. (2023). KEEPING UP WITH THE TRENDS: IMPACT OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE ON GEN Z’S FASHION CONSUMPTION.
- Das, M., & Mukherjee, D. (2019). Ethnic Identity Impact on Consumers’ Ethnocentric Tendencies: The Moderating Role of Acculturation and Materialism. Management and Labour Studies, 45(1), 31-53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0258042X19890245 (Original work published 2020)
- Del Olmo Arriaga JL, Pretel-Jiménez M, Ruíz-Viñals C. From Fast Fashion to Shared Sustainability: The Role of Digital Communication and Policy in Generation Z’s Consumption Habits. Sustainability. 2025; 17(18):8382. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17188382
