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The purpose of this study is to compare South Korean (SK) and United States (US) adolescents' clothing motives and their store selection criteria, examine whether adolescents with different primary clothing motives would have similar or different store selection criteria, and examine an interaction effect of country of residency and clothing motives on store selection criteria.

A total of 307 US students and 297 SK students participated in the study. The convenience sampling method was used to recruit teachers who volunteered to help with the study and administer the survey.

Results showed that clothing motives and store selection criteria differed significantly between SK and US participants. Participants with different primary clothing motives had significantly different store selection criteria. SK and US participants with the same primary clothing motive did not have significantly different store selection criteria.

Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method and, therefore, they could not represent adolescents generally in either country.

Based on the findings, suggestions for store positioning, service management and international marketing strategies for apparel companies that target adolescents were provided.

Limited studies have examined adolescents' motives behind the clothes they purchase and wear, and their store selection criteria.

Except the physiological comfort, the design aesthetic of plaid shirts is the decisive factor affecting the purchase decision making of consumers. However, as there is subjectivity and indeterminacy in evaluation of the aesthetic, current research in the literature has little information about the appearance design of checks. The purpose of this paper is to extract the check design features, which influence consumer evaluation, and determine the preferences of men of different ages for the check designs, and the preference differences between them.

Through cluster and preference experiments, the perception and evaluation of the subjects were gained. By cluster analysis, typical classifications of check designs were fixed. With Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) algorithm, users’ perceptual space was revealed as to the plaid samples. In the PREFMAP analysis, results of the ideal vectors of men of different ages were drawn.

The study results revealed four typical classifications of check designs, identified three design dimensions that had effects on users’ evaluation, and built the relationship between design features of checks and consumer evaluation. Besides, in the study, the differences in preference for check designs between men of different ages were also explored. It was found that young men liked modern check designs, but disliked “small and complex” check patterns. Middle aged men preferred dark and cool colors, with dislike for “youthful vigor style.” While they cared more about check colors, young men attached more importance to the design style.

Currently, there is little information in the literature about the evaluation of pattern design. In this study, the use of MDS and PREFMAP analysis reveals visualized complex statistical results. The visualization approach is also applicable to design and positioning of other apparel, and can help designers better understand and position design styles and effects, given their consumer groups and design samples.

In the process of designing new clothes, designers should identify specific user groups’ preferences and attitudes toward certain types of design, ascertain the design elements that make clothes popular in the market, and combine these elements to devise the best clothing design scheme. The purpose of this paper is to discover which design elements influence dress purchases and how age affects consumers’ choices in regard to these elements.

This study uses conjoint analysis in dress design to provide an effective method for designers to identify consumers’ preferences. First, the important attributes and attribute levels of dress design were determined. Next, the experimental samples for the attitude measurement chart were generated by orthogonal design. Finally, the data of 318 samples were analyzed by conjoint analysis to determine consumers’ preferences.

The results revealed that the “silhouette” attribute is the most important decision criterion for dress purchase, followed by the “dress length” attribute. In contrast, the “waistline height” attribute is perceived as least important. The study also identified the dress design features’ preferences of consumers of different ages. According to the results of the analysis, user groups’ preferences and acceptability regarding different design features were revealed, and the favorite dress design portfolio for age-specific consumers was obtained.

Currently, there is little information in the literature about consumers’ preferences regarding dress design. In this study, the use of conjoint analysis reveals and visualizes complex statistical results. This research approach is also applicable to the design and decision-making processes used for other apparel, and it can help designers better incorporate different users’ needs into clothing design.