Fashion-related remedies: Exploring fashion consumption stories during Covid-19. ‘Nostalgia overpowering, Old is the new me’

ABSTRACT During Covid-19 lockdown, individuals experienced depression, anxiety, and demotivation symptoms tremendously. Therefore, people had to develop coping mechanisms to improve their physical and mental health. Some learned new skills, some re-evaluated their lives and some took the time to relax. This research adopts a qualitative approach by which narratives were collected from 16 participants, who voluntarily responded to the request of the researcher, via social media platforms. The findings reveal the effect of nostalgia on the consumption of fashion-related goods, hidden benefits of COVID-19, transition points among individuals, nostalgia as a coping mechanism, and the choice of acquiring fashion-related goods. Individuals had the chance to reminisce over the past with their family and friends, which led them to consume certain fashion pieces that they feel connected to, to re-live the past. Therefore, fashion brands are encouraged to shift to digital channels to draw, encourage, and connect with their consumers. Moreover, brands should focus on promoting content that focuses on the well-being of individuals to relate to their current state of mind. Furthermore, given the context of the research, fashion brands may discover opportunities to seize in “social group oriented” individuals, who have discovered their ‘true fashion sense,’ during a pandemic.