Abstract
In seeking to understand our knowledge of fashion, this study examines the relationship between fashion and identity through consumption and exploring the importance of factors such as production, distribution and retailing in the entire process. Data was gathered through questionnaires which were distributed to people within the Dublin area, by face-to face in depth interviews with key informants in the fashion industry and participant observation within the fashion buying office environment. The results indicate that clothes and fashion play an important and significant part of the respondents lives and the clothes you wear say a lot about the type of person you are. Findings also reveal the buying practices for fashion, mainly a combination of global suppliers, supplier-retailer relationship to ensure fast delivery and integration of key internal processes and activities to facilitate the complex role of buying and the speed of which decisions need to be made.
