This study investigates the preferences and purchase intentions of ZEPETO users regarding fashion brands that have recently joined ZEPETO, a leading metaverse platform in South Korea. The study surveyed 279 users in their 20s to 40s about their usage patterns, preferences, and purchase intentions toward products from brands like MCM, DKNY, Nike, and Puma. The results reveal that users in their 20s exhibited higher preference and purchase intention for Nike products, as well as greater purchase intention for Puma products. On the other hand, users in their 40s displayed a higher preference and purchase intention for MCM and DKNY products and a stronger preference for Puma products compared to other age groups. Users in their 30s showed a lower preference and purchase intention for both MCM and Puma products, a lower purchase intention for DKNY products, but a preference for Nike products compared to other age groups. Furthermore, men showed a higher preference and purchase intention for most brands, including MCM, Nike, and Puma. These results suggest that fashion brands on ZEPETO need to implement effective marketing strategies targeting users in their 20s and 40s, as well as male users. This study lays the groundwork for further research on the ZEPETO metaverse platform and provides foundational data for understanding user behavior, essential for establishing effective promotional strategies.

This study aims to analyze consumer perceptions of the metaverse platform and luxury fashion brands in relation to consumer lifestyles, thereby providing foundational data for future marketing strategies of fashion brands using the metaverse. A survey on the lifestyle and perceptions of the metaverse, as well as on luxury fashion brands, was conducted among 300 men and women between their 20s and 40s. Statistical analyses included frequency analysis, cross-tabulation, chi-square (χ2) analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, one-way ANOVA, and Duncan’s post-hoc test. Factor analysis of the participants’ lifestyles revealed five distinct types: “Indifferent,” “Social, individual, and leisure-oriented,” “Trend-leading and brand-oriented,” “Appearance and fashion-oriented,” and “Self-improvement-focused and individualistic” types. The analysis of luxury fashion brand perceptions based on lifestyle types showed that the “Trend-leading and brand-oriented” type had higher awareness and preference for brands such as Gucci, Burberry, and Balenciaga, while the “Indifferent” type showed lower levels of awareness and preference. Regarding brand perception related to luxury fashion brand content experiences within the metaverse, Gucci, Burberry, and Balenciaga showed consistent results across all types. Specifically individuals classified under the “Trend-leading and brand-oriented” category exhibited higher awareness and preference for these brands within metaverse experiences, while those categorized as “Indifferent” displayed comparatively lower levels. Therefore, digital marketing strategies targeting consumers under the “Trend-leading and brandoriented” category are expected to be highly effective for luxury fashion brands. This study is poised to contribute to the expansion of the marketing landscape within the metaverse virtual world for fashion.

This study analyzed the trends of applications for patents, utility models, and designs related to leggings in order to understand the trend of development of technologies for leggings products that are continuously growing in the fashion market. In this study, trends in patent, utility model, and design applications related to leggings products filed from 2001 to 2020 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office were analyzed. As a result, first, the trends of applications for patents, utility models, and designs by year showed that the applications began to rise from 2006 and increased sharply in the 2010s. Second, applications for patents and utility models were analyzed by subject and, according to the results, the applications for compression shaping functionality were the most frequent, followed by those for construction/sewing, those for accessories and others, those for system/device, and those for multi-functionality. Third, when applications for designs were classified by target for wearing and by type of leggings, applications for general leggings designs were the most frequently filed, followed by applications for: item attachment type leggings, shapewear leggings, leggings for men, leggings for pregnant women, leggings for children, and leggings for the disabled. Although this study is limited to domestic patents, utility models, and design applications, it collected useful information related to leggings products and presented directions for future development.