Exploring the Influence of Fashion Influencer Attributes on Perceived Authenticity and Attitude Toward the Influencer: Implications for Purchase Intention

Abstract

Social media influencer marketing has developed as a powerful marketing tool in the fashion industry, enabling brands to reach consumers through personalized endorsements. Despite the proliferation of research on influencer attributes, limited empirical evidence exists on how these attributes influence purchase intention via psychological mechanisms such as perceived authenticity and attitude toward the influencer. This study proposes a model incorporating seven influencer attributes—content usefulness, content accuracy, trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness, image match-up, and relevance—and examines their effects on perceived authenticity and attitude towards the influencers.  A survey of 516 Indian consumers was conducted, and the data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The result of this study shows that not all influencer attributes have significant impacts on perceived authenticity and attitude towards the influencers. The study shows that perceived authenticity and attitude towards the influencers have significant effect on consumer purchase intention. The study contributes to influencer marketing literature and offers a significant guidance to brands while selecting influencers.