Neo, Rachel L.Oandasan, Mark Cedie2022-07-052022-07-052022https://hdl.handle.net/10125/102200With social media platforms on the rise, such as Instagram, a plethora of marketing and branding techniques have been developed in order to capture the consumers’ attention. This study analyzes the visual aesthetics of local fashion brand’s Instagram in Hawaiʻi and how it affects consumer buying behavior. This study borrows concepts from aesthetics, an important component of visual communication, and the theory of framing. However, with the complexity of aesthetics, little research has been done on how it affects consumer buying behavior on Instagram. In my thesis, I conducted a semi-structured in-depth interview with 16 local small fashion brands and 16 fashion consumers. Four themes were derived from the local small fashion brands that examined intangible components of the brand, lifestyle portrayal, tangible facets of branding, and authenticity. Four themes also emerged from the fashion consumer participants that examine intangible feelings from consumers, branding efforts, personal aesthetics, and mixed Instagram aesthetics. Implications of these findings are discussed.CommunicationFashionAestheticsConsumer behaviorInstagram (Firm)Thesis