Compulsive purchasing behaviour (CBB) in fashion consumption has become a significant concern for consumer welfare and ethical marketing practices. This research empirically investigates the structural relationships among materialistic values, identity discrepancies, self-congruence, brand attachment, and compulsive buying behaviour within the fashion context, building upon prior theoretical integrations of materialism, self-identity, and symbolic consumption processes. Data were gathered from 400 participants in the metropolitan district capitals of India by stratified sampling and a cross-sectional survey methodology. Multiple scales were modified and verified, including the Compulsive Buying Scale, Brand Attachment Scale, Self-Discrepancy Scales, and Material Values Scale. Materialism is a notable predictor of compulsive purchase behaviour, both directly and indirectly, as evidenced by structural equation modelling (SEM) study. Self-identity discrepancy and self-congruence serve as mediators in the interaction between materialism and brand attachment. Brand attachment serves as a partial mediator between identification processes and compulsive purchasing habits. The findings robustly endorse the symbolic self-completion theory and self-congruence theory within the fashion sector. This research advances consumer culture theory by linking identity-related factors to detrimental purchasing behaviours and offers a series of valuable recommendations for ethical fashion marketing and improved consumer welfare